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Insight from a Northeast Florida banker, CPA, commercial real estate broker, lawyer and others on the path ahead.

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Record & Observer NAYANA SEN

NORTH FLORIDA DISTRICT OFFICE SPOKESPERSON U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Learn how to apply for for the Disaster Loan Assistance Program The U.S. Small Business Administration issued a disaster declaration March 18, activating lowinterest loans for business owners statewide to deal with the loss of revenue from the response to the coronavirus. SBA North Florida District Office spokesperson Nayana Sen said the administration will begin weekly conference calls March 26 to help business owners apply for the Disaster Loan Assistance Program. Sen said the conference calls are free to business owners and will be from 10-11 a.m. and 3-4 p.m. Thursdays. For access, visit sba.gov/ northflorida. Disaster loan applications are at disasterloan.sba.gov. The assistance is retroactive to Jan. 31, and all counties in Florida qualify. Businesses, agricultural cooperatives and nonprofits without credit available elsewhere can

apply. Requirements: • Businesses must have an acceptable credit history and show the ability to repay. • Collateral is required for loans more than $25,000. Real estate is accepted as collateral. Sen Loan terms: • 3.75% interest rate • 2.75% for nonprofits • Maximum 30-year term • $2 million borrow limit SBA guidelines say if a business is a “major source of employment,” the administration has the authority to waive the $2 million statutory limit. The language did not define that. Sen said the webinars will include local SBA

partners to provide industry-specific advice for responding to COVID-19. Business owners will have access to the Small Business Development Center at the University of North Florida, the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center and SCORE Jacksonville, a mentorship program for business startups. Sen said the SBA also is deferring payments on existing disaster loans through Dec. 31. She added the speed at which the aid is delivered can depend on the business owner. “Processing time is 15 to 30 days,” she said. “The more information they have on hand and quicker they provide information, the more quickly they get their loan.” MIKE MENDENHALL

MORE ADVICE FOR SMALL BUSINESS, PAGE 4 FROM THE PUBLISHER

Decisive action needed from Gov. DeSantis Six steps to save Florida’s economy. PAGE 7 VOLUME 2, NO. 43 • ONE SECTION

WHAT’S TRENDING

JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / J ACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020

Big news doesn’t break just on Thursday. Here’s a look at some of the top stories published over the past week online at JaxDailyRecord.com and in the Jacksonville Daily Record that you may have missed.

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CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

Editorial content focuses on news and trends, with a concentration on development, real estate, construction, law, companies, economic and industry trends and how local and state government affects business.

Social distancing effort increases State and local government officials announced several measures to slow the coronavirus outbreak. Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered a halt to dine-in restaurant service and nonemergency surgeries and he closed gyms. He also ordered airline passengers arriving from the New York area to be quarantined. Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry ordered the beaches closed and signed an executive order that requires all

businesses in Jacksonville to allow employees to perform their jobs remotely, if possible, as a social distancing technique. Curry said he will use “every executive function of my office,” including condemnation and disconnecting water and electricity, to enforce the order. Meantime, drive-thru COVID-19 testing sites opened at the Prime Osborn Convention Center and in Lot J at TIAA Bank Field.

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BUSINESS GOES ON St. Johns hospital planned; Amazon to build-out The coronavirus may have slowed business, but it didn’t stop it. • Ascension St. Vincent’s is planning to build a hospital in northern St. Johns County along Interstate 95. “We can confirm that we are planning to build a new hospital in north St. Johns County along I-95,” spokesman Kyle Sieg said in a statement March 24. • Amazon.com earned approval to build-out its last-mile delivery center at the former Kmart store along Blanding Boulevard at a project cost of $12 million. The city issued a permit March 19

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for Bryan Builders LLC of Longwood to renovate the 103,317-square-foot building at 4645 Blanding Blvd. for a package-delivery service. The internet retailer intends to hire about 200 people for the project. • Geismar, Louisiana-based Ventures Development Group LLC paid $3.75 million for the long-planned Southbank Apartments at 959 Prudential Drive on the Southbank riverfront downtown. The 2.89-acre property is between the Acosta Bridge and the Eight Forty One building, which is anchored by One Call and Baptist Health.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020

Plans advance on Lane Avenue Industrial Park

Property is owned by company managed by Deno Hicks and previously Aaron Zahn. Plans proceed for the proposed 320,000-square-foot Lane Industrial Park at northwest West 12th Street and Lane Avenue North in West Jacksonville. Civil engineering firm GAI Consultants Inc. requested site plan review March 18 from the Jacksonville Planning and Development Hicks Department Development Services Division. Previously filed plans show two 160,000-square-foot multitenant warehouses on 23.85 acres. Plans show 356 off-street parking spaces. The two warehouse facilities are separated by a loading area. The property is owned by Legacy Industries of Jax LLC,

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Lane Industrial Park is planned at northwest West 12th Street and Lane Avenue North in West Jacksonville.

whose managing member as of Dec. 12 is Deno Hicks, according to the Florida Department of State Division of Corporations. Records filed by law firm Peek & Associates show former JEA CEO Aaron Zahn as the manager as of Oct. 25. The Peek & Misska firm filed an amended annual report Dec. 12 that lists Hicks as the managing member and reinstated Legacy Industries of Jax LLC as of Oct. 25, also listing Hicks in that position rather than Zahn. Legacy Industries paid $300,000 for the undeveloped 23.85-acre property April 24, 2018, in a purchase from CSX Transportation Inc. A St. Johns River Water Management District application filed Feb. 20 shows Coral Gables-based Calix Holdings LLC, led by Rolando Ensinosa, as the applicant and Legacy Industries, led by Hicks, as the landowner. Plans show Pan American Companies at the Calix

address as the developer. State records show that Pan American’s director is former Florida Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, now a member of the Citizens Property Insurance Corp. board of governors. Former Gov. Rick Scott appointed Lopez-Cantera as lieutenant governor in January 2014, succeeding Jennifer Carroll, who resigned the position in 2013. Voters elected LopezCantera to a full term with Scott in November 2014. Lopez-Cantera previously served as the Florida House Republican leader and Miami-Dade County property appraiser. The project has been in review since the fall. GAI requested that JEA review service availability for the project in September and received a response Oct. 1. On March 3, the city calculated a mobility fee of $137,189 for the 320,000-square-foot building space and horizontal development.

