Ernst & Young closing in on Flagler renovations; JU progressing on work at Williams Hall


The Whitefish, Mont., ranch of Bill and Carol Foley is on the market for $26.7 million. It includes a main home, three guest cabins and a day cabin on 21 acres.
The Whitefish, Mont., ranch of Bill and Carol Foley is on the market for $26.7 million. It includes a main home, three guest cabins and a day cabin on 21 acres.
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Ernst & Young is preparing for its move to Flagler Center.

The city is reviewing two permits totaling a job cost of $4.2 million for space at 12740 and 12926 Gran Bay Parkway W.

No contractor is listed for the renovations, which involve more than 29,000 square feet in the Lakeside Five building at almost $3.1 million and nearly 16,000 square feet in Lakeside Two at $1.1 million.

The public accounting firm announced in December it chose the center for its expansion and relocation and will move this summer.

The firm will lease 45,181 square feet for its relocated Downtown office functions and its new client service delivery center.

Mike Brennan, North Florida Offices managing partner for Ernst & Young LLP, said previously about 530 employees will work at the new location. The company will create 450 jobs and relocate 80 from the Wells Fargo Center Downtown.

Brennan said Ernst & Young has hired 100 people for the new center and they operate out of temporary leased space in Flagler Center.

The center, which is between Interstate 95 and Philips Highway, south of Old St. Augustine Road, is owned by Crocker Partners.

The city and state are providing $3.29 million in tax incentives approved by City Council in February for the expansion.

The city’s share is $450,000 through a portion of a Qualified Targeted Industry Tax Refund grant offered for creating jobs.

The state’s share is $2.84 million, comprising $1.8 million through the job-creation grant along with more than $1 million through a training grant.

Ernst & Young said the new information technology and financial services jobs would pay an average of $49,340 a year. It said it will invest $6 million in IT, equipment and real estate improvements. The jobs must be added by the end of 2019.

The company, based in London, handles a range of services, including auditing and risk management.

Rimrock to lease at Summit Tower

The city is reviewing an application for Summit Commercial Group LLC to renovate almost 2,500 square feet on the fourth floor at Summit Tower in Riverside for Rimrock Cos.

Plans show Rimrock will lease offices, conference space, a breakroom and lobby.

Summit Commercial Group will build-out the space at a cost of $175,000, the permit shows.

Property Manager Scott Nyman said Rimrock has been subleasing space on the sixth floor.

Padgett Premiere Properties LLC owns the nine-story building at 1000 Riverside Ave.

Rimrock is a Lake City-based developer with experience in several Jacksonville projects, including apartments and retail developments and with Jacksonville University.

On Dec. 15, Rimrock Devlin Development announced a continued partnership with Jacksonville University to develop the JU HealthCare Science Institute adjacent to the university’s Arlington campus..

Goo-Goo car wash plans filed

for The Crossing at Town Center

Expecting construction to start in February, plans were submitted to the city for the first area Goo-Goo 3 Minute Express Wash.

The project is planned in The Crossing at Town Center at Gate and Town Center parkways.

The 4,415-square-foot structure will be built on 1.62 acres.

Florida and South Georgia Goo-Goo franchisee Todd Buckner said in November a second area car wash is planned, and possibly more, although he declined to discuss the location of the next site.

Buckner said the first location should open about July 4.

The company intends to expand more into Florida in the coming years, he said. The first opened in the spring in Lake City. Jacksonville will be the second.

Googooexpresswash.com shows about 40 locations in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas.

St. Johns Village progressing

The anticipated $40 million redevelopment at St. Johns Village continues in review as the city considers a permit application for interior demolition of the 16-story Commander Apartments at 3946 St. Johns Ave.

Midway Services Inc. is the contractor at a project cost of $1 million.

Developer Chance Partners LLC also plans smaller apartment buildings on the site of the St. Johns Village retail center, which will be demolished.

The St. Johns River Water Management District issued a permit to CRP/Chance Jacksonville Owner LLC for a stormwater management system for the project.

Chance Partners bought the 90-unit Commander Apartments and the almost 45,000-square-foot retail center in March for $5.9 million.

The company hopes to complete the waterfront apartment community in 2018, creating an up to 224-apartment project among several buildings.

Foley lists 21-acre Montana ranch for sale for $26.7M

Bill Foley, chairman of Jacksonville-based Fidelity National Financial Inc. and Black Knight Financial Services Inc., listed his 21-acre Montana ranch for sale for $26.7 million.

