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January 10-16, 2019
Mathis Report: RaceTrac adding more area stores PAGE 4
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JACKSONVILLE
Record & Observer
IMPLOSION JACKSONVILLE
Future of aging stadium a concern
Record & Observer City Hall Annex
220 E. Bay St. Built: 1960
Height: 15 floors Size: 200,140 square feet
PREPARATION Record & Observer JACKSONVILLE
With demolition of the former City Hall Annex Downtown JACKSONVILLE scheduled for Jan. 20, neighboring businesses are getting ready.
Acreage: 2.39
Implosion cost: $4.95 million
History: The city moved most departments in 1997 to the St. James Building at 117 W. Duval St. Some departments remained for several more years.
BY DAVID CAWTON STAFF WRITER
Jacksonville Jaguars President Mark Lamping said Monday the team is thinking about how to address the aging TIAA Bank Field that it leases from the city. “There’s no question that TIAA Bank Field has aged well,” he said. “But at some point in time, there’s going to have to be a stadium solution.” Serious conversations about rebuilding or refurbishing TIAA B a n k Fi e l d aren’t likely this year, he Lamping said, but that doesn’t mean the team isn’t having internal conversations. “If we don’t start thinking about it, we’ll wake up one day and have a stadium that’s not meeting the needs of the fans or the community,” he said. His remarks come as he and Jaguars owner Shad Khan are putting plans in place to redevelop Lot J and other areas surrounding the stadium with offices, entertainment, residences and hotels. Lamping talked about the stadium in an interview after a panel discussion Monday night at the Omni Jacksonville Hotel hosted by The Downtown Dwellers, a group of residents from the Northbank and Southbank. He told the group about Khan’s
Record & Observer
BY MAX MARBUT
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
A
Jaguars President Mark Lamping says the team is having conversations about TIAA Bank Field.
fter weeks of preparation, when the switch is flipped to detonate the charges placed inside the building, it will take only seconds to complete the implosion of the former City Hall Annex. The neighbors around the Downtown block bordered by East Bay Street, Coastline Drive, Market and Newnan streets are preparing for the demolition and for the aftermath of dropping the 15-story structure onto its foundation. The north side of the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront is closest to where the rubble pile will be left behind. A narrow alley separates the annex from SEE IMPLOSION, PAGE 8
INSIDE How it will go down: A Q&A about the implosion and a map of the exclusion zone. Page 8
Photo by Max Marbut
Demolition workers continued their work Wednesday on the former City Hall Annex building at 200 E. Bay St. Workers are preparing the building for implosion on Jan. 20.
The Basch Report: Analyst not as upbeat about CSX Corp. PAGE 6 The Cawton Report: Lori Boyer sets sights on DIA CEO job PAGE 9 OBSERVER MEDIA GROUP
SEE STADIUM PAGE 5
COURTS & LAW
The genesis of a new law firm PAGE 11 VOLUME 1, NO. 32 • ONE SECTION
WHAT’S TRENDING
Page 2 • Thursday, January 10, 2019
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Go-karts planned for Urban Air Adventure Park can reach 40 mph.
ENTERTAINMENT Urban Air Adventure Park taking RH Outlet space
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RH Outlet near The Avenues mall will close and be replaced by Urban Air Adventure Park, which intends to open an indoor trampoline and activities venue in June. Urban Air franchise owners Derek Carder, of Denver, and Gary Glanger, of Texas, are targeting a grand opening June 1. Plans show a dodgeball court, drop zone and performance pit, dunk ball and performance pit, wall climb area and other activities. The Jacksonville park, at 9950 Southside Blvd., also will have high-performance go-karts and bumper cars. “Gary and I grew up in Texas, we know what long hot summers are like and we both have kids. We think we will be a great addition to The Shoppes at Southside,” Carder said. People associated with RH Outlet said the last day of operation will be Jan. 20.
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BANKING VyStar moves to put name on Downtown tower
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The Downtown Development Review Board is scheduled to consider a special sign exception for VyStar Tower. VyStar Credit Union bought the SunTrust Tower at 76 S. Laura St. Downtown last year and intends to move its headquarters and up to 900 people to the 23-story building by the end of this year. Jacksonville-based VyStar seeks approval for an exception to increase the sign area on building high-rise signs to exceed the allowable 400 square feet. VyStar wants to put up two signs, each measuring 2,373 square feet. One will face east and the other will face west on top of the tower. DDRB staff recommends approval. It found that the signs are compatible with the overall mass, design and scale of the building and are in a similar location as previous signs that included “Humana” and “SunTrust.”
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SunTrust building-out at Bank of America Tower SunTrust Banks Inc. is making its initial moves to relocate from the Downtown tower that bears its name into the nearby Bank of America Tower. The city is reviewing plans for SunTrust to build-out 15,529 square feet of space, which is the bulk of the 32nd floor of the 42-story high-rise, at a cost of $1.01 million. The floor size is listed at almost 17,200 square feet. The space now is occupied by U.S. Trust Bank of America Private Wealth Management. The building plans do not show a ground-floor SunTrust retail banking office with tellers.
GROCERIES Sprouts plans opening for first Jacksonville store Sprouts Farmers Market said it would open its first Jacksonville store at 4893 Town Center Parkway in The Markets at Town Center during the second quarter. Phoenix-based Sprouts said the store will feature its newest interior designs that highlight departments and promote customer engagement. Sprouts focuses on on its center-store produce. Departments include The Butcher Shop, Fish Market and The Market Corner Deli. No opening date was announced for its second Jacksonville store at Tamaya Market along Beach Boulevard, east of Kernan Boulevard. Each store creates about 140 jobs.
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Crowley Logistics promoted Jackie Gonsalez to vice president, apparel and retail supply chain business development. The JZ Expedited Cos. promoted Chris Sloope to chief operating officer. Austen Carroll was promoted to chief banking officer with Ameris Bank. Michael J. Murray was named president of The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations starting in April. Murray was senior vice president of programs
at the John Templeton Foundation. Murray also is senior visiting scholar at Franklin and Marshall College. Heather Schatz joined WJCT as the producer of “First Coast Connect” at 89.9 WJCT-FM. Schatz previously worked at CBS Network Radio, Schatz “CBS This Morning” and “The Early Show” in New York and as communications director for best Buddies International and the National YoungArts Foundation.
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Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
Thursday, January 10, 2019 • Page 3
Leaders: What it takes to sell Jacksonville ECONOMIC TRENDS
Macquarie, Saft and City Facilities say workforce, incentives — and sometimes a helicopter tour — play a part. BY MARK BASCH CONTRIBUTING WRITER
As businesses look for sites to expand or relocate operations, they consider a number of common factors in every city, including the available workforce, real estate and possible financial incentives. But sometimes, a small detail can make a big difference. When Australia-based Macquarie Group was looking for a site in the Eastern U.S. for a finance support group, it narrowed the choices to Raleigh, North Carolina, and Jacksonville. When company representatives visited Raleigh, local officials rented a Ford Expedition to show them around town, said Anthony Glenn, head of Macquarie’s Jacksonville office, during a panel discussion Tuesday at the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville. However, when the group visited Jacksonville, local officials provided a helicopter to show off the community, he said, drawing chuckles from the luncheon crowd at The River Club Downtown. “You laugh, but that made a huge impact,” Glenn said. Macquarie opened its Jacksonville office in 2016 with the help of $393,600 in city incentives and $1.37 million in state incentives. “That (incentives) was a draw, don’t get me wrong,” Glenn said. However, “it really comes down to how well you could sell your city.” Glenn was part of a panel discussion on what it takes to bring international companies to Jacksonville. Jerry Mallot, recently retired president of JAXUSA Partnership, said businesses look at several factors in picking a city before applying for financial help. “Incentives become important at the end,” he said. JAXUSA is the economic development division of JAX Chamber. Cities have to demonstrate they can meet a company’s oth-
Photo by Renee Parenteau Photography
Jeff Bernardo, World Affairs Council program committee chair; Jerry Mallot, retired JAXUSA Partnership president; Anthony Glenn, Macquarie division director; Jody Beasley, Saft general manager; Tracey Hulsey, City Facilities Management (US) LLC chief finance officer; and retired Lt. Gen. F.L. “Buster” Hagenbeck, council board chair.