Area CVS stores plan renovations At least five area CVS Pharmacy stores are in line for almost $1.4 million in upgrades. In addition to new wall and floor finishes and millwork, work includes adding new self-checkout units. In Jacksonville, the city issued a permit for Diamond Contractors Inc. to renovate the CVS Pharmacy at 50 Duval Station Road in North Jacksonville at a cost of $225,000. Jacksonville also is reviewing permits for a $300,000 remodel at 3634 Rogero Road; a $300,000 renovation at 4475 San Juan Ave.; and a $225,000 interior renovation at 4280 Southside Blvd. St. Johns County issued a permit for a $310,000 renovation for CVS at 152 Front St. in Ponte Vedra Beach.

Starbucks works on area expansions Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee Co. continues to buildout around the area. Among

the most recent plans: In Baymeadows Park, the city issued a permit for a $275,000 build-out of 2,500 square feet of shell space at 9379 Baymeadows Road. It’s a stand-alone building with a drive-thru. In Boulevard Crossing, Starbucks applied for a building permit and a certificate of use for a 2,235-square-foot coffee shop at 5753 Beach Blvd., Unit 1, to seat 43 inside and 28 on the patio. No contractor is listed for the estimated $275,000 project. It appears to be an end unit. Starbucks now leases an inline space across the street. In Saint Johns, St. Johns County issued a permit for Starbucks to build-out a 3,470-square-foot coffee shop and drive-thru at 495 Florida 13 N. at a cost of $190,000. The building is a former Burger King on 0.93 acres in the Fruit Cove area. In the Lakewood area, the city is reviewing a buildingpermit application that indicates a $500,000 project of 2,553 square feet at 5640 San Jose Blvd. The site is a closed Shell gas station. Starbucks will have a patio and drivethru. An in-line Starbucks operates across the street. Starbucks has been building stand-alone units or others that allow for a drive-thru to replace inline shops.

THE MATHIS REPORT

KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR

Hicks was Jacksonville managing partner of The Southern Group, a lobbying firm contracted by JEA and several Northeast Florida political candidates. Hicks resigned from The Southern Group on Jan. 17. He registered his own consulting firm, River North Strategies LLC, with the state Jan. 22. Zahn was fired with cause by the JEA board Jan. 28.

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SMALL

BUSINESS CAN DO NOW

Start preparing now for the end of the crisis. Learn what resources you have available. Northeast Florida business leaders share their advice for what to do during the COVID-19 shutdown. GARY MONTOUR

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL NE FLORIDA

Extending a lease is a way to get past revenue slump Gary Montour, senior vice president with Colliers International Northeast Florida, advises both small business landlords and tenants dealing with the loss of revenue from the coronavirus. Montour said that until now, most force majeure — “overwhelming power” or “act of God” — clauses didn’t include pandemics. The documents of lenders, insurance companies, landlords and tenants now will be evaluated, and in some cases modified, to include a pandemics clause. “Tenants need to tell their landlords what’s going on with their business and ask for what they need,” Montour said. Montour A tenant might be able to extend a lease. If a tenant asked for three months of free rent, a landlord could add three months to the end of the lease term, he said. Small business tenants should start gathering information about sales from the past year and the past quarter, and compare those to how they look now that the business has reduced operations or closed because of the coronavirus. “Outline why you need support for a specific time frame, say two to three months. Figure out what you can do — even if it’s partial or half rent — to show that you’re doing what you can,” he said. The small business tenant should put the informaton in writing and note if it is applying for relief from the government. “I’d wait out the next 15 days to see what the president does,” Montour said March 24. “Rent’s not typically due until the first or 10th. Evaluate where things are going,” he said. If the tenant is part of a national chain, a bailout could be coming. “The landlord will consider how long you’ve been there,” Montour said. “If you’re a newer tenant and have already asked for rent reductions, your request may be considered differently than someone who’s been with a landlord for a long time and just needs a little help.”

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020

VICKY ZELEN

MELISSA DIETZ

Interruption insurance won’t cover virus impact

Businesses should work ahead on finances

For small businesses with lost income, business interruption insurance may not be able to help, said Vicky Zelen, president of Zelen Risk Solutions. Zelen’s company primarily covers small businesses including restaurants, law offices, retailers, engineering firms and contractors. She said many clients called the past week asking if their income loss can be covered under their business interruption policy. “Typically they have to have physical damage to the building or inside the building or the personal property they owned or stock Zelen they’re selling,” she said. “You can’t just have a loss of business income when there’s no damage to the building itself.” Worker’s compensation policies likely will cover medical employees if they catch the virus. For other employees, it’s hard to prove where they may have caught it. Some clients called to say they can’t afford their policies. Zelen’s advice is to cancel it and enroll when the company’s finances stabilize. For those renewing their policies, Zelen said it’s best to be conservative when stating the company’s expected revenue for the year so businesses don’t overpay on their policy if their sales are lower than expected. “Not everything is covered under the insurance policy,” she said. “Some of it is business risk.”

