St. Johns Town Center plans a celebration for its Phase III grand opening, which features the area’s first Nordstrom department store.
The third phase is anchored by a 122,000-square-foot Nordstrom and eight other stores: A two-level, 16,282-square-foot Arhaus Furniture, a 4,517-square-foot Disney Store, a 2,400-square-foot Boston Proper, a 2,500-square-foot Free People, a 2,000-square-foot Model Citizen, a 2,000-square-foot Natural Life, a 1,677-square-foot Swim ‘n Sport, and a 1,500-square-foot Yankee Candle.
The eight smaller stores open at 10 a.m. Oct. 8.
Nordstrom hosts a grand opening benefit gala 7-10 p.m. Oct. 8 at the store for patrons buying $75 tickets. The proceeds benefit three Jacksonville nonprofits. Customers attending can shop the new store.
Nordstrom opens to the public at 10 a.m. Oct. 10, preceded by a Beauty Bash starting at 8 a.m. outside.
On Saturday, Oct. 11, St. Johns Town Center will host a street festival from 2-6 p.m. in the two blocks adjacent to River City Drive, featuring magicians, fire throwers, stilt walkers and street entertainment.
From 6-9 p.m. Oct. 11, the center plans fashion shows, piano-bar style entertainment, wine tastings and food from St. Johns Town Center restaurants. The evening will start with the latest runway fashions and in-store events.
The opening event is taking place in the new plaza and the adjacent block of River City Drive.
For information, visit the St. Johns Town Center Phase III Grand Opening page on Facebook.
EverBank to move 400 more jobs Downtown
EverBank Financial Corp. will move about 400 more jobs Downtown, the Jacksonville-based company confirmed Friday morning.
Upon the move, the company will employ more than 1,800 associates in the Downtown EverBank Center at 301 W. Bay St.
EverBank spokeswoman Kipin Alexander said the latest move is in the planning stages and details weren’t available about which group would be moving and when.
EverBank Chairman and CEO Rob Clements told JAXUSA Partnership in June that in 2012, the company moved 1,600 workers from the suburbs to the 30-story AT&T Tower, renamed EverBank Center.
Mayor Alvin Brown, City Council and the state agreed to offer EverBank $5.15 million in incentives to move 1,000 jobs Downtown and create 200 more. The jobs moved from the Southside.
This year, EverBank sold part of its mortgage servicing business to Green Tree Servicing LLC, which hired 500 EverBank associates, who became Green Tree employees in May and work in EverBank Center.
Clements said in June that EverBank had more than 1,550 employees Downtown among the center and the EverBank Plaza building along Riverside Avenue, where the company is based.
Pam Smith, the owner’s representative at EverBank Center, said EverBank will sublease a floor of the Green Tree space, which means the bank will be using nine floors and about 270,000 square feet of space.
“They are our biggest tenant,” she said.
EverBank started its EverBank Center lease with nine floors, added two, then gave up three for Green Tree. Now it will be back to nine floors.
Smith said the tower is about 60 percent occupied. She said the owners intend to bid again for the Citizens Property Insurance Corp.’s need for 226,400 square feet of office space
The building is one of four Downtown towers that were listed for sale since late last year and the only one that has not sold yet. The Aetna Building, Wells Fargo Center and Bank of America Tower all have changed hands.
The almost 1 million-square-foot EverBank Center is owned by El Ad Florida LLC. El Ad bought the building in 2004. It is being marketed by Colliers International.
“We have a lot of interest right now,” Smith said. “It’s good for Jacksonville. We are the only one that’s really left and we have so much activity. It makes it a very good sign for the market for Jacksonville.”
Unity Plaza OK’d for construction
The city approved the permit for Elkins Constructors Inc. to build the public park and amphitheater, landscaping and new restrooms at Unity Plaza.
The $1.8 million construction project at 330 Riverside Ave. is next to the 220 Riverside apartment community under development.
Danica Patrick to marquee Junior Achievement event
Danica Patrick, the first woman to score a top-five finish in the Indianapolis 500, will be the keynote speaker at the 6th Annual “Smart Girls Make Change” event, part of the JA Girl$ of Junior Achievement.
The event is noon Oct. 23 at the Florida Blue Conference Center in Deerwood Park.
Patrick is part of the Coca-Cola Racing Family. Coca-Cola is presenting the event with Junior Achievement.
For information, visit jajax.com.
ULI seeks award nominations
Urban Land Institute North Florida invites entries for the annual Awards of Excellence to be presented Oct. 9 at WJCT Studios.
Categories are private sector; public sector/open space/nonprofit; Downtown; re-use/repurpose; and visionary leader.
Nominations are due Aug. 30.
For the nomination form, application fees and other requirements, visit northflorida.uli.org.
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