er needs, like labor and facilities. And, they need to respond quickly, Mallot said. “We wouldn’t have Amazon here if we couldn’t move quickly to meet their needs,” he said. Amazon opened two fulfillment centers in Jacksonville in 2017 and 2018. For Saft America Inc., the quality of the workforce was a big factor when it decided to build a lithium-ion battery plant in Jacksonville in 2010, said Jody Beasley, general manager of the plant. France-based Saft already had a plant and available space in Valdosta, Georgia, but it needed workers with specific technical skills that the company thought would be difficult to attract to a small town. “Jacksonville became much more attractive in that way,” Beasley said. The large number of retired military personnel in Northeast Florida also brings skills to a facility like Saft. “Veterans available in this area in the workforce was a big plus, “he said.
Jacksonville has positive attributes, including a lifestyle and climate that helps recruit businesses. However, the panelists said one glaring need is a more vibrant downtown area. Scotland-based City Facilities Management (US) LLC, formerly known as City Refrigeration, came to Jacksonville in 2016 to provide facilities management services for Jacksonville-based supermarket operator Southeastern Grocers. “We build our business where our customers are,” said Tracey Hulsey, chief finance officer for City Facilities Management. Having major headquarters operations like Southeastern Grocers creates a “ripple effect” of supporting businesses attracted to the area, Hulsey said. “The big fish need all these little fish to support them,” she said. Jacksonville has positive attributes, including a lifestyle and climate that helps recruit businesses. However, the pan-
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elists said one glaring need is a more vibrant downtown area. Glenn said downtown development makes an impression on business leaders who make relocation decisions. But it’s also important to attract younger workers who prefer an urban lifestyle, he said. “They just expect a different lifestyle and we’re not offering that as well as we can,” Hulsey said. Some issues for international companies are out of the control of Jacksonville recruiters, such as the current uncertainty over tariffs in international trade. “Quite honestly, we hope it’s going to be resolved but it is a big question now,” said Beasley. Immigration concerns are another issue. “It has become trickier to get visas,” said Hulsey, as inter-
national companies bring in experts from their home countries to help set up operations in Jacksonville. Mallot said China-based solar panel manufacturer JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd. faced that problem as it brought in people to help set up its Jacksonville plant. “It became very frustrating. I know that’s an issue,” he said. Hulsey’s company has had issues with IT experts from its home office facing tough scrutiny from immigration officials when they arrive in the U.S. “They are finding increasing pressure at the border,” she said. “It is very unnerving for a business professional.” MBASCH@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM
Page 4 • Thursday, January 10, 2019
Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
THE MATHIS REPORT
RaceTrac adding store at Atlantic North DEVELOPMENT NOTES
KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
Atlanta-based chain is up to 20 Northeast Florida locations. RaceTrac is on a roll. RaceTrac Petroleum confirmed it intends to develop a gas station and convenience store in the Atlantic North Shopping Center at Atlantic Boulevard and Marketplace Drive. “We are in the initial stages of permitting,” said Atlantabased RaceTrac Communications Manager Liz Howell. Howell said Friday that RaceTrac opened two Jacksonville area locations in December along Gate Parkway and in Atlantic Beach along Mayport Road. RaceTrac has several more locations planned, including in Arlington at Merrill Road in the Buck Business Park; in Southside along University Boulevard West at Richard Street; and in Baymeadows along Baymeadows Road at Baymeadows Way. Howell said the new stores feature a Swirl World frozen dessert station with up to 10 flavors and 41 toppings and a large coffee area. She said the newer stores have “a more shoppable layout, ample seating, free Wi-Fi and more lighting in the store and parking lot,” along with exterior seating. The Atlantic North store is indicated on plans filed with the city by Sleiman Enterprises
Special to Daily Record
RaceTrac said its new stores feature “a more shoppable layout, ample seating, free Wi-Fi and more lighting in the store and parking lot,” along with exterior seating.
for a new loop road at the shopping center. The property is west of Marketplace Drive, opening a new area for development at the center, which is at northwest Kernan and Atlantic boulevards. It is west of Belk, which anchors the western end of the current shopping center. The RaceTrac and another outparcel face Atlantic Boulevard. The loop road would connect Marketplace Drive behind the two parcels and back to Atlantic Boulevard. RaceTrac operates 20 stores in Northeast Florida with more in development, Howell said. It also seeks a zoning exception for outside sales and service at 5221 University Blvd. W. at northwest University Boulevard and Interstate 95. The 1.79-acre site is part of 10.67 vacant acres owned by Home Depot USA Inc., which previously filed plans for a home improvement warehouse there that it did not develop. The rest of the site comprises outparcels for other uses,
such as restaurants and hotels. Home Depot bought the site in 2007 and demolished a Red Carpet Inn, Super 8, International House of Pancakes, a shuttered adult cabaret and a garage. It now wants to sell the land to developers.
Celebration Church build-out at $2.5 million
Celebration Church is preparing for a $2.5 million renovation at Regency Park Shopping Center at 9400 Atlantic Blvd. for its Arlington campus. Brasfield & Gorrie LLC is the contractor for the project, shown as a 50,191-square-foot build-out. Pastor Drew King, chief business officer of Celebration Church, said in December the church will open the campus in the summer. The church intends to lease the former Hobby Lobby space next to Books-A-Million. King said the church will feature a 1,000-seat sanctu-
ary, a preschool and children’s wing for kindergarten through fifth grade, a large youth space and classrooms. The city already was reviewing a permit application for a $125,000 remodel of the space. Fisher Koppenhafer Architecture and Interior Design is the architect. The celebration.org site shows that Celebration Church’s main campus is at 9555 RG Skinner Parkway, in the Baymeadows area. Its other Northeast Florida campuses are in Westside-Orange Park, Julington Creek and Amelia Island. Regency Park is anchored by Ollie’s Furniture Outlet, American Signature Furniture, Bealls Outlet and, in development, Surplus Warehouse. Soul Food Bistro also is making plans to relocate to the former Outback Steakhouse space. KMATHIS@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM @MATHISKB (904) 356-2466
n The St. Johns River Water Management District issued permits to Sawmill Timber LLC for a stormwater management system and for mass grading of about 1,066 acres at southeast Butler Boulevard and Interstate 295 in South Jacksonville. Sawmill Timber, owned by members of the Skinner family, said in the application the mixed-use project will be developed in seven phases over the next 20 years. The application seeks to fill wetland areas, build two roadways with wetland crossings, 22 stormwater management facilities and clearing and mass grading of the remaining upland area. n Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery is preparing space for its San Marco offices at 1639 Atlantic Blvd. The city is reviewing a permit application for a $350,000 build-out of 3,960 square feet. ADCS Clinics LLC of Maitland also applied for a certificate of use for the space. Howard Lee, director of real estate services for Advanced Dermatology, said in December the move is expected in April. The office will relocate from 1551 Riverside Ave., where it is spread among three historic buildings with limited parking.
