Daily Record FINANCIAL NEWS &
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016
Vol. 103, No. 248 • Two SecTioNS
Changing lives day-by-day Henderson helping United Way backers make their moments
By Max Marbut, Staff Writer
www.jaxdailyrecord.com
Council approves money to fix dunes
Work may be added to dreging in progress By Max Marbut, Staff Writer
Sarah Henderson, director of marketing and communications for United Way of Northeast Florida, in the lounge area dedicated to benefactors David and Linda Stein. The agency is the largest tenant in the Jessie Ball duPont Center Downtown.
Photos by Max Marbut
“I wake up in the morning and know I’ll help change someone’s life today.” That’s how Sarah Henderson, director of marketing and communications for United Way of Northeast Florida, views her job. She and 65 other members of the nonprofit’s staff work Downtown in the Jessie Ball duPont Center. It’s the former Haydon Burns Public Library that was renovated by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund at a cost of more than $20 million to create below-market-rate Class A office space for nonprofit and philanthropic organizations. Henderson said it’s quite a change from the United Way’s previous offices at Riverplace Tower. “This is such a great space,” she said. “We used to have to cross the river to go to meetings. Now we just go downstairs.” When the organization moved into about 19,000 square feet on three floors in the duPont Center, it represented an 8,000-square-foot downsizing. That, plus the attractive lease rate and reduced cost for utilities because the building is so energy efficient, will save United Way about $1 million over the next 10 years that can be used to help support partner nonprofits and programs, Henderson said. Before joining United Way 13 months ago, Henderson was for nearly four years communications Henderson coordinator at Downtown Vision Inc., where she managed the Downtown improvement district’s website and social media. Now, she directs communications and marketing for the largest tenant in the duPont Center. The local United Way effort supports 56 nonprofit partners that provide nearly 70 programs focused on education, financial stability and health. The organization has an annual budget of more than $21 million that comes from workplace donation campaigns, corporate and individual gifts and local, state and WORKSPACE CONTINUED ON PAGE A-7
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A decades-old bumper sticker from a fundraising campaign aimed at labor unions is at the top of Henderson’s bulletin board. “It’s vintage,” she said.
There never is — and never will be — a good time for a major hurricane to devastate Duval County’s beaches and sand dunes. But if it has to happen, it’s good to have a beach renourishment project already underway. That’s the gist of emergency legislation unanimously enacted Tuesday by City Council to appropriate $7.5 million to restore the dunes and sea oats along the shore. In addition to funding the project, the bill authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to request a proposal from the contractor that’s been dredging sand onto the beach since September to add the dune replacement to the original $13.5 million project. The dune replacement portion of the money approved Tuesday is $6.5 million, with $1 million set aside to replant the sea oats that stabilize the dunes from erosion. “We have a very short window to get the contractor to take this on,” said council Gulliford member Bill Gulliford, who represents the beach communities. He and Vice President John Crescimbeni introduced the bill. Gulliford said if the dune restoration cannot be added to the existing work, it could cost the city considerably more money to bid out another contract and bring in a dredge company for a standalone project. “It could at least double the cost,” said Gulliford. The legislation was introduced just hours after the federal government expanded the county’s Hurricane Matthew disaster designation to a level that will allow federal reimbursement for the dune project. COUNCIL CONTINUED ON PAGE A-3
Sprouts launches in state; Jacksonville a logical branch Sprouts Farmers Market, a Phoenix-based natural and organic food grocery chain, is expanding into Florida, starting next year in Tampa. Jacksonville could be on the radar for later. That’s because the company, with 252 stores in 13 states, projects the U.S. market could support about 1,200 of its stores. And of those, Sprouts thinks 400 could be supported in the initial 13 states — meaning 800 would go into the new markets. Like Florida. A month ago, Sprouts announced eight locations to open in the first quarter of 2017
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in six states, including its first in Florida, choosing Carrollwood, near Tampa. “At this time, no additional locations or expansion plans have been announced for the state,” said Diego Romero, corporate communications manager. That could come soon. Sprouts said in September it wants to open 36 stores next year in 15 states. In addition to Florida, it is entering North Carolina. Should Sprouts choose Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, it would enter a competitive market where stores focused on natural, organic and fresh foods have been adding locations.
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• Whole Foods Market, with its first area store in Mandarin, will open at Jacksonville Beach. • Earth Fare, which opened its first site at Atlantic North, will add a store in Mandarin. • Fresh Market, with a store near Queen’s Harbour Yacht & Country Club and in Julington Creek, opened in Brooklyn near Downtown. • Native Sun Natural Foods
Market, a Jacksonville-based company, opened at Jacksonville Beach, adding a third store to its inaugural location near Mandarin and a second in Baymeadows. • Trader Joe’s opened its first store in Jacksonville Beach and Lucky’s Market is opening Dec. 7 in Neptune Beach. In addition, traditional grocer Publix Super Markets Inc. continues to renovate and expand its dozens of stores, while Jacksonville-based Southeastern Grocers is converting some Winn-Dixie Stores into its more price-conscious Harvey’s concept. On the discount front, Walmart Neighborhood Market is add-
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ing another store, this one in Baymeadows, while the Aldi and Save-A-Lot chains also are opening new sites. The big boxes are growing, too. Walmart recently opened another Supercenter in Southwest Jacksonville, right across Collins Road from where Costco will build a second area warehouse club. BJ’s Wholesale Club and Super Target also sell groceries. Freshfields Farm set up its Jacksonville indoor farmer’s market concept in Southside, just off Interstate 95. And the Rowe’s IGA Supermarkets also operate in several neighborhoods. MATHIS CONTINUED ON PAGE A-2
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