CPA Melissa Dietz, owner of Victory Accounting & Tax Inc., has heard so many stories already. “My restaurant owners have had to let more than half of their staff go until further notice. Event planners are hurting as social distancing is the new normal,” she said. “On the plus side, I’ve heard from my tutoring companies who are working with the public school system in helping teach students online,” she said. Dietz said that in a time of confusion, fear and uncertainty, there also is a coming-together and innovative ideas. Victory Accounting & Tax works specifically with small business. Dietz also is president of Women Dietz Business Owners of North Florida and said many members are offering discounted services to each other, such as home health care, IT, accounting and much more. “When it seems like there may be no hope, there always is,” Dietz said. “We are all still waiting to see what additional help the new stimulus deal the government is working on to assist small businesses to pay employees and keep themselves afloat.” To help now and going forward, she urges small business owners: • Don’t get too leveraged. • Keep a savings account – even for your business. • A line of credit is good to have for short-term needs. • Keep bookkeeping up to date. • Reconcile your bank statement monthly. • Prepare a cash flow analysis. • Tweak the budget – both in the income and expense areas. • Contact your accountant for updates.

PRESIDENT ZELEN RISK MANAGEMENT

BENNETT BROWN MARKET PRESIDENT THE HERITAGE BANK

Banks will work to keep customers’ business The Heritage Bank Market President Bennett Brown is a Jacksonville community banker of more than 40 years. Heritage Bank lends to individuals, businesses and professionals. “The fundamental principle of the community bank model of banking is based on long-term relationships built on a mutual trust,” Brown said. “When an event happens that affects the community, the response is how can we help them through this. This virus pandemic is someBrown thing we have not faced before, but the underlying principles remain the same,” he said. “We will work with each customer and determine the best solutions to keep them in business.” Brown said the government will offer programs through the banks to help small business, “and we will participate with them.” Brown said a community bank is as successful as its customers. “So we will work to help them survive and be successful. We are their banker in good times and bad times,” he said. Because each customer is affected differently, the bank customizes plans. “Our team in Jacksonville has a 30-plus-year history of being customer-focused. With God’s help we will get through this.”

KAREN BRUNE MATHIS

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Take the time now to work on your marketing plan Mary Fisher, CEO of Fisher Design, advises her small business clients to use the slow time forced by COVID-19 to focus on a marketing plan and what they need to do when the impacts of the virus recede. “You never have time to do it because you’re working in the business, not on the business,” Fisher said. “We are doing a lot of website updates, including our own.” Fisher said many of her clients are in the health care sector and are not seeing patients in their offices. Patients can be seen remotely unless they have an urgent condition. Some clients of health care Fisher services are using email blasts for elective conditions, “like at a medical spa, advertising specials to be paid now at a discount and to come in later.” Fisher Design does not have many retail clients, she said, but she has heard “a lot of people are spending money online and are on social media, so it is a great time to advertise on social media.”

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THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020

CANDACE MOODY

CHARLES JIMERSON

CASSIE BRUCE

Employees, employers should plan for ‘all-clear’

‘Know the resources that you have available’

To counter stress, focus on what you can control

VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS CAREERSOURCE NORTHEAST FLORIDA

Nothing will make this time easier for small businesses and their employees, said Candace Moody, vice president of communications for CareerSource Northeast Florida. “We all have to endure this crisis and hope it passes soon,” she said. “But you can focus on the future.” Moody provided three suggestions to help small business owners prepare for when public policymakers “hit the all-clear signal.” Empathize: Stay in touch with staff by email, FaceTime or phone. “Let them know you’re thinking Moody about them and that you understand the anxiety they’re dealing with while they’re out of work. How you treat people now is what they’ll remember when jobs come roaring back and they have options.” Organize: “Remember all those projects you never had time to get to? Now you do.” Spend some time on efforts that will improve the business. Reorganize the stockroom. Plan an email campaign for customers or new menu items. Catch up on paperwork. “The activity will be good for your spirits – and your business.” Strategize: “Think about how you’ll communicate to your customers that you’re open for business.” How will you ramp up staff for minimal business or the rush you may experience? What new procedures need to be in place to reassure your customers that they’re safe in your building? What do you need to do to get sales going as soon as possible? How soon will your vendors be able to ship supplies? “You’ll need to be ready for business on Day One – whenever that is – with a plan,” Moody said. Crises reveal character, she said. “It’s not easy to practice grace and generosity when you’re feeling fear. But if you can, like the gyms and yoga studios putting free classes online for everyone, you’ll gain a reputation for grace as well as your excellent products and services.”

MANAGING PARTNER JIMERSON BIRR

WELLNESS MANAGER PATH, BAPTIST HEALTH

Attorney Charles Jimerson, managing partner of Jimerson Birr, advises his small business clients that there’s bad news — and some good news. “We are going into a serious financial crisis, probably worse than we have seen in our lifetime,” Jimerson said March 23. Small businesses need to “walk through how the overnight change will affect your business.” That includes analyzing cash flow and cash and credit positions. “Know the resources you have available, including your suppliers and vendors,” Jimerson said. Jimerson Depending on Congress to devise a plan to save America’s businesses isn’t the best course. “It’s not smart to wait to find out what the government is going to do for you,” Jimerson said. As a small business owner, Jimerson said he understands the “general anxiety” that is affecting his workforce and others. People are adjusting their lives to work remotely and help educate their children at home with online learning. He believes technology will help get the country through the crisis and also become a more intrinsic part of business. “Companies that never embraced technology will be forced to confront that.” Jimerson cites restaurants as an example. As those businesses have been forced to shutter their dining rooms, they are specializing in online ordering and home delivery to continue to serve their customers and avoid closing completely. “Now is the time to focus on communication and planning. Set metrics and brainstorm for opportunities that will arise. I think a lot of positive will come from this,” Jimerson said. “There aren’t many problems you can’t work yourself out of. Focus, recalibrate and stay the course and you’ll be fine.”