RETAIL NOTES n Family Dollar intends to develop a store at 103rd Street and Magnolia Valley Drive in West Jacksonville. The 8,320-square-foot store is planned on 2.15 acres that now are vacant. The property owner is Ameris Bank, according to mobility fee calculation and concurrency reservation certificates. The city calculated a fee of $82,469 to mitigate the traffic impact. Nevin Engineering Services Inc. of St. Augustine is the civil engineer. n Planet Fitness will take over the
former Bailey’s Health & Fitness at 253 Royal Palm Drive in Atlantic Beach. Elias Hionides with Petra, who represented the landlord, said demolition permits were pulled to renovate the 22,000 square feet of space. He said Joseph Lentz and Tommy Ellis of Cantrell Morgan represented Planet Fitness. n Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics
is renovating its St. Johns Town Center store at a cost of $64,500 and its store at The Avenues mall at a cost of $95,000. n Publix Super Markets Inc. continues to remodel its stores. It applied for a permit to renovate its 4320 Deerwood Lake Parkway location. Elkins Construction LLC is the contractor for the $905,000 project to remodel 44,271 square feet
Publix Super Markets plans to renovate its store at 4320 Deerwood Lake Parkway.
of space. The store was built in 2003. Elkins also will renovate the 12620 Beach Blvd. Publix store, built in 1998, at a cost of $800,000. The city issued that permit Dec. 11. n St. Johns County approved construction of a Harley Davidson dealership at 380 Outlet Mall Blvd. in St. Augustine. The 33,000-squarefoot retail building will be built at a construction cost of $4.2 million, according to the county. Adamec Harley-Davidson of St. Augustine says on its Facebook page the dealership is coming soon. n Build-out was approved for The White Magnolia Bridal Collection at 1555 San Marco Blvd. RJ Atlantic
Builders Inc. is the contractor for the $85,000 project.
North American subsidiary of Saudi Aramco.
n Dollar General is preparing to build at 8000 103rd St. Concept Construction is the contractor for the almost $309,000 project to build a 7,500-square-foot store and dumpster enclosure on almost 1.2 acres.
n Valvoline intends to build a location along Blanding Boulevard in Orange Park. The St. Johns River Water Management District is reviewing a permit application for the project on almost an acre. Convenient Car Care LLC of Clarksville, Tennessee, is the applicant. Taylor & White Inc. is the civil engineer.
n Gate Express Carwash is continuing plans for a 4,362-squarefoot car wash on almost 1.4 acres at Beach Boulevard and Leon Road. BFC Property Holdings Inc., related to Gate Petroleum Co., is the developer. It bought the former Sandmark House clock store site at 10913 Beach Blvd. in May 2017. n First Coast Energy L.L.P. sold
two of its Daily’s gas station and convenience store properties to Motiva Enterprises LLC of Houston. First Coast Energy spokeswoman Andrea Kane said the transaction won’t affect the operations and they remain Daily’s stores with the Shell fuel brand. First Coast Energy will lease the sites. The San Marco area store built on 1.15 acres at 1916 Atlantic Blvd. was sold for $4.8 million. The Miramar store built on 1.04 acres at 3973 Hendricks Ave. was sold for $4.4 million. Both were sold Dec. 19 and built in 2016. Motiva is led by Aramco Financial Services Co., the
n Petco was approved for a $1.5 million build-out of 18,000 square feet at 675 Durbin Pavilion Drive, Suite 101, in St. Johns County in The Pavilion at Durbin Park. n A retail and restaurant building called Campus Corner is planned on 1.42 acres in North Jacksonville at Dunn Avenue and North Campus Boulevard. No tenants are identified for the 4,864-square-foot building. Plans show two retail units totaling 3,072 square feet and a high-turnover, 20-seat restaurant of 1,792 square feet. Dunn Jax LLC is the owner and ShayCore Enterprises is the agent. Dunn Jax’s manager is retail developer Leonard Setzer. The city issued concurrency reservation and mobility fee certificates. The fee was calculated to be $31,738 to mitigate the traffic impact. The city is reviewing civil site plans.
Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
Thursday, January 10, 2019 • Page 5
Stadium: Press box, suites are outdated CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
vision for the stadium complex, Metropolitan Park and the old Shipyards property along the Northbank. Lamping said he’s focused this year on starting the first phase comprising at least one office tower, a hotel and entertainment complex on what is now Parking Lot J, west of the stadium. He said an economic development agreement with the city should be available before the summer. HEIGHTENED STANDARDS
Jacksonville brought football to Downtown in 1927 with Fairfield Stadium, which was upgraded and renamed Gator Bowl Stadium in 1948. In pursuit of an NFL franchise, City Council members agreed in 1993 to spend $152.8 million in public money to essentially rebuild the stadium, leaving only a small portion of the original structure intact. The Jaguars agreed to lease the facility through 2030. When it opened as Jacksonville Municipal Stadium in 1994, it was considered state-of-the-art by
NFL standards. Khan bought the team in 2012, followed by nearly $180 million in upgrades. He partnered with the city to fund enhancements that included two 362-foot-long scoreboards at each end zone, a redesigned north platform, renovations to the stadium’s premium seating and other features like in-stadium pools. Some of the money also went toward the construction of the DreamFinders Home Flex Field at Daily’s Place indoor practice facility and the covered Daily’s Place amphitheater. Through sponsorships and name changes, the stadium became TIAA Bank Field last year. Even with the additions, Lamping said TIAA Bank Field still lacks the amenities and seating options found in stadiums built during the past decade. KEEPING UP
In October, Lamping said there are serious questions about the longevity of the current stadium. He met with media the day after it was announced Khan would not be purchasing Wembley Stadium in London. “There are long-term issues
File image
Covering what is now TIAA Bank Field with an awning to block the sun was presented as a concept by the Jaguars in 2013. The concept was to demonstrate how the team could update the existing stadium.
that our fans deal with that ultimately we’ll have to address,” he said. Because of the stadium’s orientation, fans sitting on the east side of the stadium often deal with unrelenting sunshine and heat during games. Lamping also said the quality of the press box and the suites are considered outdated by today’s NFL standards.
Twenty-two NFL teams opened new stadiums since TIAA Bank Field opened in August 1995. Two new stadiums will open by 2021 in Southern California and Las Vegas. On Monday, he cautioned that new construction isn’t always the answer. “I would think that in this marketplace the first thing we would look at is a refurbishment of the existing stadium,” Lamping said. “That has been done successfully as well,” he said, referring to facilities in Chicago, Kansas City, Green Bay, Miami and New Orleans where teams and municipalities have funded more than $300 million worth of upgrades since 1995. SUPER BOWL LIMITATIONS
File image
A rendering of a redeveloped stadium area presented by the Jaguars at the 2017 State of the Franchise address.
Philadelphia, St. Louis and Trenton, New Jersey.
