Daily Record Financial News &
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Vol. 103, No. 098 • Two Sections
Main Library
Bank of America
Lease talks gap remains in millions
Burrito Gallery
Ya
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By David Chapman Staff Writer
Bld
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The city will begin installing next week wireless access points, above, to create an expanded Downtown public Wi-Fi network.
Map by Codi Gildberg
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Blacksto Bldg.
Jacksonville Landing
Boosting wireless Downtown New free system designed for 31,500 simultaneous users
Wi-Fi Downtown is about to get 600 times better. Installation will begin next week of 21 wireless access points that will establish public wireless access to the Internet from Hemming Park south to the St. Johns River and from Julia Street east to The Elbow entertainment district. The installation will increase free Inter-
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Aetna considers move to suburbs
City Ha ll
By Max Marbut Staff Writer
35¢
net access outside city buildings from about 50 simultaneous users currently to more than 31,000. “It will blanket most of Downtown,” said Ken Lathrop, city chief of information technologies. The system is designed to accommodate the maximum anticipated demand, such as during First Wednesday Art Walk, Florida-Georgia weekend, the Jacksonville Jazz Festival and TaxSlayer Bowl, he said.
Paid for with $100,000 from the Downtown Investment Authority economic development fund, the first new wireless access points will be installed by April 6 at Hemming Park. The system is scheduled to be complete by May 13, about two weeks before the jazz festival. The project was outlined in the authority’s Community Redevelopment Area Plans, and approved by City Council in WiFi continued on Page A-2
Aetna has a decision to make — one that might have the insurance giant leaving Downtown. It can keep its 840 employees and possible expansion on the Southbank or pack up and move to a suburban site once its lease expires Aug. 31, 2017. As it stands, the suburban option might be more lucrative. There is a “substantial” financial gap between the two offers, according to a city report. It’s one Downtown Investment Authority CEO Aundra Wallace said comes in at around “a few million.” Wallace for months has been working with Aetna building landlord GV-IP on a possible solution to keep the company on the Southbank. “They’ve made it clear they’re looking for the best offer from landlords,” said Wallace. He said Aetna isn’t looking for city incentives, which has meant working with the landlord on a package to help offset costs. The landlord could then make a better offer to Aetna. A previous offer from DIA was a $1.5 million Recapture Enhanced Value grant, which is a percentage of property taxes rebated to a company after increases in property taxes from improvements. Wallace said with the building bringing in about $900,000 on the tax rolls, the highest DIA could go would be in the $2.4 million range over a 10- to 12-year period. Anything more wouldn’t be feasible, he said. Even with that factored in, the gap between Downtown and the suburbs was still millions off, Wallace was told by landlord Jason Isaacson, president of IP Capital Partners that owns the building. Isaacson in an email declined comment, saying the company doesn’t typically comment on tenants. Aetna spokesman Walt Cherniak in a statement acknowledged the company is Aetna continued on Page A-3
Mocha Misk’i is urban core sweet spot
A spread of brownies greets visitors to the small Jacksonville Downtown storefront, hoping to entice customers to treat themselves to one of 13 varieties or try a Mocha Misk’i roll. Pilar Langthon and her daughter, Anamaria Contreras, create the brownies and run the shop at 209 N. Laura St., near Hemming Park. It opened Jan. 18. “People are surprised by a store just with brownies,” said Langthon, a professional baker who created the recipes and
Public
experiments with new ones. Surprised, but also tempted. Sales are good, she said, as customers buy brownies ranging from original, sea salt caramel, cowboy blondie, white chocolate macadamia nut and more, including vegan and gluten-free. Mocha Misk’i also can create messages such as “I love you” or top brownies with corporate logos. Langthon also creates Misk’i Rolls, designed like sushi rolls but with a brownie base and sweet fillings, such as crumbled Oreos or passion fruit, and topped with frosting and garnishes. They are
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sold individually or in a box of six. “We have a creative twist on brownies,” said Contreras, 27, who also provides social media services and management to clients. Mocha Misk’i operates 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.2 p.m. Saturday. It stays open late for special events, including Art Walk the first Wednesday evening of each month. That’s when the shop debuts its flavor of the month, which is Irish cream for March. Langthon and Contreras won’t Workspace continued on Page A-7
Pilar Langthon cuts baked brownies, which are sold individually at Mocha Misk’i Brownie Shop Downtown and also are available by the box, through catering and by delivery.
Photo by Karen Brune Mathis
By Karen Brune Mathis Managing Editor
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