With the coronavirus spreading throughout communities and shutting down businesses, it’s natural to feel stressed, says Cassie Bruce, wellness manager for PATH, Baptist Health’s corporate wellness arm. PATH works with companies from small businesses to large corporations. While its in-person meetings with companies have been canceled, Bruce said she’s seen a “huge uptick” in virtual health coaching appointments. “I think the reason for that is Bruce health and wellness is a way that employers can still connect with their employees,” she said. “It’s a light topic to help everyone feel normal and it’s good for people.” Most typical stress outlets for people, such as socializing with friends or going to the gym, can’t be done during the outbreak. “A lot of groups are worried about loneliness and isolation,” she said. In addition to the financial impact, employees can feel stress from juggling parental duties, day care and work. For small businesses experiencing financial losses, health coaches are telling people to focus on the things they can control, rather than those they can’t. In addition, to focusing on staying mentally and physically well, small business owners can brainstorm ways to drive income, if possible. “What might they be able to bring virtually, what new streams of income could they establish? Maybe even asking their employees what innovations they see,” Bruce said. “They might be surprised by what employees think of or new ways they can interact with their customer base online.”

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THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020

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THE BASCH REPORT

Advanced Disposal sale closing delayed approval in the second quarter. The companies anticipated the deal taking a long time to close because the merger of the waste services companies faced an extensive antitrust review. Although it is taking slightly longer than planned, it looks promising that it will get done soon. MARK BASCH CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Waste Management agreed to buy the Ponte Vedra-based company in April 2019. Like everything else, Waste Management Inc.’s acquisition of Ponte Vedra-based Advanced Disposal Services Inc. is on hold. While the deal will not close next week as the companies had anticipated, Wall Street is indicating it expects the deal to get done. Advanced Disposal is the one Northeast Florida-based stock that has not been crushed by the market’s recent collapse. Waste Management agreed in April 2019 to buy Advanced Disposal for $33.15 in cash, a 22% premium over Advanced Disposal’s market price at the time. Advanced Disposal’s stock was trading near the $33 level for the first two months of this year and while the Dow Jones Industrial Average has lost about a third of its yearend 2019 value in this month’s crash, Advanced Disposal’s stock was down only 5% through last weekend. The stock has remained mainly in the $30s this month. The companies were expecting regulatory approval for the merger by the end of March, clearing the way to close it. However, both companies said in Securities and Exchange Commission filings last week because of the COVID-19 outbreak, they now are expecting U.S. Department of Justice

Market drop cuts Rayonier deal value Fortunately for Advanced Disposal shareholders, Waste Management agreed to a full cash price for the company. Shareholders of Pope Resources may be more uncertain about the company’s buyout agreement with Rayonier Inc. Rayonier in January agreed to buy each unit of Pope, a publicly traded limited partnership, for $125 in cash or Rayonier securities valued near that amount. The deal was structured so Rayonier would pay cash for 30% of the Pope units and issue securities for the other 70%. However, Rayonier’s stock price has dropped by more than 30% since the deal was announced. Rayonier, based in Wildlight in Nassau County, agreed to exchange 3.929 shares of its stock for every Pope unit it is not buying in cash. According to a proxy statement filed last week by Poulsbo, Washington-based Pope, that valued Pope units at $127.51 each, based on the closing price of Rayonier before the deal was announced. With Rayonier trading close to $20 in recent days, down from $32.72 in mid-January, the value of the stock offer now is about $85 per unit. Merger documents don’t say anything about adjustments to the offer based on changes in the market value of the stock. The proxy does not have a date for a Pope shareholders meeting to approve the buyout. It has a deadline to close the

Advanced Disposal Services

Stock in Advanced Disposal hasn’t tanked along with the rest of the stock market in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

deal of Oct. 14, which can be extended, giving time for the market price of the stock to recover. Pope would owe Rayonier a $20 million termination fee if it calls off the deal in certain circumstances. Rayonier is buying Pope to expand its timber resources in the Northwest U.S.

Go-shop period ends for FNF deal Another stock and cash deal, Fidelity National Financial Inc.’s acquisition of FGL Holdings is moving forward despite a sharp stock drop. The deal signed last month included a 40-day go-shop period when FGL could seek better offers. Its financial advisers solicited 42 parties but no alternative bids were made by the time the go-shop period expired last week, FGL said. Jacksonville-based Fidelity agreed to buy the annuity and life insurance company for $12.50 in cash for each FGL share or 0.2558 shares of Fidelity stock. Fidelity’s stock lost about half of its value since the deal was announced Feb. 7, closing at $48.57 the day before the announcement but trading in the low $20s in recent days. FGL’s stock, which was trading above $12 after the deal was announced, fell below $9 last week. The deal is structured for 60% to be paid in cash and 40% in stock. FGL said in a news release it expects the deal to close in the second or third quarters, subject to approval of its shareholders.

Robert A. Cole

CSX upgraded by Morgan Stanley With CSX Corp.’s stock losing a third of its value, Morgan Stanley analyst Ravi Shanker on March 23 upgraded the Jacksonville-based railroad company from “underweight”

Obitx gets ticker symbol ‘OBTX’ Jacksonville-based mCig Inc. last week said a subsidiary it spun off as a separate public company, Obitx Inc., has a ticker symbol. The Financial Industrial Regulatory Authority approved quotation of Obitx stock on the OTC bulletin board under the symbol “OBTX,” it said. Obitx was a marketing and advertising software subsidiary of mCig, which is focusing on cannabidiol products. The company, which still is 49% owned by mCig, reported no revenue for the nine months ended October 31, according to its most recent quarterly SEC filing. MBASCH@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM

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The uncertainty of the market is not cooling off the merger talk surrounding Tegna Inc., owner of WTLV TV-12 and WJXX TV-25 in Jacksonville and 60 other U.S. television stations. The Najafi Cos., a Phoenixbased private equity firm, and religious broadcaster Trinity Broadcasting Network announced a joint bid last week to buy Tegna for $20 a share in cash. Tegna was trading at $15.08 at the time of the announcement. The stock has been below $20 since it split up with newspaper publisher Gannett Co. as separate companies in 2015. Other potential bidders for Tegna, according to major financial news services, include Apollo Global Management Inc. and television producer Byron Allen. Another television station operator, Gray Television Inc., offered to buy Tegna in early March, according to Reuters news service. However, Reuters last week said Gray pulled out because of concerns about the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the television business. Tegna has not made any public comments about the potential bidders.