New nonstop service: Frontier Airlines will add nonstop service from Jacksonville International Airport to Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina beginning April 20. Frontier will operate three weekly flights to Raleigh-Durham International Airport on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority announced in a news release. Frontier is offering introductory one-way fares as low as $29. The service is part of 22 new nonstop routes Denver-based Frontier announced Tuesday from Raleigh-Durham, Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Orlando. From Jacksonville, the airline currently offers nonstop service to Denver, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Chicago,
Mortgage firm opens branch: Troy, Michigan-based Ross Mortgage Corp. plans a residential mortgage lending branch at 7400 Baymeadows Way, No. 315. The branch will be managed by William and Angela Green. Hotel wins approval: San Pablo Place Hotel, also known as Residence Inn by Marriott, received site development approval from the city. The 155-room hotel, developed by Atlanta-based Hotel Development Partners LLC, is at 4915 San Pablo Road S., south of the Mayo Clinic and Butler Boulevard. The hotel will be part of a 16 acre mixed-use development called San Pablo Place. Health center opens: St. Vincent’s Health Center at 6699 Gate Parkway near St. Johns Town Center opened Monday. The facility provides primary and urgent care, imaging and lab services. Compiled by Scott Sailer
These are the largest commercial building permits by job cost issued Tuesday by the city of Jacksonville. APARTMENTS The Weldon, 1650 Moncrief Village N., contractor is NEI General Contracting Inc., three permits for renovations, $430,368. OFFICE, BANK, PROFESSIONAL Lloyd Holdings LLC, 140 Stockton St., contractor is Vesta Modular, 2,100 square feet, new building, $136,000. ROOFING Solano Grove Condominium Association Inc., 9252 San Jose Blvd., contractor is Stonebridge Construction Services LLC, roof replacement, $32,500. Riverside Square LLC, 2510 Oak St., contractor is Tillman Building Services Inc., roof replacement, $24,625. Riverside Square LLC, 2502 Oak St., contractor is Tillman Building Services Inc., roof replacement, $22,000. Soldiers of Christ All Denominations Church Inc., 6455 Restlawn Drive, contractor is KLT Construction Inc., roof replacement, $410,000.
DCAWTON@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
SIGNS Hodges, Mazda, Service, 10681 Philips Highway, contractor is Taylor Sign & Design Inc., four permits for wall and ground signs, $9,800. State Farm Stephanie Frehse, 13453 N. Main St., No. 106, contractor is Taylor Sign & Design Inc., two permits for wall signs, $3,000. L’Occitane en Provence, 4790 River City Drive, No. 107, contractor is Taylor Sign & Design Inc., projection sign, $1,200. Injury Care Centers, 6871 Belfort Oaks Place, contractor is Taylor Sign & Design Inc., wall sign, $1,000. STORES, MERCANTILE Caliber Beach Blvd. LLC, 13997 Beach Blvd., contractor is Ticon Commercial Inc., 4,971 square feet, building demolition, $19,000. UTILITIES T-Mobile South LLC, 12064 Kevin Allen Lane, contractor is Florida Tel-Con Inc., two permits for new cell tower and equipment, $265,000. Compiled by Scott Sailer
DEVELOPMENT TODAY
BUSINESS IN BRIEF
Lamping said the stadium is one of many issues Jacksonville will need to address if the city wants to host another Super Bowl. “I do believe the Super Bowl will come back to Jacksonville, but it’s not going to be in the short term,” he said. “It’s probably after Downtown Jacksonville gets closer to realizing its full potential,” he said. The NFL wants host cities to provide at least 25,000 hotel rooms, along with plenty of entertainment, dining and other amenities to keep fans occupied during the week leading up to the championship game. Building a new stadium often is
part of a city’s pitch to secure the game. Except for Detroit, Miami and New Orleans, every Super Bowl played since Jacksonville hosted the game in 2005 has occurred in a new facility. In February, Atlanta will host Super Bowl LIII – 53 – at the $1.6 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which opened in 2017. Last year, Minnesota showed off its $1.3 billion U.S. Bank Stadium for Super Bowl LII. Before joining the Jaguars, Lamping was CEO of the $1.6 billion MetLife Stadium, which opened in 2010 and hosted Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. The potential billion-dollar question for Jacksonville taxpayers is who pays for upgrades or new constriction. In most scenarios, taxpayers have had to foot part of the bill for new or refurbished stadiums. Asked whether Khan wants to own a stadium versus leasing one from the city, Lamping said “tell me who’s paying to build it and I’ll give you the answer.” While cities like Atlanta and Las Vegas pledged hundreds of millions of dollars for new stadiums, San Diego, Oakland and St. Louis opted not to do so. Those cities lost their NFL franchises.
Page 6 • Thursday, January 10, 2019
Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
THE BASCH REPORT
Analyst downgrades CSX after big run CSX Corp. stock’s two-year performance
$80
The price of CSX stock increased 74 percent over the past two years, from its low of $35.89 on Jan. 3, 2017, to $62.45 on Monday.
$70 MARK BASCH CONTRIBUTING WRITER
After two-year run, Jacksonville-based railroad company is seen as having less potential for upside. CSX Corp. has been the best performing Jacksonville-based company over the past two years, producing a shareholder return (stock price increase plus cash dividends) of 78 percent for 2017 through 2018. However, one analyst downgraded the Jacksonville-based company last week because he sees better opportunities in other railroad stocks after the big run. “CSX has materially outperformed the past two years as it generated by far the best EPS and free cash flow growth, and its margins improved from worst among the rails to first,” Wolfe Research analyst Scott Group said in a research note. “We still expect good margin improvement and EPS growth to continue this year, but we see less potential EPS upside after 2018 benefited from a perfect storm of precision railroading, accessorial charges, real estate gains, export coal strength, and truckload capacity tightness,” he said. Group downgraded CSX from “outperform” to “peer perform” even though “we still see good absolute upside for the stock from here.” He said the downgrade has more to do with the potential for gains from two other major railroads, Norfolk Southern Corp. and Union Pacific Corp. “Our long-standing investment thesis on the rails centers on buying the one with the most room for margin improvement,” he said.
Another analyst sees CSX stock drop Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley analyst Ravi Shanker on Monday raised his price target for CSX’s stock from $55 to $56, but that’s still below its recent trading level in the low $60s. He maintains an “underweight” rating on the stock. “We believe the current backdrop for CSX’s turnaround is difficult as several key end markets face cyclical
Stock hits peak of $75.50 Aug. 27, 2018
$60
$50
$40
2017
2018
and secular threats (auto, coal, intermodal), pricing gains are decelerating, low hanging cost opportunities may have already been taken and shipper scrutiny and investor expectations are high,” Shanker said in a report on the overall transportation industry. “We believe risk/reward is skewed to the downside from here,” he said. Shanker’s also reiterated his “underweight” rating on Jacksonville-based trucking company Landstar System Inc. “We believe the upside is more than priced in at Landstar given higher relative valuation vs. peers, which keeps us underweight,” he said. Landstar’s stock price fell 8 percent last year but its overall return for 2017-18 was a positive 15 percent.
Web.com names new chief executive Web.com Group Inc. on Monday announced the hiring of Sharon Rowlands as chief executive officer, replacing the retiring David Brown. Rowlands was CEO of ReachLocal Inc., a California-based digital marketing company that was sold to Gannett Co. Inc. in 2016. She later became president of USA Today Network Market Solutions while continuing to serve as CEO of ReachLocal. ReachLocal was a public company that reported $160 million in revenue in the first half of 2016, before the buyout.
Gannett Co.
Sharon Rowlands will become the next CEO of Web.com.
