MONDAY March 30, 2020
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Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
‘The end of an amazing stretch of job growth’
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Baptist Health buys more land in SilverLeaf
Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
Claims for unemployment insurance in Florida soar to a record 74,021 for the week ended March 21 as COVID-19 impact hits.
BY MARK BASCH
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
February unemployment data released March 27 shows a strong labor market for Jacksonville and Florida, but that changed as businesses began shutting down in March. The first signs came March 27 when the U.S. Department of Labor reported on new filings for unemployment insurance. Claims for unemployment insurance in Florida
skyrocketed to a record 74,021 for the week ended March 21, more than 10 times the 6,463 claims filed the previous week. The Labor Department said Florida was experiencing layoffs in the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, manufacturing, wholesale trade, and retail trade industries. Data on new claims for the Jacksonville area is not yet available.
The $5.65 million acquisition in the northern St. Johns County development is next to property it purchased in July.
Daily Record Virtual meetings Daily Record helping to keep JACKSONVILLE SEE JOBS, PAGE 3
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: YOUR INSIGHT
BY KATIE GARWOOD STAFF WRITER
JACKSONVILLE
her connected
Wendy Norfleet of Norfleet Integrated Solutions, a professional training and coaching firm, says she has lost more than half of her business. BY KATIE GARWOOD STAFF WRITER
Wendy Norfleet says she’s lost more than half of her business in March and April since the coronavirus outbreak began. Norfleet is CEO of Norfleet Integrated Solutions, a professional training and coaching firm. Most of her clients want to meet in person, but some have switched to virtual appointments, helping Norfleet keep some of her business. Other appointments have been postponed through the end of April, she said. Event organizers canceled an Orlando training event, which was supposed to be nearly a fourth of her business for the month.
Special to the Daily Record
Wendy Norfleet is CEO of Norfleet Integrated Solutions, a professional training and coaching firm.
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.
SEE NORFLEET, PAGE 2
Baptist Health is taking more interest in St. Johns County, purchasing land in the SilverLeaf development. Baptist Health Properties Inc. paid $5.65 million on March 23 for property next to 22.25 acres it bought in July for $4.89 million. “We recognize the importance of providing convenient access to quality health care throughout our region,” said Keith Tickell, senior vice president Tickell of Strategic Assets/Real Estate at Baptist Health. SilverLeaf is in northern St. Johns County, west of Interstate 95 and south of County Road 210. “The acquisition of this property is part of our ongoing commitment to serving the growing communities in St. Johns County and we look forward to developing plans that are tailored to the needs of residents at SilverLeaf and surrounding communities,” Tickell said March 26. John Metcalf, vice president of The Hutson Companies, which is developing SilverLeaf, said Baptist’s newest purchase is about 11.5 acres. That gives Baptist 33.75 acres. The new acquisition can be SEE BAPTIST, PAGE 2
NAIOP calls on DeSantis to act NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association of Florida is calling on Gov. Ron DeSantis to address its industry concerns in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. The letter asks for commercial rent relief, to stabilize liquidity in commercial lending markets and provide relief on commercial loans.“In the most immediate term, we believe that the Florida Legislature should include commercial rent coverage consideration for small and medium-size businesses as a part of any stimulus package,” it reads. “If tenants can pay rent, it will lessen the blow across CRE sectors,” the letter says. To read the letter, go to jaxdailyrecord.com and search for NAIOP.
VOLUME 107, NO. 94 • ONE SECTION