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to “equal weight.” “We retain our structural concerns about the long-term volume and pricing growth risks at CSX and believe that the big cost cuts are behind them but the 34% decline in the stock price since its 52-week high has brought the stock back toward what we believe is fair value,” Shanker said in a report on freight transportation companies. He maintained an “underweight” rating on Jacksonvillebased trucking company Landstar System Inc., which was down 19% for the year. Landstar, which doesn’t employ drivers but contracts with drivers who own their own trucks, will have difficulty retaining drivers “at a time of severe disruption in operations,” Shanker said. He also sees revenue issues at Landstar. Demand for truck services will continue as companies that transport consumer goods bring needed supplies to restock store shelves. But some freight sectors will be curtailed. “One third of Landstar’s revenue is from flatbed which is most directly exposed to industrial end markets which are likely to come under severe pressure in the second quarter,” Shanker said. After the big drop in the market, the worst could be over for freight transportation stocks, he said. “We are not saying that the industry is out of the woods and now is the time to buy,” he said. “However, we believe the stocks are already pricing in a recession, making risk-reward more balanced at this point.”

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THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020

Gov. DeSantis: We need economic hope MATT WALSH & JOEL SCHLEICHER

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” – President Teddy Roosevelt Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is now officially baptized. It’s a rite of passage for every governor. At some point in a governor’s term, he or she will face a major crisis. DeSantis’s predecessor, Rick Scott, faced the tests of four major crises: Hurricanes Irma and Michael and the massacres at the Pulse nightclub and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The Great Recession tested Charlie Crist. Gov. DeSantis’s test is COVID-19. He will be remembered forever for how he led the state through this crisis. And at this point, it’s time for Gov. DeSantis to step up. Big. Bold. And fast. With all due respect, it is time to act. We cannot wait for Washington. Florida’s economy is on the verge of an epic catastrophe. Unless the economic side of this crisis is addressed swiftly, decisively and with a spirit of hope, we would go so far as to say the damage to the families of the 9 million working Floridians will be larger and more severe than the health effects of the virus on Florida’s 21 million population. We know the first priority of the corona crisis was to address the health front, to enact measures necessary to keep the virus from spreading. But over the past two weeks as the list of emergency orders, bans and restrictions flowed from the Trump administration in Washington, gubernatorial executive orders and local governments, it became clear the second front of this war — the economic front — was rising with the same virulence. It is no exaggeration to say every business owner in Florida is looking at his or her cash balance with a fear that is bordering on helpless panic. With their hearts and pulse rates rising, every business owner is constantly walking around with these questions bearing down on him or her: How long can I last? How long can I keep paying my employees so they can feed their families? How long before I start letting them go? Will I have to declare bankruptcy? Will I have to shut down? That day already has struck for many businesses. Here’s one big example: Feld Entertainment, the Manatee County-based, live-show producer of Disney on Ice, Monster Jam and Sesame Street Live, laid off nearly 90% of its workforce already — between 900 to 1,200 employees.

Employees received varying amounts of severance; their health insurance coverage will stop at the end of the month. Now extrapolate that throughout the state. Florida has 2,333,578 for-profit and not-for-profit businesses. Ninety-nine percent — or 2,310,242 — are small businesses, all with fewer than 100 employees, most with fewer than 20. The vast majority of the owners of these businesses are trying to remain calm, but they all are stressed about survival. Now put on top of their worries, the worries of their employees. Employees are sitting at home today, and while trying to work, they also are wondering: Will I have a job tomorrow? What will I do? How will I pay my mortgage? Let’s get even more granular on the most pronounced effect of this virus on Florida’s economy. Consider this: 3,068,000 Floridians (moms, dads, etc.) are employed in Florida’s tourism, hospitality, restaurants, retail trade and affiliated trade and wholesale businesses. That’s 34% of all jobs, the largest segment of employment in the state. These are the businesses that typically have the least amount of financial wherewithal to withstand a shock like this. These businesses need immediate assistance — not two weeks from now. They need it now! And to be sure, our government officials are only exacerbating the economic crisis when they issue “stay-athome” proclamations, except for essential services. We stood last week with an owner of a 60-year-old, family-owned, Sarasota auto body shop. He told us in a typical week he would see a dozen to 15 car owners a day pull in to his shop for repairs. The phone was always ringing. Last week, he said he had four inquiries for the entire week. Or take any business, say, a dental office. The governor banned them from opening. If any business was to be extraordinarily careful in its health practices, you could be sure it would be Florida’s dentists. The point here is that while our public officials are acting out of a rational, heightened sense of caution (and their own fears) — and it’s good that they are — there appears to be little convincing evidence coming from our state officials that the medicine that is being dispensed is in the right proportions. There seems to be little cost-benefit analysis. To be blunt, we are suggesting that public officials are acting hastily and with emotion more than with facts. Understandably, it appears they are afraid to be accused of not following the official crowd, rather than examine the facts (see box). We know the above statements will bring forceful criticism and opposition. But as this crisis progresses and our government officials continue to raise the level of quarantines, lockdowns and restrictions in the name of preserving lives, there is another side to the scale that must be weighed. This is why we are urging Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Senate President Bill Galvano

FROM THE PUBLISHER

This is now a twofront war. Unless there is decisive action, Florida’s economy is facing an epic catastrophe.

File image

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will be remembered for how he led the state through the crisis.