Rowlands, 60, is a native of the United Kingdom who has more than 20 years of experience leading technology companies, Web.com said. Web.com founder David Brown announced his retirement as CEO last month, following the October sale of the company to affiliates of private equity firm Siris Capital Group LLC. Rowlands will join Web.com on Jan. 28.
WJXX renews ABC affiliation Tegna Inc. said Monday it has reached renewal agreements with the ABC network for all nine of its stations that are affiliated with the network, including WJXX TV-25 in Jacksonville. The agreement is a “multiyear deal,” the company said, but it did not specify the length of the contract. Tegna also owns Jacksonville NBC affiliate WTLV TV-12. According to Tegna’s annual report, the affiliation agreement for WTLV runs through 2021. Tegna owns a total of 49 stations in 41 markets.
Analyst likes Black Knight’s potential Deutsche Bank analyst Ashish Sabadra Monday lowered his price target on Black Knight Inc. from $59 to $57, but maintained a “buy” rating with the stock trading at $45.38 at the time of his report. Sabadra said in his research report he likes the Jacksonville-based provider of mortgage processing services for “its solid revenue growth, high revenue visibility, and stability in a volatile market.” Black Knight dominates its field, providing mortgage processing for 62 percent of all U.S. first mortgage loans, and Sabadra said that number should reach 70 percent as the company implements pending contracts with more lenders. However, Sabadra sees opportunities for Black Knight to increase market share in other areas.
“The company has only a 17 percent market share in second lien mortgage servicing software solutions and we estimate less than a 10 percent market share in origination software, which provides significant cross-sell opportunities,” he said. “More importantly, there is opportunity to sell incremental solutions to the existing customer base, which along with pricing should drive higher revenue per mortgage serviced.” Black Knight’s stock dropped sharply in November after the company announced it was acquiring a stake of less than 20 percent in business data firm Dun & Bradstreet, as investors worried about increased debt to pay for the investment. But Sabadra sees a positive from Black Knight CEO Anthony Jabbour’s appointment to the additional role of CEO of Dun & Bradstreet, as part of the investment. “Anthony Jabbour leading both companies will provide Black Knight insights into D&B business, ability to leverage best practices across both organizations, and help monitor the progress on the turnaround,” he said. Even with the November drop, Black Knight’s stock rose 2 percent in 2018 in a bad year for the market and had a twoyear return of 19 percent.
Marker Therapeutics stock rises again Marker Therapeutics Inc. was the best performer of all Jacksonville-based companies in 2018, rising 41 percent last year. And the developer of cancer therapy treatments got off to a good start in 2019, rising $1.88, or 39 percent, to $6.65 last week after announcing progress in clinical trials. The company was formed last year by the merger of Jacksonville-based TapImmune Inc. with Marker Therapeutics, with the merged company taking the Marker name.
2019
Marker intends to move its headquarters office to Houston but as of now, it still lists its headquarters in Jacksonville in Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The company has no products on the market and no revenue, but last week’s update said Marker has five clinical trials underway producing promising results.
Glowpoint not in NYSE compliance Glowpoint Inc., which has agreed to merge into Jacksonville-based SharedLabs Inc., said Monday it is not in compliance with NYSE American stock exchange listing requirements but has been granted additional time to regain compliance. SharedLabs had been planning an initial public offering but instead agreed in November to become public by merging with Denver-based Glowpoint. SharedLabs will be the surviving company after the merger of the two technology firms and become publicly traded. Glowpoint’s stock has traded mostly below 20 cents a share for the past six months and the company received a deficiency letter from NYSE American in July saying it was not in compliance because of the low stock price. The company faced a Jan. 5 deadline to regain compliance but because of the merger agreement with SharedLabs, the deadline was extended until Glowpoint’s annual meeting in May, the company said Monday. Glowpoint said it will enact a reverse stock split before the merger to increase its price per share, which will allow it to meet NYSE American requirements. The merger is expected to be completed in the spring, Glowpoint said. However, the merger agreement includes a go-shop period that allows Glowpoint to seek higher offers from other parties until Feb. 3. MBASCH@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM
Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
Thursday, January 10, 2019 • Page 7
REAL ESTATE
Top 10 sales of the week BY SCOTT SAILER • EDITORIAL RESEARCH DIRECTOR
Here are the top 10 real estate sales in Northeast Florida, comprising Baker, Clay, Duval and St. Johns counties. The sales were recorded Dec. 31 - Jan. 4.
File image
CVS Pharmacy at 46 E. Watson Road in St. Augustine sold for $4.96 million, 25.3 percent more than the $3.96 million it sold for in 2011.
$4,959,966
$2,000,000
$1,800,000
$1,699,000
$1,627,694
46 E. Watson Road, St. Augustine, St. Johns County
2040 Florida A1A S., St. Augustine, St. Johns County
125 International Golf Parkway Unit B and Star Lane, St. Augustine, St. Johns County
8376 Florida A1A S., St. Augustine, St. Johns County
14241 Duval Road, Jacksonville, Duval County
Type: CVS Pharmacy Size: 1.63 acres Buyer: Kingaroo LLC, Atraz Apartments LLC, Jardin Apartments LLC, King of the Roads Apartments LLC Seller: Spirit CV St. Augustine FL LLC Previous sale: $3,960,000 in 2011
Type: Wendy’s Size: 1.11 acres Buyer: L&L Pirton Inc. Seller: Louise P. Lagrew Previous sale: $1,428,000 in 2008
Type: Single-family Size: 1.21 acres Buyer: Preservation Atlantic LLC Seller: Elizabeth F. Abbott Declaration of Trust
Type: Timberland Size: 19.96 acres Buyer: Scannell Properties 335 LLC Seller: Higginbotham Land Trust Agreement
$1,499,000
$1,400,000
$1,283,670
$1,266,988
$1,150,000
264 Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Beach, Duval County
8408 Florida A1A S., St. Augustine, St. Johns County
2827 Marmaris Drive, Jacksonville, Duval County
2693 Blanding Blvd., Middleburg, Clay County
5975 Park St., Jacksonville, Duval County
Type: Single-family Size: 0.13 acres Buyer: Steve A. and Tracy L. Shirley Seller: Andy Reynolds Homes Inc.
Type: Single-family Size: 1.56 acres Buyer: David C. and Dena R. Jones Seller: Larry E. Williams and the Joyce M. Williams Trust
Type: Single-family Size: 0.25 acres Buyer: Cristina and Jeremiah M. Jones Seller: HCC Tamaya Residential LLC
Type: Kentucky Fried Chicken Size: 1.46 acres Buyer: OREOF 2017 KFC LLC Seller: Store Manager Funding V LLC Previous sale: $930,000 in 2013
Type: Church/school Size: 5.61 acres Buyer: Millennial Christian School Seller: New Life at Park Street Inc. and West Park Street Church of God Inc.
Type: Vacant industrial Size: 20.59 acres Buyer: UBD South LLC Seller: Waste Management Inc. of Florida Previous sale: $2,800,000 in 2010
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Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
Implosion at a glance What: The old City Hall Annex Building Where: 220 E. Bay Street When: 8 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 20. Traffic: Beginning at 7 a.m. and up to three hours following the implosion, access in and around Downtown areas (Main, Liberty, Adams streets and the St. Johns River) will be off-limits to people, vehicles and boats as inspections and clean-up efforts are conducted. Watching: Anyone required to be in the exclusion zone (see map) during the implosion should stay indoors because of the safety risk of noise, sound pressure levels and dust Safety measures: Doors, windows and entryways are to be kept closed and exhaust fans turned off. As clean-up efforts are completed, access to areas within the exclusion zone (within dotted lines) will be restored and communicated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Map provided by the city of Jacksonville
Implosion Q&A Will there be a ceremony before the blast? None is planned.
