JEA and the city will negotiate a land swap for the site of a new Downtown campus for the city utility that could be completed by the end of 2020.
A term sheet shows the campus will include a customer care facility, office facilities for about 750 employees, parking for staff and customers and an emergency operations center to ensure continuity of operations during a storm or other emergency.
Terms are scheduled to be discussed at JEA’s board meeting at noon Tuesday and at the Downtown Investment Authority board meeting at 2 p.m. Wednesday.
“I am looking forward to having the conversation with the board,” DIA CEO Aundra Wallace said Friday morning.
Gerri Boyce, spokeswoman for the utility, said JEA would comment after the board meeting.
Documents show that the utility wants a 1.52-acre site at 337 W. Adams St. next to the Duval County Courthouse that is being used for parking.
The assessed value of that property is almost $1.66 million.
JEA would swap its 1.84-acre site at 21 W. Church St., where it owns a 19-story headquarters tower and customer care center. The assessed value is $1.63 million.
Negotiations would begin within 60 days of executing the terms. JEA would have 270 days from the execution of the agreement to study and test the property for suitability of development.
JEA can terminate the land swap agreement if the parcel is unsuitable, including if environmental findings require “excessive and costly remedial actions.”
After governmental approvals for construction of the campus, the city would have 30 days to transfer the site.
After the city parcel is transferred to JEA, the utility will market the West Church Street campus and attempt to sell it. The city would be compensated from the net proceeds of the sale.
If the property is not sold, JEA will clear the site and transfer the parcel to the city. The utility will demolish and above- and below-ground structures, foundations, pilings and utility infrastructure and will return the property to street level grade.
Also, the city and JEA will investigate and negotiate the potential for an expanded parking garage within the new campus to be used for additional city employee parking.
A draft timeline shows construction could start in April 2019 and be completed by the end of 2020.
JEA hired a consultant last year to determine what to do about its half-century-old headquarters properties, which it said are inefficient and in disrepair.
JEA bought the tower and the next-door customer service building in 1989 for $8 million. They were built in 1962.
At the time of the consultant’s study, JEA had 758 employees, 530 parking spaces and 337,600 square feet of space.
It said it needed space for 800 employees and 800 parking spots and would require 220,000 square feet of office and operational space.
A published report in January said the options would cost from $53 million to $78 million.
JEA has said the 55-year-old building’s systems need replacement, including elevators, plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning.
It said the basement, which contains the backup generator, floods.
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