city economic growth

Linda Lindenmoyer: A front seat to the city’s economic development

KATIE GARWOOD STAFF WRITER

The Berkshire Hathaway corporate relocation vice president works with JAXUSA to bring new companies and their employees to the city.

Despite the pandemic, Linda Lindenmoyer, Berkshire Hathaway’s vice president of relocation services, said her department has been busier than ever helping new residents settle into Jacksonville.

Part of that can be attributed to an influx of remote workers relocating to Jacksonville, she said. They are coming from more densely populated and expensive regions of the country, like the northeast and northwest.

“Companies in those areas are reaching out to JAXUSA and our company directly about relocating or expanding their business into Northeast Florida because COVID has shown them many of their employees can work remotely,” said Lindenmoyer, who also serves as chair of JAXUSA Partnership’s business development committee.

“So maybe it’s not important to have an office in the city anymore. It’s cheaper to do business here and it’s easier to do business here.”

JAXUSA is the economic development division of JAX Chamber.

Lindenmoyer said individuals reach out to her company directly who want to relocate to Jacksonville so they can work remotely in a cheaper area with a better quality of life.

“We don’t expect that to slow down for some time,” she said. “Even though that’s not our typical customer, we’re here to help anyone who needs help.”

In her role with JAXUSA, Lindenmoyer meets with company leaders who are considering moving their operations to Jacksonville.

She shows them what it’s like to live in Jacksonville and gives tours of the area.

“Everything that you can possibly imagine that decision-makers would be interested in for their company and their employees,” she said.

Photo by Katie Garwood Linda Lindenmoyer, Berkshire Hathaway’s vice president of relocation services is taking calls from workers who want to relocate to Jacksonville for the low cost of living while working remotely.

At Berkshire Hathaway, she and about 100 relocation agents work to coordinate moves to Jacksonville, help newcomers find homes and assist their spouses in finding employment in Jacksonville when they arrive.

Lindenmoyer said JAXUSA already has hit its 2020 target for recruiting companies and new jobs to the area.

She said she suspects that has to do with Jacksonville’s diverse business community, which makes it easier for the city to recover from the COVIDrelated economic downturn.

“We don’t have a strong dependence on one industry,” she said. “It sets an environment for companies to enjoy doing business here.”

Recently, she said she’s been noticing more workers in several industries relocating to the city: IT and innovation, logistics, advanced manufacturing, financial services and new headquarters.

As far as what those companies want when they arrive, Lindenmoyer said it varies by company and by the individual employee.

On a general tour of the city, Lindenmoyer takes the company’s decisionmakers through Downtown, by the sports arenas, to the beach, along the Intracoastal Waterway and St. Johns River and to arts and cultural centers.

Individuals relocating often have specific areas they want to see, such as neighborhoods near their office or their children’s school.

“The good news is Northeast Florida has everything someone could possibly want,” she said. “We have every type of housing anyone could want, except igloos.”

Lindenmoyer has been in corporate relocation for about 22 years. Before that, she worked in residential and commercial real estate.

She realized the necessity of her industry when she and her husband relocated to Jacksonville from North Carolina in 1992. Her husband’s employer covered some moving expenses, but Lindenmoyer said they had no other assistance in house hunting or learning about the city.

“I know what it’s like to struggle to come to a new city, especially one as large as Jacksonville, and figure out where we want to live,” she said.

“I’ve heard so many people say what it has meant to them just to have that resource that will hold their hand through that process. It’s very rewarding.”

KGARWOOD@JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466

When uplifting stay-at-home care is needed most

Because your parents always gave you the very best of care throughout your life, do the same for them. Put them in the caring hands of Comfort Keepers® , We provide compassionate in-home care that helps seniors live safe, happy, and independent lives in the comfort of their own homes.

Call (904) 230-9220

JacksonvilleSeniorHomeCare.com

Southern Grounds opening in Avondale

KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR

The third location for the Jacksonville-based coffee shop also will feature a market, artisan baked goods and space for Stellers Gallery.

Southern Grounds & Co. hopes to open Nov. 9 in Avondale.

It will be the Jacksonvillebased coffee shop concept’s third location, and not the last.

Mark Janasik owns the Southern Grounds business while the properties of the first three locations – Neptune Beach, San Marco and Avondale – are owned by Edward Skinner Jones.

“They’re in old, established neighborhoods. They just fit in the community,” Jones said during a tour Oct. 29 of the Avondale location at 3562 St. Johns Ave.

