MONDAY August 26, 2019
Public legal notices begin on page 3
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Parking garage deal moves to City Council Agreement would replace Florida Blue’s riverfront surface parking lot, freeing the space for Project Sharp.
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BY MIKE MENDENHALL STAFF WRITER
JACKSONVILLE
Photos by Monty Zickuhr
The view from Liberty Street looking west toward the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront hotel and Downtown. The former location of the old Duval County Courthouse is now a lawn available to reserve from the city for events.
The former Duval County Courthouse and City Hall Annex sites along East Bay Street are available from the city for events. BY SCOTT SAILER STAFF WRITER
Looking for riverfront land for an event? Check out the green grass that covers the Downtown sites of the demolished Duval County Courthouse and City Hall Annex. James Croft, city assistant director of public affairs, said the city-owned property along the south side of East Bay Street is available for special events and activities. He said that requests to reserve and permit the use of the properties should be made to the city Office of Special Events in Room 280 at City Hall at 117 W. Duval St. The office can be reached at (904) 630-3690. Fees are based on the specific event and its needs, he said. As of last week, Croft said no group has submitted a request to use the properties. SSAILER@JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
The view from Newnan Street looking east toward the Plaza Condominium at Berkman Plaza and Marina. The lawn is the former site of the old City Hall Annex that was imploded January 20.
The City Council will consider a redevelopment agreement with Florida Blue for a new parking garage in Brooklyn. The garage would replace the insurance company’s existing Riverside Avenue surface parking lot, making the space available for the international headquarters of a company code-named Project Sharp. Legislation filed Thursday would authorize the city to give a $3.5 million completion grant to build a 750-space, $22.5 million parking garage on city-owned property at Magnolia, Park and Forest streets two blocks west of the Riverside Avenue lot. The city would transfer ownership of the 2.3-acre parcel, appraised at $3.17 million, to Florida Blue at no cost. The bill was introduced by City Council President Scott Wilson on behalf of the Downtown Investment Authority. The agreement was approved by the DIA board Aug. 7. Florida Blue uses the riverfront parking lot at 323 Riverside Ave. for its Downtown employees. An aerial photograph included in DIA documentation shows the lot as the intended site for Sharp’s proposed $145 million headquarters. Described as an international financial technology services company, Sharp matches the needs of Jacksonville-based FIS, a Fortune 500 company. The agreement states Sharp would maintain its existing 1,216 jobs in Jacksonville, which SEE FLORIDA BLUE, PAGE 2
New JEA headquarters takes step The Downtown Investment Authority on Wednesday unanimously approved the development rights for JEA’s new $72.2 million Downtown headquarters at 325 W. Adams St. Ryan Companies US Inc. was given the go-ahead by the DIA board to build up to 220,000 square feet of office space, 8,500 square feet of ground-floor retail and an 850-space parking garage. The project is advancing as the city-owned utility’s board considers privatization. Both the DIA and JEA included exit clauses in their agreements to protect themselves if the public utility decides to reconsider its decision to relocate Downtown.
VOLUME 106, NO. 198 • ONE SECTION