Photo by Max Marbut
Demolition continues Wednesday on the old Duval County Courthouse.
Old Duval County Courthouse demolition The city also is tearing down, but not implodng, the old Duval County Courthouse next door to the Annex. Where: 330 E. Bay St. Built: 1956 Height: Seven floors Size: 357,757 square feet Acreage: 5.98 Demolition cost: $3 million Time frame: Completion by May. Courthouse operations moved in 2012 to the Duval County Courthouse at 501 W. Adams St.
Will I be able to get in and out of the area? Public access to and around the demolition area is restricted. An area, shown on the map, is considered an exclusion zone. Residents and business personnel required to be in the area during the time of implosion are instructed to stay indoors for the duration of the implosion. Adams Street and the southbound lanes of Main Street will remain open. The northbound lanes of the Main Street Bridge will be closed.
the implosion. Once the demolition is finished, a siren will sound, notifying successful completion. This is not a signal for citizens to come outside. Can I come out when the blast is over? The demolition is expected to last no more than 5 minutes. However, the falling debris is expected to produce a dust cloud that, with wind, can travel outside of the immediate area and last longer. It is critical to remain indoors until JSO says it is safe to come outside.
How long is it expected to last? The duration includes both pre- and postdemolition work and is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Roads will be closed to vehicle, boat and foot traffic during this time. However, areas will reopen and access restored by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office as clean-up efforts are completed.
Am I in danger if I come out prior to notification? Months of work have been conducted to prepare the building for implosion, including the remediation and removal of hazardous interior materials. However, to minimize health risks, everyone is advised to remain indoors until notified. In addition, noise and sound pressure levels at and near the site during the blast may pose a threat to hearing.
Will I know when the implosion has started? A horn siren will be used to announce when the demolition is commencing and has concluded. At 7:58 a.m., a series of sirens will blare, announcing a two-minute warning for
Are there other restrictions in the city? River and air traffic also are restricted. A section of the river is restricted and is being managed by the JSO Marine Unit and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. Air
traffic, including drones, is restricted to a half-mile above the demolition site (2,500 feet). Will the implosion happen rain or shine? Weather conditions such as thunderstorms and low cloud coverage can affect the scheduled demolition. If either occurs, the demolition will start when conditions warrant (as close to the 8 a.m. hour.) Who is the contractor? Environmental Holdings Group LLC of Mooresville, North Carolina, and Controlled Demolition Inc. Why is the implosion occurring on a Sunday? The contractor advises that Sunday is the least disruptive day for an implosion, where high traffic volumes, increased Downtown activities, business openings, and merchant transactions are minimal. What will happen to the property? The land will be cleared for the city to prepare for possible redevelopment. Plans for a convention center there were put on hold last month. While the site waits, the area will be grassed.
Implosion: Neighbors taking precautions CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
the staff entrance and the part of the hotel where the security, human resources and staff areas are located. The hotel that caters to business travelers and convention groups has planned for less than average occupancy, even for a weekend. About half of the 951 guest rooms, those facing the demolition site, won’t be available for guests late Saturday and early Sunday when the implosion occurs, said Hyatt spokeswoman Nyree Armoreda. Larry Brake, manager of the Blackstone Building directly across Bay Street from the implosion site, is preparing for the expected dust cloud that, depending on the weather, could be dispersed as far as several blocks after the implosion.
The open sections on the lower floors of the side of the building facing the annex will be covered to prevent dust and debris from being deposited on the building’s parking deck floors, he said. The HVAC system will be sealed to prevent dust from entering the building while the debris cloud settles and all of the air filters will be replaced. Brake isn’t expecting that any tenants will be inside the building behind its floor-to-ceiling windows facing the implosion site when the charges are detonated. “We’ll make sure the building is evacuated. It’s on a Sunday morning, so no one has any reason to be here anyway,” Brake said. Coker Law is in Baywater Square, also known as the historic Herkimer Building, directly across Newnan Street from the
annex. Howard Coker said he and his staff haven’t decided whether they want to be in their offices with a front-row seat for the implosion. “We’re having a debate. Should we or shouldn’t we? I kind of want to see it,” he said Wednesday. Coker expects to have to deal with some amount of inconvenience when he and his staff come to the office the day after the implosion, which he said he believes will be a benefit for Downtown development. “I’m sure there will be a tremendous amount of dust, but I’m for what they’re doing. We’ll suffer the consequences,” he said. Photo by Max Marbut
MMARBUT@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
The lower floors of the Blackstone Building will be covered to prevent dust and debris created by the implosion of the City Hall Annex from entering the parking decks.
Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
Thursday, January 10, 2019 • Page 9
Boyer says she’s interested in DIA CEO job THE CAWTON REPORT
DAVID CAWTON STAFF WRITER
The term-limited council member has been talking to DIA board members and city leaders. City Council member Lori Boyer says she’s interested in leading the Downtown Investment Authority when her final term on the legislative body concludes in July. “I think it is known that I have an interest,” she said Monday. “I am a believer in the opportunity in Downtown Jacksonville right now.” Boyer represents District 5, which comprises the San Marco and Downtown Southbank areas. She is termlimited from running again. Boyer said she quietly has been seeking input from DIA board members and other city officials about leading the agency. The DIA acts as the master developer for Downtown, LaVilla, Brooklyn and the Southbank. The agency, created in 2012 by former Mayor Alvin Brown, has been without a full-time CEO since Oct. 1 when Aundra Wallace stepped down to lead the JAXUSA Partnership at JAX Chamber. In November, the DIA contracted with executive search firm Jorgenson Consulting Inc. to help identify the next CEO. Brian Hughes is interim CEO. He also is Mayor Lenny Curry’s chief of staff and has said he isn’t interested in the permanent DIA role. Boyer is one of a few council members who regularly engages with the DIA and the Downtown Development Review Board, which oversees design standards and construction within the DIA boundaries. Council President Aaron Bowman appointed Boyer as council liaison to the DIA, meaning she’s been closely involved in conversations about Downtown development. “They haven’t contacted me,” Boyer said about Jorgenson. She said that’s not surprising since the firm is just beginning the search. Boyer also said she’s not going to get in the way of another qualified candidate. “If they find some great person from
File image
District 5 council member Lori Boyer says she has not been contacted by the search firm seeking DIA CEO candidates.
