Legislation for the unidentified Project Mountain, whose description closely matches public plans submitted by United Parcel Service Inc., provides more details about the proposed $196 million development.
The project surfaced this month but the incentives legislation, including the development agreement, was filed last week.
The resolution, 2016-700, will be introduced Tuesday to City Council.
It seeks a maximum $4.3 million Recapture Enhanced Value grant over five years based on 50 percent of the increased real and personal property taxes generated at the site.
Among the new details:
• The company already employs 965 people.
• The average salary for the proposed 10 new permanent jobs would be $50,675, plus benefits.
• The employees filling those jobs must reside in the metropolitan statistical area, comprising Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns counties.
• Construction would start on or before Dec. 31 and be completed within three years.
• The incentives are based on the company’s private capital investment of no less than $100 million.
• The agreement is fast-track legislation, requesting a two-reading passage.
The agreement does not specify the project site, saying it is within Duval County but will be inserted when the document is executed.
As previously reported, Project Mountain is a global logistics solutions company considering an expansion of its Jacksonville facility, which is in Northwest Jacksonville.
It also is considering four other cities across the U.S. for the expansion.
The company’s estimated $196 million capital investment comprises $150 million in equipment, furniture and other items and $46 million in land and real estate improvements.
It would create the jobs no later than Dec. 31, 2020. The project summary says the expansion will provide full-time job opportunities within North and Northwest Jacksonville.
The summary said Project Mountain, which is a targeted industry, considers the grant a material factor in its decision to expand its Jacksonville logistics center.
At the same time, UPS, an Atlanta-based global logistics company, has submitted plans to the city through a requested administrative deviation to the zoning code to increase parking and reduce the landscape requirements as it proposes to expand its Northwest Jacksonville distribution center.
UPS wants to expand its 532,000-square-foot regional package distribution center by almost 264,000 square feet, boosting it to nearly 800,000 square feet.
The building, designated in property records as a mega-warehouse, was built in 1989.
UPS operates on 105 acres at 4420 Imeson Road in the Westside Industrial Park, at northwest Pritchard Road and Interstate 295.
The zoning application says UPS wants to increase parking spaces from 954 to 1,661.
UPS said there would be an estimated 1,680 employees at the facility and it needed enough parking for holiday workers and for projected staffing needs.
The landscape deviation would provide for the safe and effective maneuvering in the truck court and for overall traffic circulation.
UPS said its expansion proposals are specific to increasing the warehousing-distribution terminal and provided for adequate employee and tractor-trailer parking, loading docks and related activities.
It also said granting the deviation will assist in “continuing to maintain economic stability to the Northwest part of Jacksonville where unemployment is higher than in any portions of the city.”
A UPS spokeswoman said previously the company continually evaluates where best to expand its facilities to meet growing demand and to manage its network.
While the legislation specifies only 10 jobs, those are higher-paying positions. The majority of the additional jobs might not pay that amount, but would be available to area job candidates.
Captain’s Catch seeks zoning to sell alcohol
Ocean City International LLC of Potomac, Md., seeks a zoning exception to sell and serve liquor, beer and wine at its proposed Captain’s Catch Restaurant and Sports Bar at Regency Square Mall.
The 231-seat restaurant is planned in the former Houlihan’s space at the mall at 9501 Arlington Expressway.
Captain’s Catch will be just steps from Impact Church, which bought the former Belk department store space for redevelopment.
Randall Jordan, executive director of administration, said Friday that Impact Church has no opposition to the zoning exception.
“We recognized we are moving into a public location and part of the reason for doing so is to attract viable businesses to the mall,” he said.
Construction plans show the 5,823-square-foot restaurant would include areas for dining, private dining, a bar and more. The city issued a permit in June for a $350,000 renovation.
Meanwhile, more seafood is on the menu at the mall.
Parsons Seafood Express opened Thursday afternoon in the mall’s food court.
City permits YMCA demolition
Permit in hand, Burkhalter Wrecking Inc. can proceed with demolition of the Yates Family YMCA in Riverside.
The city issued a permit Thursday for Burkhalter to take down the 63-year-old structure at 221 Riverside Ave., which sits in front of the new riverfront Winston Family YMCA.
The YMCA of Florida’s First Coast said previously the tentative timeline is for demolition to be completed by Jan. 31. The 2-acre property is for sale.
The YMCA is considering offers that would include the construction of a 300-space parking structure that would be dedicated to the Winston Family YMCA.
The demolition cost is listed at $185,650.
All work will be done 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, and access to the site will be off of Jackson Street.
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