Daily Record Financial News &
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Vol. 103, No. 013 • Two Sections
35¢ www.jaxdailyrecord.com
truJAX is latest way to sell city
Group unveiling at chamber today By Max Marbut Staff Writer
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The fourth floor of the Florida Theatre is one of two being renovated to attract nonprofits or business tenants. City Council signed off on more than $100,000 for the project in April 2014, but work has been sluggish.
A lot of stopping and starting’ Florida Theatre renovation plans started last September By David Chapman Staff Writer
Photos by David Chapman
A strategic foundation for planning and making decisions. That’s a way to describe “truJAX,” the latest idea to improve Jacksonville’s marketing to the world. The research report that backs up the new plan is scheduled to be unveiled to the media today at the JAX Chamber. The project was funded by $25,000 contributions from each of the city’s independent authorities — Jacksonville Aviation Authority, JEA, Jacksonville Port Authority and Jacksonville Transportation Authority — and $25,000 from the city. “We’ve been adrift in defining what we stand for. This is a strategic foundation for planning and making decisions,” said Will Ketchum, CEO and president of Burdette Ketchum creative agency, when he presented the study to Downtown Vision Inc.’s board of directors. The study was done by Nashville-based North Star Destination Strategies. Over a period of several months, North Star representatives came to Jacksonville for site visits and meetings with business and government leaders. He said their observations led to identifying four “distinguishing assets” that set Jacksonville apart from other cities vying for economic development and tourism: • The city’s urban park system, beaches, the St. Johns River and outdoor activities create a diverse natural environment. • An “entrepreneurial attitude,” businesses are nurtured and a sense that “you can do it here.” • A history of active civic engagement where opinions are freely expressed. • A sense in the community that Jacksonville is “the underdog that can’t be
Code issues like elevated bathroom stalls are part of the needed fixes to ensure the floors meet compliance.
As the old elevator doors slowly open, there is evidence of work being done on the sixth floor of the historic Florida Theatre. Drywall, framing materials and taped-off sections show a rehabilitation effort. And work is being done, said Florida Theatre President Numa Saisselin. It’s just taking longer than he and others have expected. “There’s been a lot of stopping and starting,” he said. Legislation passed in April 2014 set aside almost $102,000 to renovate the fourth and sixth floors. The idea was to bring them up to code and make them an attractive, affordable location for a nonprofit, educational or business entity.
It was a way the city could help both Downtown development and to restore a historic building, said bill sponsor, City Council member Bill Gulliford. That’s still the goal, said Gulliford, but “it’s crazy that we have taken this long.” According to a city timeline, the design notice to proceed was issued in September 2014. It was advertised in February. A contract was awarded in April. The same timeline said there’s been “unforeseen conditions” recently discovered that might extend construction past January. Issues like wood under toilets, compromised plumbing and a contamination survey performed to look for asbestos and lead because of the age of the building. Saisselin said, for instance, that framing work was being done on the sixth floor Florida Theatre continued on Page A-3
Cofer is first candidate in public defender’s race By Marilyn Young Editor
Cofer
Public
When Charles Cofer walked out of the Duval County Courthouse on Monday — the final day of his 17-year career as a judge — he knew he would miss his time on the bench. The next day, he made official what has long been rumored: He will run for 4th Judicial Circuit public defender. “I don’t think I’ll be away from the courthouse for long,” Cofer said. He has strong ties to the office,
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having served as an assistant public defender for 18 years under Lou Frost. He credits Frost with being a stickler for running the office properly and ethically, traits he said are not being carried out by embattled Public Defender Matt Shirk. Running for the office is something Cofer said he’s considered — and been encouraged by others to do — since not long after Shirk was first elected in 2008. Cofer said he had lunch with Shirk about six months after the election to let him know that, despite the rumors, he wasn’t
going to run against him in 2012. “I felt like since he had won, he should have an opportunity to run the office without looking over his shoulder,” Cofer said. He said he gave Shirk advice about managing the office and the importance of focusing on training and mentoring, which he thought Shirk appreciated. In the years after that lunch, Cofer said he heard talk about poor morale in Shirk’s office and client dissatisfaction with assistant public defenders. Then came 2013. Shirk came under fire for alle-
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gations of inappropriate conduct with female employees after a Florida Times-Union story. The matter took on a soap opera-like tone for the next several months, before a grand jury looked at the issue. Cofer said the grand jury’s scathing report that called for Shirk to resign or be removed solidified his decision to run. The report didn’t just focus on Shirk’s personal behavior, which he has admitted was inappropriate. It said Shirk violated his oath in the Cristian Fernandez murder Cofer
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consecutive weekdays