The Wall Street Journal attributed the information to Ross Pickert with Glacier Sotheby’s International Realty.

According to the Journal, the ranch is in Whitefish, a northwestern ski town near the Canadian border.

It said the forested property includes an 11,500-square-foot lodge-style home, three 1,200-square-foot guest cabins and a day cabin with 1,260 feet of lake frontage.

Foley, 71, is the lead investor in the NHL’s newest franchise — the Vegas Golden Knights in Las Vegas.

He also is majority owner of the Whitefish Mountain Resort near his ranch and owns a stake in several restaurants and about 20 vineyards, the Journal reported.

Foley and his wife, Carol, bought the Whitefish property in 2005 for $26.6 million, the Journal reported. He said he plans to keep some adjacent land and a vacation home nearby, the newspaper said.

While Foley’s Fortune 500 interests are in Jacksonville, his wine and other interests have focused on Montana and California.

Baptist South to start new tower

Permitting for the eight-story hospital tower for Baptist Medical Center South is in city review.

The city is reviewing an application for the $39 million project at 14550 Old St. Augustine Road, off Interstate 95.

Batson-Cook Co is the contractor.

Baptist Health said previously the tower and other work at the campus should be complete in early 2018.

Ron Robinson, hospital president for Baptist Medical Center South, said previously the first several floors will be built-out and the remaining levels will be left empty for future expansion, as needed.

The new building, referred to as Tower C, will connect with the adjacent Tower D on the first three floors. Baptist said it will initially include 42 hospital beds, which boosts the number of beds on the campus to 311.

When the rest of the tower is completed, it will increase the number to 407.

Baptist Medical Center South comprises a 165-bed hospital, the 104-bed Tower D and two medical office buildings.

Baptist Health also is developing a nine-story Southbank building addition for the Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center and a medical office building and emergency department in North Jacksonville.

JU renovating Williams Hall

Renovations are progressing at Williams Hall at Jacksonville University.

The city is reviewing a permit application for Stellar Group to perform interior demolition and removal of the doors and windows at the four-story, 35,238-square-foot hall at a construction cost of $1 million.

The campus is at 2800 University Blvd. N.

JU previously said increased residential enrollment spurred a major renovation of the 132-room Williams Hall. The housing will be available to incoming freshmen starting in the fall.

JU said the $5.9 million project will include new study rooms and recreation areas, a community kitchen and laundry facilities, and new finishes throughout.

The architect is Cho Benn Holback and Associates Inc. of Baltimore.

Development notes

• The city is reviewing a permit for Memorial Hospital’s emergency room expansion and renovation at 3625 University Blvd. S. Charles Perry Partners Inc. is the contractor for the $16 million project. Memorial Hospital said in October it will start a $23 million expansion that will provide additional access to emergency room services. The multiphase project is scheduled to start early this year and take 18-24 months to complete.

• Sally Beauty Supply wants to retrofit its warehouse at 1550 Vantage Way in Jacksonville International Tradeport to add a conveying system. It’s a $1.2 million job, but no contractor is listed.

• Gate Petroleum Co. earned a concurrency reservation certificate for its proposed car wash at 7059 Collins Road. The 4,375-square-foot project will be developed on 1.16 acres next to the Gate convenience store there.

• The St. Johns River Water Management District issued a permit to Concord Hospitality Enterprises Co. of Raleigh, N.C., for construction of the Hyatt Place hotel at The Strand at Town Center.

Food notes

• KFC at 1909 N. Main St. will be remodeled and rebranded. The work involves the exterior facade and the dining room.

• Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers filed plans to build a 3,590-square-foot, 100-seat restaurant on almost an acre along Town Center Parkway in Town Center Promenade. Tripod Ventures Orange Park LLC is the developer.

• The city granted Certificates of Use on Dec. 16 for Seaside Custard LLC, doing business as Whit’s Frozen Custard of Avondale, at 3545 St. Johns Ave., and for Public House Coffee at 2 Independent Drive in the Jacksonville Landing.

• Grabbagreen will build-out in Brooklyn Station on Riverside. The Angelo Group Inc. will renovate about 2,000 square feet at a construction cost of $150,000 at 90 Riverside Ave. It will be one of the company’s three healthy-food restaurants planned in the area.

[email protected]

@MathisKb

(904) 356-2466

 

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