Daily Record Financial News &
Friday, March 4, 2016
Vol. 103, No. 080 • One Section
35¢ www.jaxdailyrecord.com
Ernst & Young executives Shawn Smith, second from left, and Mike Brennan, second from right, answer questions Thursday about logistics of the firm’s expansion in Jacksonville. The company is creating 450 jobs as part of a deal that was lauded by local leaders like City Council President Greg Anderson, left, and Mayor Lenny Curry.
Photos by Wes Lester / City of Jacksonville
Phones back at council sessions
A dying deal resurrected
Getting right people together saved 450 high-paying jobs By David Chapman Staff Writer Ernst & Young creating a Jacksonville financial services center and 450 jobs is a reality, but not one that came easy. It was “dying on the vine” as Mayor Lenny Curry described it during the news conference Thursday that detailed the company’s expansion. Kirk Wendland, the city’s chief economic development official, told a City Council committee weeks ago that when he arrived in August, the deal had died a second time. Despite the “hiccups” as Curry called them — obstacles no one would elaborate on — it ended up getting done by bringing the right
people to the forefront. That included Curry’s team, JAX Chamber and JAXUSA Partnership officials and Ernst & Young representatives. “This is a real success story,” Curry said as he led off the announcement. It’s one that means an almost $6 million private investment from the London-based global services firm and new jobs with a $49,000 average annual wage. Curry has a background in financial services and remembers the call from Mike Middleton, Ernst & Young’s partner of assurance services, discussing the deal and its struggles. That past relationship was a “critical” component of deal and Curry New
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JAX Chamber Chair Audrey Moran lauded the teamwork among the public and private sectors in getting the deal done, saying it would be beneficial to both Jacksonville and Ernst & Young.
Anderson lifts ban; will look at message retention
By David Chapman Staff Writer
The cellphones can be turned back on. City Council members again will be able to use their electronic devices during meetings after President Greg Anderson laid out a policy this week on how texting public business should be handled. He banned cellphones for members while meetings were in session after issues arose following last-minute budget changes in late September. Several members were lobbied on the floor via text messages to change their votes on a funding issue between public safety and drainage money. A lawsuit alleging Sunshine Law violations followed, naming nine council members. Anderson’s policy closely follows a bill that recently was pulled by the council Rules Committee. Anderson said he wanted the chance to determine the policy Anderson instead of continuing toward the path of having a locked-in ordinance. The three-part policy essentially states that council members are discouraged from sending or receiving text messages from registered lobbyists, union members or representatives during committee and council meetings when it’s related to public business on the agenda. Replying to any text message from the same group is forbidden. And any text messages received from the same group must be filed — much like ex parte communications — with the Legislative Services Division within 48 hours of receipt. “This is a better way to go,” said Anderson about the policy. “If there is a change needed based on circumstances, we can do it quickly rather than changing the ordinance.” Phones
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Amkin Management, led by South Florida investor Ramon Llorens, is seeking tenants for vacant Jacksonville riverfront property he bought late last summer along the Southbank Riverwalk. The property is another piece of the emerging redevelopment of high-profile Southbank properties and the first indication of what Llorens plans there. There’s already interest from architectural and law firms, restaurants and health care offices, said property manager Sonny Redmond. Five of the six buildings are available for lease. The six total about 19,400 square feet of space;
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about 15,900 square feet is vacant, he said. “We’re real pleased to own the property and we want to be good neighbors,” Redmond said. Amkin also is marketing about 250 parking spaces for lease to nearby residents and businesses. The property primarily is along the St. Johns River in front of the Lexington Hotel & Conference Center Jacksonville Riverwalk, which is undergoing a $21 mil-
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lion renovation. To its west are The Peninsula and The Strand residential towers and to its east is land in review for the Broadstone River House apartments by Phoenix-based Alliance Residential Co. To the south are the duPont Center I and II buildings bought last year by Baptist Health, which wants to use available space there for administrative and clinic offices. It’s also near The District, the proposed almost 30-acre riverfront healthy lifestyle-focused residential, commercial and retail project by developers Peter Rummell and Michael Balanky. “We feel the property is stra-
tegically located to complement the growth that is planned for this area,” Redmond said of the Amkin property. Llorens, through Brickell South Miami Developments LLC, acquired the property Aug. 31 from a company reorganizing under bankruptcy laws. Documents detailing the sale said the acquisition comprised 7.5 acres while Duval County property records show the group owns at least 6 acres. Redmond estimates the usable property at 7 acres. The property includes the Chart House restaurant, which has a ground lease that includes Mathis continued on Page A-2
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Photo by Karen Brune Mathis
Amkin markets Southbank Riverwalk offices
Amkin Property Manager Sonny Redmond said architects, law firms and other prospective tenants have shown interest.
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