Six immediate steps to help save Florida’s economy Here are six suggestions for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that could give Floridians hope and assurance that the state’s leaders are taking bold, decisive and immediate action to help Florida’s economy now and for when the coronavirus crisis has ended: 1) Call House and Senate leaders back to Tallahassee and work on immediate economic measures to re-open our economy. 2) Convene a Business Task Force, led by the governor, of no more than 10 business executives and owners. They should be people who have been through crises before and represent primarily small businesses of fewer than 500 employees and $100 million in annual revenue. The representation should include a diverse selection of entrepreneurs; hospitality and leisure executives; professional, business and consumer services executives; and construction industry executives. This task force could be charged with developing and recommending actions that can be vetted, narrowed down and implemented for maximum impact — before April 6. 3) Because Florida’s finances are strong, the state should issue up to $10 billion in 50-year bonds to fund one-time initiatives. Time is of the essence. This must be a top priority now. 4) To save Florida’s restaurant industry, we should immediately provide every voter a $100 or $150 debit card issued by the state

and House Speaker Jose Oliva to demonstrate Patton-like leadership. They need to show Floridians they know they are fighting a two-front war and that they know they must turn as much attention to the economic front as they are to the health front. They need to take immediate action. They need to go big and bold. They need to present far-reaching, impactful plans that address the here and now and the future. As Gen. Patton famously said: “A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan next week.” Most of all, our state leaders need to give Floridians hope — hope that their lives are not going to end up in bread lines and broke. As one observer told us: “I would rather die of coronavirus than go through bread

— a $1.3 billion or $1.5 billion stimulus. The card could be used for food only — no alcohol or sales tax — at any registered restaurant in the state for 30 days only. Unused cards expire and the money would go back to state. This must be Priority 1. 5) Start a second business group to work with Disney World, Universal, other resorts and hoteliers, cruise lines and airlines to bring back pent-up demand after the crisis. In a similar time, Hawaii subsidized air fares to Hawaii. Reduce airport landing fees and abate sales taxes on some services for Florida only. 6) Engage the property and insurance carriers that have claims administration capabilities in place to process business interruption claims that could be backstopped and paid for by the state. Most policies exclude pandemics and war. But this should be focused on Florida-based businesses and those businesses with fewer than 500 employees and less than $100 million in annual revenue. If you have other ideas, please send them to CrisisIdeas@YourObserver.com

COVID-19 snapshot The COVID-19 figures as of 9 a.m. March 24. As testing increases, the number of cases is expected to increase. COVID-19 Percent of COVID-19 County Population cases population deaths Duval 970,672 56 0.006% 3 St. Johns 254,412

0.012%

Clay 215,246 13 0.006% 2 Baker 28,249 5

0.018% 0

Nassau 85,070

0.001%

Florida 21,208,589 1,682 0.008%

lines and having little hope like the Great Depression.” MATT WALSH IS EDITOR AND CEO OF THE OBSERVER MEDIA GROUP. JOEL SCHLEICHER IS

0 22

A RESIDENT OF SARASOTA AND ENTREPRENEUR WHOSE COMPANIES SUCCESSFULLY SURVIVED AND THRIVED AFTER THREE MAJOR ECONOMIC DOWNTURNS.

JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / J ACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020

JaxDailyRecord.com

BY SCOTT SAILER • STAFF WRITER

Here are the top 10 commercial real estate sales in Northeast Florida, comprising Baker, Clay, Duval and St. Johns counties. The sales were recorded March 16-22.

File image

The Reserve at Nocatee apartments sold for $56.4 million. The 20-acre community was built in 2018,

ST. JOHNS

DUVAL

$56,409,750

$11,234,938

$7,929,518

$6,150,000

$5,750,000

215 Hunters Lake Way, Nocatee

8370 Philips Highway, Jacksonville

3300 Philips Highway, Jacksonville

5220 Shad Road, Jacksonville

Malnove Drive, Jacksonville

Type: The Reserve at Nocatee apartments Parcel size: 20 acres No. of units: 244 Buyer: Passco Nocatee DST Seller: Chadbourne III LLC

Type: Industrial Parcel size: 10 acres Building size: 162,998 square feet Buyer: Spirit Master Funding X LLC Seller: Mac Paper Converters LLC Previous sale: $1,500,000 in 1986

Type: Office and undeveloped property Parcel size: 8.4 acres Building size: 45,000 square feet Buyer: Spirit Master Funding X LLC Seller: Mac Papers Inc. Previous sale: $3,726,600 in 2008

Type: Office distribution Parcel size: 7.01 acres Building size: Three buildings totaling 80,070 square feet Buyer: DG Industrial Portfolio I Property Owner L.P. Seller: NES Realty ADA Compliant Limited Partnership Previous sale: $3,350,000 in 2015

Type: Undeveloped industrial Parcel size: 44.13 acres Buyer: CG 7600 LP Seller: Imeson Consolidated Services LLC

DUVAL

$4,773,738

$4,500,000

$3,750,000

$3,672,451

$3,510,000

3350 Philips Highway, Jacksonville

12705 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville

Prudential Drive, Jacksonville

Jacksonville

11900 McCormick Road, Jacksonville

Type: Office and warehouse Parcel size: 2.85 acres Building size: Two buildings totaling 69,000 square feet Buyer: Spirit Master Funding X LLC Seller: Mac Papers Inc. Previous sale: $2,303,709 in 1990

Type: Undeveloped Parcel size: 4.99 acres Buyer: St. Vincent’s Health System Inc. Seller: West Kernan Loan Acquisition LLC

Type: Southbank Apartments Parcel size: 2.89 acres Buyer: Southbank Multifamily LLC Seller: Hines SSGP Riverpointe LLC

Type: 18 residential homes Parcel size: Not available Buyer: ALTO Asset Co. 2 LLC Seller: MUPR 3 Assets LLC

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

Top commercial sales of the week

Type: CVS Parcel size: 2.14 ares Building size: 15,238 square feet Buyer: Hillside Building Partners LLC and Parkside Building Partners LLC Seller: BW McCormick LLC

DEVELOPMENT TODAY

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

These are the largest commercial building permits by job cost issued Tuesday by the city of Jacksonville.