outside that brings some skills to the table or some information or contacts that don’t exist in Jacksonville and they think that’s a better leader for the DIA, so be it,” she said. Boyer was elected to council in 2011 and 2015. She served as council president in 2016-17 and chaired prominent standing committees, including two years leading the Land Use and Zoning Committee. During much of her legal career outside of city government, Boyer has focused on land use, environmental issues, real estate and property management, construction law and contracts, and issues facing Downtown. She is spearheading a revamp of Downtown zoning and design standards and has advocated for, and is currently developing, changes to the Northbank and Southbank Riverwalk trails along the St. Johns River. Boyer is one of eight council members who will not return to office this summer because of term limits. “I’ll still be here, you know, to help in one form or another,” Boyer said. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Rick Scott sworn in At 66 years old, Rick Scott is the most junior member of the U.S. Senate. He was sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence during a ceremony Tuesday in Washington, D.C. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell allowed Scott to take his oath of office days after most of his new colleagues because he did not want to step down from his role before his term
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U.S. Sen. Rick Scott is sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday while Sen. Marco Rubio watches. Special to the Daily Record
ended Monday as Florida’s governor. The Naples Republican narrowly defeated Democrat Bill Nelson in the Nov. 6 election. Nelson held the seat since 2000. Scott’s election is historic. For the first time since Florida voters began electing U.S. senators in 1913, Republicans hold both seats. Scott probably is best known for operating the governor’s office like a CEO, focusing on job creation, economic development and tourism. He was a strong proponent of incentives for corporations seeking to expand or establish a presence in Florida. During his first Senate term, Scott will serve on the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation; the Armed Services Committee; the Committee on the Budget; the Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs; as well as the Special Committee on Aging. In the last few days of his governorship, Scott nominated 80 Floridians to serve on boards and commissions, a
noteworthy move considering his successor also is a Republican. Ron DeSantis, 40, became Florida’s 46th governor after defeating Democrat and Tallahassee mayor Andrew Gillum in November. DeSantis comes to Tallahassee after serving in Congress, representing an area just south of Jacksonville. He is a former Navy lawyer. Early on, DeSantis tethered his primary and general election campaigns to an endorsement by President Donald Trump. DeSantis secured the Republican nomination over former Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. His inaugural address included themes from his campaign – stopping “judicial activism” on the Florida Supreme Court, addressing Florida’s environmental issues and improving security in public schools. DCAWTON@JAXDAILYRECORD.COM @DAVIDCAWTON (904) 356-2466
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Page 10 • Thursday, January 10, 2019
Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
LAW & THE COURTS
Davenport JALA’s new pro bono director The Florida Coastal School of Law faculty member is taking over from Kathy Para. BY MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR
There’s a change in who is leading the volunteer attorney program at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, but no change in the attitude and passion for the job. Melissa Davenport is the new pro bono director, effective this month, taking over from Kathy Para, who is retiring after nine years with the local organization that provides civil legal aid for low-income residents in Northeast Florida. “This is my dream job,” said Davenport, who now heads the effort to recruit attorneys who volunteer to provide legal assistance to some of JALA’s clients. The aspirational goal established by The Florida Bar is for each attorney to provide annually at least 20 hours of service to low-income clients on a no-fee basis. In addition to accepting a specific case and client, JALA offers volunteer opportunities such as participating in AskA-Lawyer events to draft legal documents for clients at senior and community centers and free clinics where attorneys advise clients in matters such as family law, immigration, estate planning, small claims
Photo by Max Marbut
Attorney Melissa Davenport, left, Jacksonville Area Legal Aid’s new director of pro bono, with Kathy Para, who is retiring after leading the organization’s volunteer attorney program since 2009.
and bankruptcy matters. Davenport was an intern at JALA while attending Florida Coastal School of Law. After she was admitted to the Bar in 2009, Davenport joined the school’s faculty as director of academic success and Bar exam preparation. About 18 months ago, she was an assistant state attorney, but wanted to get into legal aid full time, so she interviewed for a position as a JALA staff attorney. After the interview, Davenport was offered the intake director position. Instead of
representing clients, she evaluated the needs of the people who come to JALA seeking help because their income level makes it impossible for them to hire a private practice attorney. “Intake gave me a perspective of what the pro bono needs are,” Davenport said. She’s taking over the department because Para, who has been with JALA since 2009, is retiring. Para said the law was her third career, but each involved service and support for people. Originally a teacher who worked with underserved
children who needed speech therapy and remedial reading instruction, Para started a second career when she opened Jacksonville’s first Jazzercise dance fitness center. As her children grew up, she decided she wanted to go back to school and enrolled at Florida Coastal. “I decided that if I was going to graduate school, I wanted it to be for something that was going to make a difference and that gave me options,” she said. Para was admitted to the Bar in 2001. “I never envisioned myself as
a litigator. I went to law school for the purpose of working at legal aid,” she said. Para began practice as a part-time outside counsel at JEA. She wanted to be able to spend more time with her family after the sacrifice they made to allow her to attend law school for three years and then study for the Bar exam, she said. Para’s work for the city’s electric and water utility related to alternative fuel vehicles and energy policy compliance. “It had an environmental bent. I’m a person who has to have a cause,” Para said. She volunteered with JALA’s pro bono program and after about seven years at JEA, she joined legal aid full-time. “I landed where I wanted to land,” said Para. While she no longer will be going each day to her office at JALA, Para said she’s confident pro bono legal aid services will continue to grow – and she plans to continue to help meet the needs of low-income people. “I’m passing the baton to someone who is passionate about legal aid and pro bono,” she said. “I intend to not go away completely. I want to be a worker bee.” MMARBUT@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
THE MARBUT REPORT
Brian Cuban, brother of NBA owner, to address JBA a successful attorney and how he and others in the profession redefined their lives in recovery. The Florida Bar is considering approval of 0.5 CLE credit. Visit jaxbar.org to register.
MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Brian Cuban will meet members of the Jacksonville Bar Association at 11:45 a.m. Jan. 30 at the Omni Jacksonville Hotel to explain lessons learned from his mental health and recovery experiences. The younger brother of Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, he is a Dallasbased attorney, author and addiction recovery Cuban advocate, having been in long-term recovery from alcohol and cocaine abuse and bulimia since 2007. Cuban’s first book, “Shattered Image: My Triumph Over Body Dysmorphic Disorder,” is about his experiences living with and recovering from 27 years of eating disorders. His most recent book, “The Addicted Lawyer: Tales of The Bar, Booze, Blow and Redemption,” is a look at how addiction and other mental health issues destroyed his career as
Federal court operations are extended to Jan. 18
During the partial shutdown of the federal government that began Dec. 22, the federal court has continued to operate by using court fee balances and other “no-year” funds. The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has revised its original estimate and is working toward the goal of sustaining paid operations through Jan. 18, a week beyond the Friday deadline previously stated. However, courts have been asked to delay or defer some expenses, such as new hires, non-case related travel and certain contracts. Judiciary employees are reporting to work and are in full-pay status. Also, the Case Management/ Electronic Case Files system remains in operation for electronic filing of documents. If the reserve funds run out and new appropriated funds do not become available, the court will operate under the terms of the Anti-Deficiency Act, which allows “essential work” to continue during a lapse in appropriations. That includes activities to support the exercise of the courts’ constitutional powers under Article III,
specifically the resolution of cases and related services.
Burr & Forman completes its McNair acquisition
Burr & Forman completed its acquisition transaction with Carolinas-based McNair Law Firm, effective Jan. 1. McNair’s 84 attorneys join Burr & Forman from seven offices across North Carolina and South Carolina to create a firm with 360 attorneys and 19 offices in seven states, including Jacksonville and Delaware. The offices will operate as Burr Forman McNair for two years to leverage the McNair brand and reputation. The expanded firm offers expertise in the areas of economic development, government relations, intellectual property, cybersecurity, labor and employment, mergers and acquisitions, public finance, real estate, tax and trust and estates.
Supreme Court now accessible on mobile devices
Twenty-four years after becoming one of the first courts in the world to establish a website, the Supreme Court of Florida has launched a smartphone-friendly format. The enhanced floridasupremecourt.org is designed for growth and app development as communications technology continues to evolve.