The Angelo Group Inc. is the contractor for the 8,000-square-foot building in the Shoppes of Avondale. Group 4 Design Inc. is the architect.

“It’s a place for people to meet and gather,” said operating partner Aaron Helmer.

Consultant Chris Goodin, who is helping secure new locations for Southern Grounds, said the first two shops are considered meeting spaces.

“Avondale lends itself to being a community gathering space,” Jones said previously of the established neighborhood.

“People can walk here; they can ride their bikes. We felt like it was a good fit.”

The city issued a permit in April for Southern Grounds to build its Avondale coffee shop, restaurant, market and art gallery at a cost of $1 million.

Stellers Gallery, now in San Marco, announced Oct. 12 it will open a second location and

Provided by Southern Grounds The Avondale Southern Grounds & Co. is at 3562 St. Johns Ave. The restaurant will seat 120 inside and 30 outside on a front patio. Group 4 Design Inc. is the architect. See more photos at JaxDailyRecord.com.

Provided by Southern Grounds Southern Grounds & Co. front of house manager Allie Kampmeyer, owner Mark Janasik and operating partner Aaron Helmer.

will lease 600 square feet of space in the Southern Grounds building.

Southern Grounds will occupy the bulk of the building with 150 seats – 120 inside at tables, couches, a wine and beer bar and a private-dining area that can accommodate 20-25 people; and 30 people on the front patio.

Southern Grounds will operate a market for charcuterie meats and cheeses, wine and other goods between the main area and Stellers. Stellers has an exterior door onto St. Johns Avenue and an interior door into Southern Grounds.

Southern Grounds will showcase artwork by Holly and Heather Blanton and by Sean Dampier. It also will display pieces from Stellers Gallery.

The main restaurant area includes the point-of-sale area where cakes and pastries are available from Southern Grounds’ blueberry artisan bakery. The Avondale store also will make pastries in-house.

The Avondale menu will be similar to that at the San Marco location and also feature daily specials, with food made inhouse from scratch.

It will employ 30-40 people.

Hours will be 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. daily, possibly later on weekends, depending on business.

Janasik said the restaurant will have digital and seasonal menu boards. Customers also can download through a QR code or order on the website.

It’s also a place to connect digitally. Ample connections throughout the restaurant allow laptops, phones and other devices to remain powered up and plugged in.

Jones declined to provide the investment cost, but so far, it is reaching $2 million.

The Avondale property, with 18-foot ceilings, is new construction.

The city issued a permit in September 2019 for Realco Recycling Co. Inc. to raze the previous 7,200-square-foot building. Jones applied to the city Dec. 5 for a permit to build the one-story, 8,000-squarefoot building on the site at a cost of $1 million.

Jones, who leads Avondale Sogro LLC, bought the structure in November 2018 for $763,000. It was developed in 1958.

Jones considered renovating the structure, then realized a more efficient space could Jones be built.

Jones and Janasik opened the first Southern Grounds coffee shop at 200 First St. in Neptune Beach in February 2016 and the second at 1671 Atlantic Blvd. in the San Marco area in June 2018.

The first two Southern Grounds also serve beer and wine.

They feature breakfast, brunch, soups, salads, hot and cold sandwiches, tartines, protein grain bowls, charcuterie and cheese, children’s fare, seasonal items and beer and wine.

There also are pastries, breads, cakes and beignets as well as other food, shirts, hats, mugs, wholesale coffee, wine and food for sale to take out.

Jones describes the concept as a chef-driven coffee shop

2368 Research Parkway Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Badcock & More to Durbin

Creek: St. Johns County is reviewing an application for Badcock Home Furniture & More in Durbin Creek Crossing at southwest Race Track Road and St. Johns Parkway. The project is a 17,496-square-foot store on 1.4 acres. The Ferber Co. is the developer of the 70-acre mixeduse Durbin Creek Crossing.

