JEA’s board of directors will consider three development plans for a new corporate headquarters when it meets Feb. 5.
The finalists were disclosed at the board’s monthly meeting Tuesday by JEA’s procurement division and CBRE, its real estate firm.
JEA narrowed the list from the six submissions it received Jan. 8.
The three proposals are:
• Becoming the corporate anchor for Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan’s initial phase of development near TIAA Bank Field.
• Redeveloping the public utility’s headquarters at 21 W. Church St. by partnering with The Ryan Company.
• Relocating to the Downtown Southbank by converting what is now Kings Avenue Station with an office tower, a project lead by Kings Avenue Station P3 LLC.
The three finalists will make public presentations to the board at a special meeting Feb. 5. The board could select a group and start negotiations or it could push the decision to later in the month.
JEA wants to relocate from its 19-story tower and adjacent customer service building at 21 W. Church St.
The 57-year-old buildings are outdated, need major repairs and are too big for the 836 employees who work at the corporate office, the utility says.
JEA is seeking 200,000 square feet of space and parking for its employees in a single-tenant, Class A office tower where it would combine corporate operations and a customer service center.
JEA board Chair Alan Howard requested the groups create packages about their plans to give ratepayers a chance to review the submissions and prepare for public comments.
Because of JEA’s procurement code, specific details of those proposals are not yet publicly available.
The Cordish Companies is partnering with Khan to develop property near TIAA Bank Field, specifically the first phase on Parking Lot J, and would use JEA as its corporate anchor.
Lot J is expected to include an office tower, hotel, entertainment venue, restaurants and possibly some residential development.
The Downtown Investment Authority and Mayor Lenny Curry’s office is negotiating terms of an economic development deal with Khan’s development company, Iguana Investments Florida LLC, that could be presented to City Council for approval in the spring.
The proposal by The Ryan Company called “Block 48” would see JEA either demolishing or redeveloping its current headquarters or building on a site at 325 W. Adams St.
Kings Avenue Station P3 LLC seeks to redevelop Kings Avenue Station at 1201 Kings Ave.
JEA wants a development agreement in place so it can proceed with construction by the beginning of 2020.
