JAX Chamber announced July 7 that New York City-based financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald will open a Jacksonville office to employ 80 people.
“After a significant amount of discussion and planning, Cantor Fitzgerald is pleased to open an office in Jacksonville,” said Thomas Anzalone, senior managing director and global head of operations at Cantor Fitzgerald, in a news release.
The Jacksonville City Council approved the project in May as Project Kodiak. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity finalized the project last month.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said in the release that Cantor Fitzgerald's move “affirms Florida is positioned as a global player in the financial services sector.”
Mayor Lenny Curry said the entry enhances the city's reputation as a destination for the financial services industry.
Cantor Fitzgerald plans to use its Jacksonville office to handle some of the company’s securities processing activities.
Newmark Phoenix Realty Group CEO Jim Sebesta said July 7 that Cantor Fitzgerald will lease about 10,000 square feet of office space in Capital Plaza at 10401 Deerwood Park Blvd.
He said the Newmark office in New York represented Cantor Fitzgerald in the lease negotiations.
JLL Executive Vice President Michael Loftin and Senior Vice President Preston Phillips represented the landlord in the transaction. Loftin said Cantor Fitzgerald will lease in Capital Plaza Building II.
Council approved Resolution 2020-226-A on May 12 for $96,000 as the city's financial support of a Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund. The state agreed to pay $384,000, for a total rebate of $480,000. That is $6,000 per job.
Cantor Fitzgerald agreed to pay an average annual salary of $74,209 for the jobs to be created by December 2021.
The company told the city it would invest about $1.2 million into real estate improvements, IT equipment, furniture and fixtures for the operation.
The operation will handle some of the Cantor Fitzgerald's international security processing activities.