Daily Record Financial News &
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Vol. 103, No. 062 • One Section
35¢ www.jaxdailyrecord.com
Sheriff seeking outside support
Committee OKs $180,000 to join research effort By David Chapman Staff Writer
Brandon Mardenfeld likes buying a house and flipping it as soon as possible.
Quick flip equals more cash Investor likes wholesale part of the business By Kevin Hogencamp Contributing Writer Brandon Mardenfeld flips lots of houses — dozens every year. The Jacksonville real estate professional and investor also has made a name for himself selling property the old-fashioned, commission-based way. But what Mardenfeld really likes to do is buy a house and sell it, say, two days later. As is. For most of his dealings, he partners with an investor — often a business associate in Mardenfeld’s hometown of Miami. “No carpet to rip out, no roof to replace, no headaches. Just money in our pockets,” he said. “I really, really like the wholesale side
Photos by Kevin Hogencamp
Sheriff Mike Williams has short-term help through extra overtime funds when it comes to combating Jacksonville’s crime problem. It’s the long view he’s working on now, an effort he said will be helped through a $180,000 partnership with the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The college is part of the City University of New York and has a dozen centers that focus on elements of crime. They include a National Network for Safe Communities, a Center on Race, Crime and Justice and a Center on Terrorism. Williams called it a “foundation of a longterm solution” when pitching for the funding to the mayor’s budget review committee, which signed off on the Williams money and will forward the request to City Council. The $180,000 will come through asset forfeiture money from drug cases and will provide funding for a year in the John Jay program. The benefit is threefold, the sheriff said. It gets the Jacksonville “a seat at the table” with other cities in the program in the partnership. Doing so taps into their crime-related data and can help determine what cities are facing and what they’re doing that’s working and not. It also allows the John Jay College program to act as another set of eyes on the Jacksonville Sheriff’s office’s own data. Williams said the program is noted for helping cities in their community outreach efforts on crime. Williams continued on Page A-4
of this business.” Mardenfeld’s far from a Realtor’s Realtor. Much of his wheeling-and-dealing occurs outside the purview of the firm under which he hangs his real estate license. Rather, by working with various investment partners, he has established a niche in the local market of turning distressed properties into a profit. The high school dropout and former restaurant server cut his real estate teeth in the Miami timeshare business. Mardenfeld says he has gradually acquired the proficiency to calculate real estate numbers on the spot. He doesn’t bother with spreadsheets. “It’s all in my head and I’m all self-taught,” said Mardenfeld, 38. Mardenfeld
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Air-Van will move to the Alta Lakes Commerce Center.
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Photo from Air-Van
Air-Van doubling size in North Jacksonville move Jacksonville-based Air-Van Inc. will relocate in North Jacksonville and almost double in size. The transportation company expects to move in May from 60,000 square feet of leased space in the Jacksonville International Tradeport to 110,000 square feet in the Alta Lakes Commerce Center. Air-Van Vice President Steve Wright said the company is expanding its business model and needs a larger area. “Moving closer to the Jacksonville ports will improve our position in the market and gives us the advantage we need to accomplish our goals,” he said. Wright said the Tradeport loca-
tion, at 13845 Alvarez Road, No. 100, is about 23 miles from the JaxPort Blount Island Marine Terminal and TraPac Terminal. The Alta Lakes location, at 11070 Cabot Commerce Circle, is less than 5 miles from Blount Island and TraPac and about 10 minutes from the Talleyrand Marine Terminal, he said. Wright said the move will provide more space for cross-dock-
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ing and transloading of ocean cargo as well as additional capacity for more equipment, warehousing and larger projects. He said the company has 27 employees and will add three or four positions this year. It has a sister company, AVi Logistics, in the Regency area that offers nationwide truck brokerage services. Wright said the 29-year-old Air-Van started as a pickup and delivery company for Jacksonville International Airport, providing deliveries for late arriving passenger luggage and small parcels coming into the airport. Mathis continued on Page A-2
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