MONDAY December 10, 2018
Public legal notices begin on page 3
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DEVELOPMENT
THE MATHIS REPORT
Daily Record
DIA to end Bay Street convention center plans
JACOBS’ PLAN
JACKSONVILLE
The Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. proposal for a convention center along East Bay Street was scored the highest by the DIA.
Daily Record Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
Bonelli wins incentives for window plant
Jaguars owner Shad Khan wants to build a facility near the sports complex after the Hart Bridge ramp is removed.
JACKSONVILLE
Following resistance from Mayor Lenny Curry in November, the Downtown Investment Authority is expected to halt plans to build a new convention center on East Bay Street. The DIA’s strategic implementation committee met Thursday and agreed it was too soon to proceed with what could be one of the city’s most expensive public-private partnerships. The posture builds on the conclusion reached from a convention center feasibility study done by Strategic Advisory Group in 2017 that indicated Jacksonville isn’t ready to build a new convention center. The report, which consulted convention planners and other industry professionals, states the city doesn’t have enough restaurants, retail and other
its monthly board meeting Wednesday that would terminate negotiations with Jacobs Engineering Group, which received the highest scores among the three proposals. The DIA Strategic Implementation Committee comprises Craig Gibbs, Braxton Gillam, Ron Moody and Marc Padgett. All agreed it was time to table the discussion. “I think it’s probably wise to wait,” Padgett said. Gillam said he thought the board moved too quickly over the summer by issuing a request for proposals and allowing firms to present their visions. He said the East Bay Street location isn’t the best fit. “I never thought the proposed location was a good one for a convention center,” said Gillam. He said the 8.4-acre property restricted the possible scope of a convention center. “I’m certainly in favor of passing on the current opportunity and looking at some of the other things in front of us,” he said. Brian Hughes, who is acting as the DIA’s temporary chief executive while the city finds a permanent one, said the property will be ready for other development next spring and that it will be up to the DIA board to decide what steps to take next. Hughes also is Curry’s chief of staff. In his November letter to DIA Chairman Jim Bailey, Curry said in part that “the timeline for development and the
Bonelli Enterprises S.E., earned city approval to buildout a window-making plant at Westside Industrial Park. The company was using the code name Project Glass during negotiations. The city issued a permit Wednesday for Tenant Contractors Inc. to renovate 72,102 square feet of space at 8291 Forshee Drive at a cost of $413,184. Bonelli, based in South San Francisco, is a subsidiary of Pella Corp., a privately held company that makes windows and doors. “Bonelli Enterprises S.E. will use the space as a manufacturing facility for windows,” says the project description, adding that 13,292 square feet will be used for light assembly. The building plans show Bonelli will lease within the 158,529-square-foot multitenant Building 31. The architect is Atlanta-based Nelson. Bonelli, identified as Project Glass in city legislation adopted Oct. 23 for incentives, proposes a manufacturing plant for home improvement products. The project would create 135 jobs at an average annual wage of $46,472 by year-end 2023. It proposes a capital investment of $7 million in manufacturing, equipment, furniture
SEE DIA, PAGE 2
SEE MATHIS, PAGE 2
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BY DAVID CAWTON STAFF WRITER
KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
amenities to support a convention center and attendees. The study also questioned the feasibility of placing one along East Bay Street where the former Duval County Courthouse and City Hall Annex buildings now stand. The vacant structures are being demolished to prepare the site for development by spring of next year. CITY REQUESTED PLANS
Despite that report, the city spent much of 2018 exploring ideas and issued a request for proposals seeking bids from firms that could perform the work. Bids received over the summer from three firms indicated a new convention center and hotel complex could cost more than $900 million. The DIA will take up a resolution at
KHAN’S PLAN
Shad Khan’s Iguana Investments group also is planning a convention center, but near TIAA Bank Field.
Metro Square auction rescheduled The foreclosure auction scheduled Thursday of the Metro Square office park along Philips Highway at Emerson Street in Jacksonville was canceled. Craig Meek of The Meek Companies, the manager of the 375,000-squarefoot center, said the auction was rescheduled for Dec. 18. According to Duval court filings, co-defendants Metro Park Holdings LLC, Hart Advisors Group LLC, Michael Fischer and unknown tenants failed to make payments on a $48 million mortgage secured in 2007. More at JaxDailyRecord.com
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