Tractor Supply in Southside:

The city is reviewing civil engineering plans for the proposed Tractor Supply Co. store at northeast St. Johns Bluff Road Provided by Southern Grounds South and Bahia Drive. Hix Southern Grounds & Co. will lease part of its 8,000-square-foot building to Stellers Gallery and feature its Snedeker Companies LLC is artwork in the main restaurant area. the developer of the proposed 24,333-square-foot store on 8.27 acres. The Jacksonville that serves food, beer and roasted coffee, which “is criti- dina Beach and other “walk- Planning Commission executed wine. cal to what we do.” able communities.” an order Oct. 22 for a zoning

Southern Grounds carried “We feel we are expanding Janasik also is working on exception on the vacant site the cakes and pastries from the idea of what a coffeehouse Southern Grounds shops at on behalf of landowner Pozin Biscuit and Buttercream and can be,” Janasik said. Jacksonville International Air- Six Children LLC to allow for then bought it, renaming it He said Southern Grounds port and at The Hub Brooklyn outdoor storage for rental or “blueberry, an artisan bakery.” serves “simple, whole, unpro- near Downtown. sale of construction equipment. It set up production at South- cessed food from scratch.” Janasik said Nov. 2 the air- Tractor Supply has six area locaern Grounds in San Marco. Janasik said the brand port project is a partnership tions.

That business also focuses on health and local and and licensing agreement with is expanding. Jana- sustainable food while sup- HMS Host. Southern Grounds Bailey’s Gym in Oakleaf: The sik said the bakery, at porting vendors and farmers expects to be in Concourse A city is reviewing a permit aptheblueberrybakery.com, that focus on the environment. by June. plication for Bailey’s Health & signed a distribution agree- He said the definition of He is working on HUB Fitness at 8396 Merchants Way ment with Sysco to deliver healthy includes giving back to Brooklyn with architects Clif- in Oakleaf Station shopping cenbaked goods from Daytona the community. ford Duch and Joseph Cronk. ter. It will build-out in part of the to Savannah to clients from Southern Grounds partners “Our plan is to expand not former Beall’s department store. country clubs to restaurants. with the Tom Coughlin Jay only the Southern Grounds Y2K Construction is the con-

All three Southern Grounds Fund, Ronald McDonald House brand to that area but to open tractor for the $700,000 project locations also have outdoor Charities, Teen Challenge, The a seasonally fresh restaurant to renovate 36,667 square feet patios. Jones said he will redo Donna Foundation, Beaches Go concept as well,” he said. at Argyle Forest Boulevard and the San Marco patio with brick Green and other organizations. He said his group is inter- First Coast Expressway. pavers, lights, bench seating Goodin works with Jones and viewing several local chefs to areas and plants. Janasik to find sites. They are join the team for that concept. Gate at Belfort: The city is

Janasik said previously looking in South Jacksonville reviewing a permit application Southern Grounds will pair a Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, KMATHIS@ for Auld & White Constructors GRHK-20001 GREYHAWK__JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD AD__10.375x8__SEPT2020.qxp_Layout 1 9/4/20 10:12 AM Page 1 seasonal menu with its fresh- Lakewood, downtown Fernan- JAXDAILYRECORD.COM LLC to remodel and enlarge the Gate Petroleum Co. gas station and convenience store at 4120 Belfort Road at a cost of $2.7 million. Plans show the 5,050-square-foot building will be expanded to 6,311 square feet. The city also is reviewing an application for demolition of the car wash at the site.

Sanctuary Medicinals along

Beach Boulevard: The city issued mobility fee calculation and concurrency reservation certificates for Sanctuary Medicinals to remodel and expand the former ABC Liquors store on 1.557 acres to 7,386 square feet at 11450 Beach Blvd. Sanctuary Medicinals will use 3,140 square feet and the rest will be for future retail use. The city is reviewing a permit application for the estimated $700,000 project.

Tempur-Pedic at St. Johns

Town Center: The city approved a permit for H Pittman Enterprises Inc. to build-out space for Tempur-Pedic at 4663 River City Drive, No. 107, in St. Johns Town Center at a cost of $322,056.

Gate Carwash: The city issued a permit for FLC Contracting LLC to build the Gate Express Carwash, pay kiosk and dumpster at 15765 Max Leggett Parkway at a cost of $300,000.

O’Reilly Auto Parts: O’Reilly Auto Parts applied for a permit to build a 12,427-square-foot addition to its 7,000-square-foot store at 4124 Emerson St.

ROOM TO SOAR

A New Community Concept in Northeast Clay County

Spread your wings in a new home and a new community just minutes from Oakleaf Town Center.

Move-in Ready Homes. 5 Models Open Now!

NOW SELLING FROM THE $200s – $400s

Full Amenity Center | Resort-Style Pool | Fitness Center | Dog Park | Lakeside Fire Pit | Playfields & Playground | Sports Courts | Walking/Jogging Paths