A team of IBM experts, funded by a grant from the major technology services company IBM, has started a three-week project to determine realistic solutions to revitalize downtown Jacksonville.

The project is part of the IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant program, a worldwide initiative to provide a total of $50 million worth of services and technical assistance to the most progressive 100 cities around the world through 2013. The project carries an approximate value of $400,000 and requires no tax dollars.

Jacksonville was selected earlier this year among eight cities nationally and 33 globally after Mayor Alvin Brown and a number of stakeholders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors met with IBM representatives at City Hall to make the case for downtown.