“Our new site continues a long heritage of transparency and openness in government that dates back to the 1970s when we became the first court system in the nation to open all of our court proceedings to TV news cameras,” said Chief Justice Charles Canady in a news release. One of the elements of the site is access to opinions rendered by the state Supreme Court and other appellate courts and judicial ethics opinions. Oral arguments may be viewed live on mobile devices and a video archive of previous oral arguments is provided. Information about pending and previous cases, along with general information about the court, such as case dockets, biographies of the justices and access to official photographs, is another feature of the new site. The court plans to deploy an app this year that will make one of its most complex sets of legal documents – the state’s more than 1,000 pages of standard jury instructions – easily accessible on wireless devices for attorneys, litigants and judges in courtrooms.
Rafferty joins Gunster firm William Rafferty Jr. joined the Gunster firm as a shareholder in the corporate law practice. He will split his time between the Jacksonville and
Fort Lauderdale offices. Rafferty focuses his practice on domestic and international corporate matters, including finance and business negotiations, mergers and acquisiRafferty Jr. tions, joint ventures, commercial loan transactions, venture capital and real estate. Though he no longer practices, he also is a certified public accountant.
Partnership for Havens at Holland & Knight
Jason Havens is a new partner in Holland & Knight’s Jacksonville office. He previously was senior counsel. Havens is a business and tax attorney who advises highnet-worth individuals, families and charitable organizations. He Havens specializes in estate and charitable gift planning, wills and trusts and probate and trust administration and litigation. MMARBUT@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
Thursday, January 10, 2019 • Page 11
The Bishop & Mills law firm: Seated, John Mills, left, and Thomas Bishop; standing, from left, Thomas Hall, of counsel; partners Helen Peacock Roberson and Erica Conklin; associate attorney Jonathan Martin; and partner Courtney Brewer. Not pictured: Lanny Russell, partner. Photo by Max Marbut
AN ‘ENTIRELY AMICABLE’ TRANSITION
Tanner Bishop now is Bishop & Mills; Michael Tanner is a new partner at Gunster. BY MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR
January 2019 will be recorded in the Jacksonville legal community’s history as a month marked by evolution for a well-known law firm and for one of its two founding partners. Last week, the Tanner Bishop law firm became Bishop & Mills and Michael Tanner became a new partner at Gunster Yoakley & Stewart nearly 13 years after he and Thomas Bishop went into practice together. They were shareholders in the Jacksonville office of a national law firm when they decided to strike out on their own.
Both described their latest transition as “entirely amicable.” Tanner and Bishop left Holland & Knight in 2006 to establish a smaller firm serving clients needing complex civil and commercial work with a focus on trial practice. “Ours was a true law partnership in the old-fashioned sense,” but after practicing for nearly 30 years, “we were both thinking about what we wanted to do next,” said Bishop. “I wanted to stay independent, but Mike was looking for a platform that wasn’t boutique and he had an opportunity with Gunster,” Bishop said. “I needed a bigger platform with statewide resources,” said
Tanner, who’s now a top-tier shareholder at Gunster. “Tom wants to remain independent, and he Tanner has my blessing, but I want to be focused more in Tallahassee and the Panhandle, and Gunster has an office in Tallahassee.” The “Mills” in the new firm is John Mills, a board-certified appellate specialist. He started The Mills Firm in Jacksonville in 2002. As his practice grew, he took on partners over the years, forming Mills & Carlin, then Mills & Creed
and Mills Creed Gowdy. In 2010, he moved to Tallahassee to be near the 1st District Court of Appeal and the state Supreme Court and restarted The Mills Firm. He serves on the Appellate Practice Certification Committee of The Florida Bar; he was chair in 2012-13. Mills also has been chair of The Florida Bar’s Appellate Court Rules Committee and the Jacksonville Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Section. Based until this month solely in Tallahassee, Mills and his three partners and an associate attorney now also will be working in Jacksonville. “I’m from Jacksonville. I want-
ed to come home and work with my good friends and have offices in Tallahassee and in Jacksonville,” Mills said. Bishop expects adding more appellate practice expertise to his firm’s substantial trial practice resources will open opportunities. “We’ve always done appellate work, but these folks do it at the highest level. To have trial and appellate practice together, we make a formidable team,” he said. “It’s a great way to start off the new year.” MMARBUT@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
Gov. Scott appoints Erin Perry to Duval County Court The 37-year-old assistant state attorney will fill the vacancy created by the promotion of Lester Bass. BY MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR
On Monday, his final day in office, Gov. Rick Scott appointed Erin Perry to be Duval County’s new judge. Perry, 37, was an assistant state attorney in the 4th Judicial Circuit. She replaces former Duval County Judge Lester Bass, who was appointed by Scott to fill a vacancy on the 4th Circuit bench created by the resignation of Judge Robert Foster. A career prosecutor, Perry’s first assignment was in county court, then she was transferred to circuit court. She was promoted to division
Special to the Daily Record
Erin Perry is a career prosecutor and graduate of the University of Florida.
chief in 2012 and prosecuted major crimes, including homicide and death penalty cases. Perry was one of 18 applicants and six nominees for the seat whose names were submitted to
Scott by the 4th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission. Perry said in her interview before the commission that while her legal experience is limited to criminal prosecution, she has in
the past year completed 16 hours of continuing legal education and civil practice certification study in preparation for possible appointment as a judge. Commission Chair Patrick Kilbane commented during her interview on Perry’s background check conducted by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. He described it as “spotless, not even a moving violation.” Perry received her bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Florida. She was admitted to The Florida Bar in 2007. Perry is a member of the Jacksonville Bar Association and Jacksonville Women Lawyers Association.
Rendzio appointed to the 7th Circuit Attorney Bryan Rendzio was appointed Friday by Gov. Rick Scott to a seat on the 7th Judicial
Circuit bench to replace the late Judge Clyde Wolfe, who died in October. The 7th Circuit comprises Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties. Rendzio, who lives in St. Johns County, is a partner with Franson Iseley Rendzio in Jacksonville. He is board- Rendzio certified by The Florida Bar in construction law and is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator. A graduate of Florida State University and Florida Coastal School of Law, Rendzio was admitted to The Florida Bar in 2001. MMARBUT@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
Page 12 • Thursday, January 10, 2019
Jacksonville Daily Record/Jacksonville Record & Observer
New judges sworn in to circuit, county courts
Photo by Max Marbut
From left, Duval County Judges Michael Bateh and Kimberly Sadler, 4th Circuit Chief Judge Mark Mahon, and Circuit Judges Maureen Horkan, Katie Dearing and Collins Cooper. Mahon administered the oath of office Tuesday to the five judges who were elected to the bench in 2018.
Another county judge, Erin Perry, will take office this month.
BY MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Five new judges were sworn in Tuesday to the Duval County Court and 4th Judicial Circuit Court. Chief Judge Mark Mahon administered the oath of office
to county Judges Michael Bateh and Kimberly Sadler and to Circuit Judges Collins Cooper, Katie Dearing and Maureen Horkan. Bateh is a former public defender; Cooper is a former assistant state attorney. Dearing was in private practice when she was elected and is
president of the Jacksonville Bar Association. Horkan is a former private practice attorney. Sadler is a former public defender and was in private practice when she was elected. Northeast Florida’s sixth new judge, Assistant State Attorney
Erin Perry, who was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott on Monday to the Duval County Court, also will be sworn in this month, said Trial Court Administrator Joe Stelma. MMARBUT@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
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