FRIDAY March 19, 2021
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Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
DOWNTOWN
THE MATHIS REPORT
VyStarDaily looking at moreRecord expansion JACKSONVILLE
Daily Record Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
Amazon building $40M sortation center at Cecil Commerce Center
JACKSONVILLE
Photo by Karen Brune Mathis
VyStar CEO Brian Wolfburg says he’s “a big believer” in a face-to-face work environment and thinks the commercial office market will stabilize.
CEO Brian Wolfburg sees workers returning to its Downtown headquarters by August as the credit union completes restaurant and retail projects. BY MIKE MENDENHALL STAFF WRITER
VyStar Credit Union executive leadership is targeting August to return to inperson work at its Downtown corporate campus as the organization eases coronavirus restrictions. CEO Brian Wolfburg said March 8 that up to 1,200 of the credit union’s nearly 2,200 employees could be working at VyStar’s Downtown offices if Northeast Florida’s vaccination pace continues and
COVID-19 cases continue to drop. VyStar’s workforce and services have continued to grow since the pandemic began in March 2020 and Wolfburg said commercial office expansion will not be far behind. “We are absolutely looking at everything that’s going on around us,” Wolfburg said. “We are interested in the conversation around the (former Jacksonville) Landing. We are interested in other development that’s occurring in the city.” The Downtown Investment Authority plans a 4.5-acre riverfront park and private development at the former Landing site, now Riverfront Plaza. Wolfburg said nothing has been decided, but VyStar’s near-term real estate expansion will grow its service area in Florida and Georgia but focus on Downtown Jacksonville. VyStar is looking at space now, both new construction and renovation of
available space. Wolfburg said VyStar was able to streamline member services operations, employee on-boarding and project management while working remotely the past year. For example, VyStar implemented a $26 million loan and grant program with the city in April using CARES Act dollars for small businesses facing declining revenue caused by the pandemic. Wolfburg says he’s “a big believer” in a face-to-face work environment and thinks the commercial office market will stabilize. “That helps you build the brand. It helps you build culture, especially for newer employees or newer projects,” he said. VyStar’s Downtown staff reached 1,100 in the days before the credit union closed offices and canceled travel and in-person meetings, according to Wolfburg. That is more than the 1,000 employees SEE VYSTAR, PAGE 2
The city issued a permit March 17 for the almost 280,000-square-foot facility in AllianceFlorida. The city approved construction March 17 for an Amazon. com sortation center at AllianceFlorida at Cecil Commerce Center at a cost of $40.4 million. It follows a Jan. 22 foundation permit at a construction cost of $2.7 million. The Conlan Co. is the contractor. The 278,237-square-foot center is in development at 13450 Waterworks St. in the West Jacksonville business park. The land, Parcel F, is at southwest POW-MIA Memorial Parkway and Waterworks Street. In January, City Council member Aaron Bowman said the Seattle-based online retailer would open there and AllianceFlorida master developer Hillwood also said Amazon.com will be a tenant at Cecil Commerce Center. “I can confirm we have signed a lease with Amazon for that facility,” Hillwood Senior Vice President Dan Tatsch said Jan. 30. He said Hillwood targeted the third or fourth quarter of 2021 for completion of the building.
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JSO appears to be leaving Regency Square Mall The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office appears to be moving its Zone 2 Substation in Arlington from Regency Square Mall to the Merrill Crossings shopping center at northeast Southside Connector and Merrill Road. The city issued a permit March 4 for Warden Contracting Corp. to build-out 7,000 square feet of space at 9119 Merrill Road, No. 26, at a cost of $121,655. The site is about 3 miles north of the Regency Square substation at 9501 Arlington Expressway. The JSO said there is no firm date for the move of the substation.
VOLUME 108, NO. 87 • ONE SECTION