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CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: YOUR INSIGHT
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THE MATHIS REPORT
‘I can feel the Daily Record pain and the Daily Record uncertainty’ JACKSONVILLE
JACKSONVILLE
KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
Amazon wins OK to build-out old Kmart
Daily Record
Janet Herrick, controlling investor and owner of OEC Onsite Environmental Consulting, remembers the struggles of the Great Recession and urges people to support the hard-hit hospitality industry.
JACKSONVILLE
The internet retailer intends to hire about 200 people for the facility.
BY KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
J
anet Herrick’s job is outside, so social distancing at work during the coronavirus outbreak isn’t difficult. As controlling investor and owner of OEC Onsite Environmental Consulting, she performs wildlife surveys and wetland fieldwork for clients who want to buy or build on the property. Outside of the job, Herrick is president of the JAX Chamber West Council, chair of the Northeast Florida Builders Association Clay County Government Affairs Subcommittee, past president of Women Business Owners of North Florida and a member of CREW, CCIM and a Leadership Jacksonville steering committee. She doesn’t expect to resume interaction with them until at least the end of April. In addition to keeping up with her contacts on social media and virtual networking, Herrick is connecting the old-fashioned way. “I am picking up the phone and calling people, ‘Hey, how’s it going?’” she said. Herrick said the virus-induced lockdown affects everyone in the community. “If they are not directly impacted by the shutdown financially, they are one degree away,” she said. “I’m really starting to see the human behind the
Special to the Daily Record
Janet Herrick, president of the JAX Chamber West Council and chair of the Northeast Florida Builders Association Clay County Government Affairs Subcommittee, said she’s using social media – and the phone – to stay in touch with her contacts.
KEEPING CLOSE – FROM A DISTANCE Since March 13, city event venues, stores, restaurants, malls, entertainment centers, churches and businesses shut down and laid off workers or sent them home to telecommute to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Daily Record will report how local small business owners are dealing with the imposed social isolation.
Amazon.com won the green light to build-out its last-mile delivery center at the former Kmart store along Blanding Boulevard at a project cost of $12 million. The city issued a permit March 19 for Bryan Builders LLC of Longwood to renovate the 103,317-square-foot building at 4645 Blanding Blvd. for a package-delivery service. The internet retailer intends to hire about 200 people for the project. City Council enacted Ordinance 2019-0877-E on Feb. 11 to rezone the 11.36 acres to permit the use. The bill changes the zoning from commercial community general-2 to planned unit development to allow a 111,718-square-foot center, with vehicle staging. The Kmart store has been vacant for seven years. Blanding Self Storage LLC owns the site. Amazon intends to lease it. The Seattle-based e-commerce company wants to open more last-mile delivery facilities in the Jacksonville area.
SEE HERRICK, PAGE 2
SEE MATHIS, PAGE 2
Harbor Freight Tools issued build-out permit The city issued a permit March 18 for Harbor Freight Tools to build-out at Highland Square in North Jacksonville. Heartland Retail Construction Inc. of Racine, Wisconsin, is the contractor for the $454,354 project at 932 Dunn Ave. Harbor Freight Tools will occupy 20,396 square feet of space in the former Office Depot location. Publix Super Markets Inc. anchors the shopping center. Harbor Freight has two stores in Jacksonville and one in St. Augustine. Harbor Freight says it sells hand, air, power and automotive tools, generators and accessories at prices lower than competing brands.
VOLUME 107, NO. 89 • ONE SECTION