Daily Record Financial News &
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Vol. 103, No. 153 • Two Sections
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$50M JTB apartments in Southside
The 350-unit JTB apartments are proposed along A.C. Skinner Parkway near the Deerwood Park office complex. Completion is expected in mid-2018.
2 deals, 77 jobs up for council
Rendering from Killashee Investments
By Karen Brune Mathis Managing Editor Developers intend to heat up what they already consider a hot apartment market with the 350unit JTB project near the Deerwood Park office complex. Partner Mark Farrell with Killashee Investments LLC said Tuesday construction could start on the estimated $50 million luxury community by year-end and be completed 18 months later. The almost 13-acre site is along A.C. Skinner Parkway, west of Southside Boulevard. It is south
of J. Turner Butler Boulevard, commonly called JTB. “It’s a great location,” said Jim Efstathion, a partner in JTB of Jax LLC with Kent Schmidt. Farrell will be a partner in the ownership entity. The address is 8680 A.C. Skinner Parkway, across from an office center anchored by Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc. and other blue-chip names. It’s also near St. Johns Town Center. “The market is very active and it’s very strong,” Farrell said. Preliminary engineering plans show JTB will comprise four five-
story apartment buildings and seven two-story carriage buildings. The carriage structures have parking on the ground floor and the living units on the second floor. Farrell said the gated community will feature luxury apartments. Plans show an amenity center and recreation area. Monthly rental rates on the 150 one-bedroom units will range from $1,100 to $1,400, while the 160 two-bedroom apartments will be $1,400 to $1,600 and the JTB continued on Page A-3
dchapman@jaxdailyrecord.com @writerchapman (904) 356-2466
Public
Ben Thompson, Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville deputy director, explains how a colorful piece by Maya Hayuk was constructed. Thompson was named deputy director in May after almost 10 years with the museum.
Familiar with his surroundings MOCA Jacksonville deputy director has history in museums
By David Chapman Staff Writer Ben Thompson has become quite familiar with the way museums work. Not so much by studying how they operate — he went to school an artist looking to hone his craft— but by doing. While in graduate school, he did what any student needing to make a little money and wanting to be closer to their passion would do: He took a job in the field. One of his sculpture professors recommended a job as an exhibition installer. He ended up doing that for institutions throughout the Boston area. Little did he know it would be the start of a career in museums, including an almost 10-year role with the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville.
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that took a major detour that impacted so many in his native New Orleans.
I have that institutional history. I know it through and through on every level.
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City Council in the coming weeks will consider two economic development deals that could bring 77 jobs and $14 million in capital investment to North and Northwest Jacksonville in exchange for close to $650,000 in taxpayer incentives. The first is an unnamed engineering company with ties to Jacksonville. “Project Grace” would like to expand its existing facility within the Jacksonville International Airport Community Redevelopment Area by adding 54 jobs over two years at an average wage of just more than $66,000. The other option, according to documents, is to move the engineering services team to Atlanta. To expand in North Jacksonville while retaining its existing 30 employees, the company is seeking $448,200 in incentives. That consists of a Qualified Targeted Industry Tax Refund grant of $324,000, payable after the jobs are created, and a state training grant of $124,200. The city would be responsible for 20 percent of the QTI, or $64,800, while the state would cover the remainder. Project Grace would invest an extra $2.1 million to cover information technology equipment, furniture and other real estate improvements as part of the expansion. There’s potential business in Northwest Jacksonville, too. The Hans-Mill Corp., a newly formed U.S. corporation, would like to take over a former Cenveo printing facility at 5406 W. First St. and establish operations to manufacture metal trash cans. The company produces metal household goods for retailers like Walmart, HomeGoods, Target and JCPenney. The company is expected to invest $11.8 million to purchase and renovate the building and is seeking a $200,000 grant from the Northwest Economic Development Trust Fund to partially off-set those expenses. The company would create 23 jobs at an average wage of $30,000 plus benefits. Both deals were introduced Tuesday to council for review.
Photo by David Chapman
By David Chapman Staff Writer
Working his way up the ranks
Ben Thompson Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville deputy director
Installer, preparator, registrar, curator and now deputy director. He’s done it all in the industry and in Jacksonville. “I have that institutional history,” he said. “I know it through and through on every level.” His time in Jacksonville coincides with his time at the museum. His route is one
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Thompson grew up in a suburb of New Orleans, a city he describes as having creativity, music, performing arts and overall culture in just about every corner. “You can’t help but take part in creative pursuits,” he said. Surrounded by that type of environment, maybe it’s no surprise he pursued an artistic career. He went to undergrad at what’s now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to study studio art and found himself drawn to performative sculptures. While there he also went to the Penland
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consecutive weekdays