Promotions, hirings and happenings for business people in Northeast Florida. Send items to ssailer@jaxdailyrecord.com

HOSPITAL, INSTITUTIONAL UF Health Jacksonville, 655 W. Eighth St., contractor is M.D. McDonald Construction Co., 1,660 square feet, MRI space addition and renovation, $1.5 million. SCHOOL, LIBRARY, OTHER EDUCATIONAL Regency Charter Property LLC, 1211 Lee Road, contractor is Blue Ocean Construction Inc., foundation, $16,500.

SIGNS Chase, 112 W. Adams St., contractor is Southeastern Lighting Solutions Inc., four permits for wall signs, $1,800.

Web.com Group appointed Rob Solomon as chief customer officer. Solomon’s 30 years of experience in operations and customer care includes Solomon senior leadership positions with Hertz, HSNi, Ticketmaster, Electronic Processing Source and Continental Guest Services.

STORES, MERCANTILE Roberts Laundromat, 9726 Old St. Augustine Road, No. 105, contractor is Piper Homes LLC, 2,400 square feet, tenant build-out, $239,883. HCI Spectrum LLC, 8081 Philips Highway, No. 1, contractor is Adams Interior Contractors Inc., 11,290 square feet, tenant build-out, $70,354.

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens board of trustees appointed Chief Advancement Officer Kerrie Slattery

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THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020

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THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020

JaxDailyRecord.com

Top 10 home sales of week BY SCOTT SAILER • STAFF WRITER

Here are the top 10 single-family residential real estate sales in Northeast Florida, comprising Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties. The sales were recorded March 16-22.

DUVAL

$2,600,000 2701 Ocean Drive S., Jacksonville Beach Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.15 acres House size: 3,433 square feet Buyer: Helen N. and William Hillegass Seller: Matthew and Alexis Kane

About the property: Three-story oceanfront home features four bedrooms, three bathrooms, balconies, top floor master suite, fenced backyard, three-car garage and paver driveway.

ST. JOHNS

NASSAU

ST. JOHNS

$2,290,000

$1,590,000

$1,400,000

181 Sea Glass Way, Ponte Vedra Beach

65 Broadbent Way, Fernandina Beach

87 Dolphin Drive, St. Augustine

Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.46 acres House size: 5,302 square feet Buyer: Luis M. and Elizabeth A. Cuevas Seller: ARH Models LLC

Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.44 acres House size: 3,641 square feet Buyer: Olav B. and Judith M. Kollevoll Seller: Dream Finders Homes LLC

Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.49 acres House size: 7,397 square feet Buyer: Coffindaffer Joint Revocable Living Trust Seller: Gregory W. and Barbara M. Jones

NASSAU

ST. JOHNS

$1,300,000

$1,215,000

8 Red Cedar Road, Fernandina Beach

598 E. Kesley Lane, Julington Creek

Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.64 acres House size: 2,898 square feet Buyer: Warren B. Kirchner Seller: Ernest M. and Heide R. Kruse Previous sale: $1,600,000 in 2008

Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.64 acres House size: 5,835 square feet Buyer: Osama Ibrahim and Emmalynn A. Marusin Seller: Alexander D. and Alexander F. Fernandez and Gloria Lengyel Previous sale: $1,100,000 in 2017

DUVAL

CLAY

$1,250,000

$1,100,000

1820 S. Christopher Point Road, Jacksonville

1899 Moorings Circle, Middleburg

Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.47 acres House size: 5,077 square feet Buyer: Siddharth Wayangankar and Hiral D. Parekh Seller: Nicolau and Estela F. Sacaquini Previous sale: $735,000 in 2002

Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.87 acres House size: 4,049 square feet Buyer: National Residential Nominee Services Inc. Seller: S&L Adams Trust Previous sale: $850,000 in 2013

NASSAU

ST. JOHNS

$1,230,000

$1,010,000

2 Buckthorne Drive, Fernandina Beach Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.41 acres House size: 4,023 square feet Buyer: Perry A. and Suzette Noakes Seller: Christie M. Osborne Previous sale: $525,000 in 2014

112 Carriage Court, Ponte Vedra Beach Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.5 acres House size: 3,863 square feet Buyer: Marene N. and John H. Allison Seller: Paul R. and Vivian Sampson Previous sale: $991,000 in 2006

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THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020

THE SAILER REPORT

Bowden farmstead property at heart of rezoning debate

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The developer says it will preserve the historic portion of the house on Loretto Road in Mandarin. More than 7,000 people signed a petition to stop the proposed property rezoning for a subdivision along the north side of Loretto Road in Mandarin. Those opposing the rezoning at Change.org, an online petition platform, view the site as the “historic Bowden farmstead property” comprising a historic house and farmland with a pecan grove. Jacksonville-based developer Curtis Hart with Hart Resources LLC proposes a planned unit development with 55 70-foot-wide lots, less dense than existing development to the west and north. The PUD ties development to a specific site plan and establishes architectural controls for the homes. Hart Resources said it is willing to preserve the historical portion of the house by relocating it on the property. Local historian Wayne Wood wrote in his 1989 book, “Jacksonville’s Architectural Heritage,” that the two-story white house, built in 1907 for Fleming H. Bowden, is “an important link to Mandarin’s architecture.” Wood wrote that the house, which fronts Loretto Road, exhibits the “strong vertical character” of the time. The house originally had a two-tier veranda wrapping around its right side. He wrote that Bowden was a blacksmith and vegetable peddler who became Duval County Supervisor of Elections for 21 years until he died in 1964. Charles and Murel Cissell bought the house and 10 acres from the Bowden estate in 1963 and added more land to total 23.59 acres. Spencer Cissell, their son and one of the heirs, said the house needed extensive repairs when the Cissells bought it. It had been a rental property and the veranda had been removed. In 1995, Charles Cissell moved the house back 164 feet when the city widened Loretto Road. Spencer Cissell said his father was a “horse trader,” buying and selling area land, raising cattle and farming on the property. He had a slaughterhouse and installed the white fence in 1965 to contain the cows. Charles Cissell moved most of the buildings onto the property. Of the 23 pecan trees, eight are alive but nearly dead, Spencer Cissell said. The four children of the Charles and Murel Cissell estate are selling the property because of the expense of upkeep. Spencer Cissell said he would buy the property from his sisters if he could afford to do so. He also said if the developer does not want the Bowden house, he is willing to donate it. The property has been for sale since 2018, drawing interest from developers.

