Daily Record Financial News &
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Vol. 102, No. 238 • Two Sections
35¢ www.jaxdailyrecord.com
Aging boomers spark 2 projects
Northeast Florida’s agingbaby-boomer-and-beyond population continues to spark investment in senior-living communities. Two more are in design for Mandarin and southwest Jacksonville. Those would join at least 15 more that recently opened or are under development in the Jacksonville area. Jacksonville-based Vestcor Communities will develop a $22 million community along San Jose Boulevard while Principal Senior Living Group of Alpharetta, Ga., plans to enter the Jacksonville market with the estimated $9.8
million Benton House at Oakleaf. To the extent that Northeast Florida follows the trends of the state, it can expect an increase in older residents. The state reports that between 2010 and 2030, Florida’s population age 60 and older will account for most of the state’s growth, representing almost 58 percent of the gain. Residence 65 and older will increase to almost 6 million people by 2030, up from about 3.3 million in 2010, and account for more than half of the overall population growth in the state. That retirement-and-over age
group will comprise almost 25 percent of the population in 2030, up from 17 percent in 2010. In Mandarin, Vestcor Communities wants to develop a 104unit, three-story assisted living and memory care center at 12276 San Jose Blvd. The single-phase community will be developed on about 4.2 acres. Construction on the 120,000-
square-foot project should start next year and be completed in 2017. Conceptual site plans filed with the city show two independent living wings and a memory-care/ assisted living wing, along with outdoor recreation areas. There would be 34 assistedliving beds, 24 memory-care beds and 46 senior apartments, Vestcor said. Holly Hepler, marketing manager of The Vestcor Companies, said the company has not named the community yet. She said the senior living community will cater to “today’s
aging baby boomer.” “Residents and their families will take comfort knowing that active seniors can enjoy such a quality, social environment that has the programming resources to allow them to age in place,” she said. PQH Group is the architect. Hepler said the community will offer one- and two-bedroom private apartments that include utilities, Internet service, housekeeping, laundry service, routine maintenance, gourmet dining by an executive chef, 24-hour access to a licensed nurse and health Mathis continued on Page A-2
Council asked to say ‘no’ to Curry More than 40 people back King, McKinnon
There’s a Jaguar loose in the library
Photo by Bobby King
By David Chapman Staff Writer
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Jared Odrick leads a group of elementary school children in the animal dance. Odrick surprised the children Tuesday and read two books to them at the Main Library Downtown. See more photos on Page A-7.
Honoring a commitment to serve Pact with God to keep her daughter safe led Rose to work in nonprofits
By Marilyn Young Editor For six hours one day in April 1999, a terrified Robin Rose did an enormous amount of bargaining with God. Pleading for the safety of her youngest daughter, Ashley. Praying the high school freshman wasn’t one of the victims in the massacre at Columbine High School. When Rose’s flight landed in Louisville, Ky., she got a heart-stopping message on her pager from her middle daughter: Mom, call home. There’s an emergency. While Rose was traveling to Kentucky on business, two heavily armed students
Public
had stalked the school’s hallways, killing 13 people and injuring 21 others. Ashley attended a nearby high school but sometimes took classes at Columbine. In an era long before the proliferation of cellphones, Rose couldn’t reach her daughter. But, she could talk to God. If Ashley was OK, Rose promised to commit her life to understanding how the shooting could have happened and working to try to prevent it from occurring again. Six hours after that terrifying message, Rose finally talked to Ashley on the phone. Rose continued on Page A-4
legal notices begin on page
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Robin Rose
Mayor Lenny Curry hasn’t had much opposition to his early decisions of running the city. But at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, a vocal group of more than 40 stepped up to oppose him on an issue. They said he was wrong to force Lisa King and Joey McKinnon off the Planning Commission, the quasi-judicial group that reviews city land use and zoning issues. Curry has asked about a dozen people to step down from several city boards and commissions although they have time remaining. King and McKinnon have rebuffed Curry’s King request, saying five new members of a nine-member board that is as technical as the Planning Commission would slow down city business. The two, like other volunteers on board and commissions, serve at the pleasure of the mayor, accord- McKinnon ing to city code. “Just because you can,” said Nancy Powell, “doesn’t mean you should.” She was one of 43 people who spoke or filled out cards in support of King and McKinnon staying. Some, including Powell, said it was overstepping. Others, like Wayne Wood, called it a “slap in the face” to citizens to replace experienced members with inexperienced ones on planning issues. Council
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