Atlantic Beach is asking kids and college students to build their vision for the city's new Marsh Oaks Community Center using the video game Minecraft.
The city launched a Minecraft Education Contest inviting student teams across four age divisions to design the center as a storm-resilient community hub, the Beach Gazette reported. The contest is open to all Atlantic Beach students in elementary school through college.
Entries are due Tuesday, Sept. 15.
Teams must submit a video of five minutes or less touring their Minecraft build and explaining how their design features would serve and protect the city. Participants must use the free Minecraft Education version.
The city's contest prompt asks students to think beyond everyday use. Designs should include storm-resistant and wind-resistant structures built for coastal gales and flooding, rooftop solar panels with battery backups, smart rainwater harvesting, bioswales and edible community orchards and gardens. Indoor spaces should be flexible enough to convert into emergency shelters, with secure storage for food, medicine and water, backup phone-charging stations and neighborhood Wi-Fi zones.
Winners in each age group will receive a cash prize or gift card. They will also present their designs to community members, elected officials, city staff and the Atlantic Beach Environmental Stewardship Committee (ESC) at an upcoming Marsh Oaks workshop.
The contest is the latest step in a project that has drawn steady attention from city leaders. The Atlantic Beach City Commission received Marsh Oaks updates at meetings on June 8, June 22 and July 13, according to commission agendas. The city also held a town hall on Saturday, July 18, at the Gail Baker Center to gather resident input on the center and city parks.
The 4,500-square-foot building at 100 W. 1st St., next to Beaches Veterans Memorial Park, was a former assisted living facility the city acquired in 2024. The City Commission named it Marsh Oaks Community Center in August 2025, honoring the neighborhood's live oaks and adjacent marshlands. A $220,000 grant from the Florida Department of Emergency Management funded a new 140 mph-rated roof, interior bracing and impact-resistant doors and windows. A $500,000 grant from the City of Jacksonville is paying for interior renovation, and a $200,000 Community Development Block Grant will fund a new parking lot and landscaping, according to the city's project page.
A May 2025 construction update projected the center would open by July 2026. The city has not confirmed whether that timeline held.
Contest details and entry information are available on the city's Minecraft Education Contest page. Questions can be emailed to [email protected].
Upcoming
- Tuesday, Sept. 15 — Deadline for Minecraft Education Contest entries
