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Nov. 29-Dec. 4, 2019
The Basch Report: Stein Mart optimistic about sales rebound PAGE 3
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JACKSONVILLE
Record & Observer Curry backs JEA effort to sell utility
DEVELOPMENT JACKSONVILLE
Record & Observer THE BROOKLYN BOOM
A government-run utility “does not serve the best interests of our community in the long term,” mayor says.
JACKSONVILLE
Record & Observer BY MIKE MENDENHALL STAFF WRITER
JACKSONVILLE
Mayor Lenny Curry told City Council members at Monday’s JEA fact-finding workshop that he will oppose any effort to stop Jacksonville’s public utility from exploring a possible sale. In 5 minutes of prepared remarks, Curry weighed in for the first time on JEA’s privatization process in front of Council, putting his support behind the utility’s efforts to Curry explore a sale. Curry said he would not let JEA’s planning process end “because of baseless conspiracy theories” and “unprecedented negative onslaught from a small segment of the media” or “because the conversation is simply difficult to have.” “I philosophically believe that less government is better for the people and the limitations of a government-run utility monopoly does not serve the best interests of our community in the long term,” Curry said. Curry interceded in the JEA debate as former Mayor Jake Godbold, 86, increased his public opposition. Godbold published a full-page ad in The Florida TimeUnion on Monday to call on Council members to “pay attention to what JEA’s customers — your constituents — are saying” and testified at the fact-finding hearing.
Record & Observer NEW FIS HEADQUARTERS
Special to the Daily Record
FROM STAFF
FIS announced in October it will build a $145 million, 12-story, 300,000-squarefoot world headquarters at 323 Riverside Ave. The site is a former Florida Blue surface parking lot. FIS will receive $29.9 million in city and state incentives and hire an additional 500 workers by 2029.
T
he Brooklyn area Downtown is in the midst of a boom. More than $269 million in projects are underway or planned in the neighborhood along Riverside Avenue and the St. Johns River. Projects include a Residence Inn hotel; Brooklyn Place, next to the Brooklyn Station shopping center; a parking garage for Florida Blue; and the Vista Brooklyn and Lofts at Brooklyn apartment communities. The largest project is the most expensive, the $145 million world headquarters for FIS. More Brooklyn development, Page 6
The top commercial real estate sales of the week PAGE 8 The Mendenhall Report: Why JEA put incentive plan on hold PAGE 10 Leaders in the Law: Aequitas Counsel founder Kirsten Doolittle PAGE 12
Photo by Monty Zickuhr
MMENDENHALL@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
THE MATHIS REPORT
Johnson & Johnson Vision expansion could top $30M Plus: Plans for RH at Town Center in review. PAGE 4 VOLUME 2, NO. 26 • ONE SECTION