Jacksonville Daily Record 9/23/19

Page 1

MONDAY September 23, 2019

Public legal notices begin on page 3

jaxdailyrecord.com • 35 cents

Daily Record JACKSONVILLE

THE TURNING OF THE TAP

Chambers leaves JAXUSA for FPL

Daily Record JACKSONVILLE

The 17-year JAX Chamber veteran joins the utility as economic development manager.

Daily Record Daily Record JACKSONVILLE

BY KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR

JACKSONVILLE

Photo by Katie Garwood

Mark Blackwell and Craig Boesdorfer started United Distributors Inc. in 1979 and sold the company in June to Scott Koizumi.

Mark Blackwell and Craig Boesdorfer sell United Distributors, the company they started together in 1979.

BY KATIE GARWOOD STAFF WRITER

United Distributors Inc. owners Mark Blackwell and Craig Boesdorfer didn’t intend to stay in the water business for 40 years. The childhood friends moved to Florida from Illinois to escape the cold and answered a blind newspaper ad for water purification and conditioning equipment sales. “The very first day we came down here we saw a water presentation and just were blown away

by what the equipment would do, how bad the water was, how many benefits you could provide customers,” Blackwell said. “We got sold on it and we got excited about it.” Within a few years of working with the company, the men took out a loan to buy the franchise rights for United Standard products in Florida and Georgia. They opened United Distributors Inc. in 1979 on Atlantic Boulevard and moved to 11225 St. SEE UNITED, PAGE 2

Conceptual design of JEA HQ, shipping container apartments win DDRB approval BY MIKE MENDENHALL STAFF WRITER

The Downtown Development Review Board on Thursday unanimously approved the conceptual design of JEA’s proposed headquarters at 325 W. Adams St. During its meeting, board members urged developer Ryan Companies US Inc. to provide detailed, street-level visuals of the proj-

ect’s 4,900-square-foot urban open space before the project’s final review in October. The DDRB also: n Unanimously approved a project to recycle 18 shipping containers into multifamily housing units in the Downtown Cathedral District. Apartments in JWB Real Estate’s $1.2 million community at 412 Ashley St. will rent for about $550 per month.

n Gave preliminary approval for Ameris Bank to replace its signs and add a logo atop the 28-story Riverplace Tower on the Southbank. The board asked the sign maker, Priority Inc. of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, to provide the lighting strength — or number of lumens — the sign will produce. n Approved a vertical blade sign for SoBA Apartments at 1444 Home St.

A JAXUSA Partnership senior leader starts her new job today with Florida Power & Light Co. Cathy Chambers, who was JAXUSA senior vice president of strategy and business development, joins the utility as economic development manager. Her last day was Friday with JAXUSA Partnership, the economic development division of JAX Chamber. Chambers joins as FPL considers a bid to buy JEA. FPL President Chambers Eric Silagy said Aug. 16 the company is looking at making an offer for Jacksonville’s power and water utility. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with the talented team at the JAX Chamber and JAXUSA Partnership for more than 17 years,” said Chambers in a statement Thursday. She said she looks forward “to continuing to work with JAXUSA on exciting projects in this region and the rest of FPL’s territory.” JAXUSA President Aundra Wallace, who took the position Oct. 1, told JAXUSA investors Aug. 27 by email that Chambers was leaving. “She has worked to generate thousands of jobs and millions in capital investment, particularly in the financial services and fintech industry sectors, and led the SEE CHAMBERS, PAGE 2

Bentley dealership construction is underway The Bentley luxury car brand is on the way to Southside, off Interstate 95 and Butler Boulevard. The city issued a permit Wednesday for AutoBuilders General Contracting Services to build the Bentley/ Maserati Alfa Romeo dealership at a construction cost of almost $11 million. The 40,987-square-foot dealership, with almost 7,800 square feet of exterior space, comprises showrooms and service facilities at 7137 Bonneval Road. Work has been underway. On June 20, the city approved the foundation permit.

VOLUME 106, NO. 217 • ONE SECTION


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