Photo by Scott Sailer

This home was built in 1907 for Fleming H. Bowden. Jacksonville historian Wayne Wood called it “an important link to Mandarin’s architecture.”

The property is zoned residential rural-acre, allowing one home per acre, or potentially 23 homes. The land use designation is low density residential, like most of the surrounding property. Land to the north is zoned medium density residential. The PUD proposes 22 more homes for the site, more than can be built by right under the current zoning. Hart Resources said it is an infill development compatible with development in the surrounding area. Hart said the proposed homes would sell for more than most of the adjacent homes, increasing property values. District 6 City Council member Michael Boylan established a fivemember local resident committee headed by Tracey Arpen to investigate potential impacts to the neighborhood. Arpen served on the Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee and is a retired city deputy general counsel and head of the Land Use and Environmental Law Department. Arpen said concerns focus on increased density, old house preservation, Loretto Road traffic, drainage and effect on schools. The issues are: Density: The proposed minimum lot size is larger than lot sizes allowed west and north of the site. The house: Hart said he is willing to relocate the house to a new lot along Loretto Road. The city Planning and Development Department said the site “does not have any locally or nationally designated properties. There is an old home on the site, but it currently has no designation.” Loretto Road traffic: The planning department analysis projects 9.44 vehicle trips per day per lot, or 519 based on 55 lots, which is 302 more than the number that can be added without rezoning. Drainage: City and state regulations will require the development to design stormwater systems so runoff does not increase. Most of the existing housing lots to the west, between Kennedy and Gwynford lanes, are in a high-risk flood zone as determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, where flood insurance is mandatory. School capacity: The planning department review of school capacity based on 56 dwelling units, at the time of analysis, shows capacity is available for the anticipated additional students in the service area. “We hope we can find a compromise that would retain some of the character of the property but honor our legal property rights and our right to just compensation for our property. Our parents wanted no less,” Spencer Cissell said. The first hearing with the city Planning Commission has not been scheduled. SSAILER@JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466

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12/22/17 3:16 PM

JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / J ACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER

THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 2020

JaxDailyRecord.com

THE MARBUT REPORT

The Florida Bar 2020 elections certified Downtown Investment Authority board of directors since 2017. Valeen Arena and Sarah Morris will face each other in a runoff election in April for the 4th Circuit’s open seat on the Young Lawyers Division board of governors. Arena is a law clerk for U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida Judge Brian Davis and a member of the Jacksonville Bar Association Young Lawyers Section board of governors for the past three years. Morris is a former assistant public defender in the 7th Judicial Circuit in St. Augustine. She practices in the state Office of Criminal Conflict & Civil Regional Counsel in Jacksonville.

MAX MARBUT ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Michael Tanner and W. Braxton Gillam IV elected; Valeen Arena and Sarah Morris will go to a runoff. Despite the disruption related to COVID-19, The Florida Bar certified its 2020 elections on schedule about 4 p.m. March 24. Michael Tanner, a partner in Gunster’s office in Jacksonville, is president-elect of the state lawyers association. He received 8,647 votes. Tanner’s opponent, Rene Thompson, a civil trial attorney in Ocala, received 8,558 votes. Tanner, 66, graduated from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and was admitted to the Bar in 1978. He practices business litigation, appellate law, professional liability defense and election law. Tanner will be installed in office in 2021, becoming the first president of The Florida

Holland & Knight names Burgess a partner File image

Michael Tanner, a partner in Gunster’s Jacksonville office, is presidentelect of The Florida Bar,

Bar from Jacksonville since Hank Coxe led the state organization in 2006-07. W. Braxton Gillam IV, a partner with Milam Howard Nicandri Gillam Gillam IV & Renner, is elected to The Florida Bar board of governors to represent the 4th

Judicial Circuit. He defeated John Phillips, founding partner of Phillips & Hunt, 1,044 votes to 416 votes. Gillam served on the Jacksonville Bar Association board of governors from 2004 to 2014 and is a past president of the local voluntary Bar association. In 2008, Gillam was appointed to the Jacksonville Ethics Commission and was chair in 2011 and 2012. He has served on the city

Holland & Knight named Carter Burgess a partner in Jacksonville. He joined the firm in 2017 as senior counsel A trial attorney, Burgess represents clients in consumer financial services matters. He graduated Burgess from Florida Coastal School of Law and was admitted to The Florida Bar in 2008.

State constitution revision panel survives session For the second consecutive year, Florida’s Constitution Revision Commission survived the 2020 legislative session without being abolished. The commission has the authority, every 20 years, to put proposed amendments to the state constitution directly on the ballot. Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg and chair of a criminal and civil justice spending committee, introduced SB 142 to eliminate the commission. The bill died on the Senate calendar after unanimous approval in several committees. Rep. Brad Drake, R-DeFuniak Springs, introduced HB 301, the companion bill. It passed the House 93-25, but died in the Senate after being referred to committees. Both measures would have asked voters to approve a constitutional amendment in November abolishing the 37-member commission. The commission was criticized during its 2018 session for bundling unrelated issues into a single ballot question, including one to ban offshore drilling and indoor vaping. An attempt failed this year to limit CRC ballot proposals to a single subject. MMARBUT@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466

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