by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
When the lobbying and consulting firm Fiorentino & Hewett outgrew their office space 27 floors above the street in Downtown’s tallest building, the partners decided to get out of the clouds and move into a more down to earth location.
While admitting there may still be some wet paint around, Marty Fiorentino said he expects the phones to be ringing at the firm’s new address at The Carling on West Adams Street by the end of the week.
“We needed more space than was available at the Bank of America Tower, so we had to move to another location. The Carling has a lot of character and we wanted to have a signature location. We also wanted to make a statement by staying and supporting Downtown,” he said.
The new second-floor suite will also be the new home of Access Public Relations which serves clients including the Florida Ports Council and an alternative energy company.
The Carling is one of two historic buildings that have been renovated by The Vestcor Companies to create more Downtown residential rental property.
While the development at 11 E. Forsyth included commercial space only at street level, The Carling (formerly the Carlington) was originally one of Jacksonville’s grand hotels and the design allowed for more flexible commercial applications in addition to the residential component. Ground-level retail space at 11 E. has been leased by Starbucks for a cafe that is scheduled to open next month, but the commercial space inside The Carling has been unoccupied since Vestcor opened the doors almost two years ago.
“We’re excited they’re moving in,” said Melanie Thompson, who manages both properties. “We have Shugar Shack and Don’s Barber Shop as street-level retail tenants, but the law firm will be our first lease on the second floor. We’re looking forward to the commercial entrance finally being used.”