Daily Record Financial News &
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2016
Vol. 104, No. 003 • oNe SectioN
35¢ www.jaxdailyrecord.com
Changing the rules in Hemming Boundaries set to expand to curbs
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After nearly 40 years in business in the building now known as Wells Fargo Center, Barnett Jewelers is closing its doors, likely before Christmas.
Saying goodbye after 100 years Barnett Jewelers closing Downtown store
By Max Marbut, Staff Writer Susan Barnett Ricke wants to make something perfectly clear: Despite the “store closing” and “everything must go” signs in the store and the flag-waver with the same message on the street in front of Wells Fargo Center Downtown, Barnett Jewelers is not going out of business. But the store in the building that opened 40 years ago the day the Independent Life building opened its doors will be gone by the end of the year. “The number of people in the building has really gone down,” she said. At its peak when the Independent Life & Accident Insurance Co. was the anchor tenant, about 2,500 people worked in the building, said Bill Barnett. Barnett is the third generation of his
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In our hearts, it’s a very difficult decision. But for our family business, it’s the only thing we can do.
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In the week since Mayor Lenny Curry said he wants Hemming Park back under city management, Bill Prescott has seen a change in the Downtown venue. Not one for the better. Prescott, interim CEO of Friends of Hemming Park, the nonprofit contracted by the city to manage the park, said word spread and “troublemakers” have come back to the park. They are telling private security officers hired by Friends to patrol the park that they have no power, he said. The security and the management group have been “fired,” –– according to some users of the park, Prescott reported to the Rules and Boundaries Subcommittee of the Hemming Park Special Committee. The committee was established to consider the future of the park’s management when a city audit was critical of the nonprofit’s financial practices. “Whatever progress we have made, it’s one step forward, two steps back,” he said. The volatility, Prescott added, has not been helpful. Sam Mousa, Curry’s chief administrative officer, last week informed the committee of the mayor’s intent to take back the park when the Friends’ contract expires March 31. Prescott wants to hear Curry’s plan and have the opportunity to explain what he has seen since he joined the organization, first as a board member and then as interim CEO in late July, after the resignation of CEO Vince Cavin. Prescott said if the plan remains to make Hemming an active park, elements like private security and ambassadors could be assets. Despite Curry’s intent, Prescott would like to show the Friends could still be the answer for the park. Prescott said he plans to attend a meeting with Curry, Mousa and Chief Administrative Officer Kerry Stewart scheduled for Nov. 28. On another issue, the subcommittee formalized proposed legislation to expand
Photo by Max Marbut
By David Chapman Staff Writer
Susan Barnett Ricke Barnett family member
family that started in the jewelry trade Downtown 100 years ago, when his father, O.F. Barnett, and W.G. Ferrell went into business. Ricke said she understands the building is more than 80 percent leased, but “there
just aren’t as many people on the floors as there used to be” and the building is closed Saturday and Sunday to all but tenants’ employees with an access card. She also remembers when there was much more retail activity in the building. In its glory days, in addition to Barnett Jewelers, there was a women’s clothing and accessories store, a florist, a card and gift store, shoe repair, a car rental office, an alterations shop, a dry cleaner, Morrison’s Cafeteria, radio and television stations and a couple of bank branch offices on the ground floor. On the second floor, there was a pharmacist and a restaurant and bar that overlooked the atrium. “At one time, it was like a little town,” Ricke said. MAKERSPACE CONTINUED ON PAGE A-3
400 apartments proposed at Deerwood Park A 400-unit apartment complex is in review for Deerwood Park on land owned by GuideWell Group Inc. GuideWell Mutual Holding Corp. is the parent company of Florida Blue. WRH Deerwood would be six apartment buildings on almost 16.6 acres along Deer Lake Drive East. It would be developed at northeast Butler and Southside boulevards in Deerwood Park North, west of the Florida Blue Deerwood Campus. There also would be a clubhouse and pool, playground, leasing building and at least two parking garages.
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Florida Blue spokeswoman Toni Woods said GuideWell does not plan to use the property and it appeared to be a good opportunity to dispose of assets. “It was important to us to find a partner who would make better use of the property for the good of the area,” she said. Woods said GuideWell put a bid out to multiple companies and received more than 20 responses. She said that among the reasons for selecting WRH, it was the best partner in meeting GuideWell’s needs as its neighbor and it had concrete plans. “We were able to give input into the design and aesthetics of
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the building. They presented conceptual plans and we liked that they are not only the builder, but that they stay to manage the property,” she said. WRH builds, manages and maintains multifamily properties. “We know this will be an asset to the community,” Woods said, adding that it was possible that some Florida Blue employees might choose to live there. She said the sale should close
in early 2017 and the price would not be disclosed until after the closing. City Council is reviewing an ordinance, 2016-724, to rezone the land from one Planned Unit Development to another to permit multifamily use. The ordinance was introduced at council last week. The project would be up to 60 feet in height. The legislation also outlines it would offer at least 750 parking spaces and up to 810 at the developer’s discretion without triggering additional landscape requirements. Access to the complex would be from Deer Lake Drive and the property might be gated.
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GuideWell Mutual Holding Corp. is a not-for-profit mutual holding company for a family of health care companies. It is based at 4800 Deerwood Campus Parkway at the Deerwood Park North campus. St. Petersburg-based WRH Realty Services Inc. has an office in Jacksonville. WRH Realty Services Inc. Marketing Director Kaley Rawlins Vaughan said Wednesday she did not have enough information to make a statement about the property. She said WHR has fee-managed assets as well as owned assets in Jacksonville and other MATHIS CONTINUED ON PAGE A-2
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