• Attorney Anthony Perrone is the new managing partner for the local office of Tallahassee-based Frier, Bennett & Perrone.
• DDA member David Auchter wants to make sure the JEDC doesn’t set the bar too low when development projects are scored to determine eligibility for incentives. “What’s going to be considered a passing score?” he asked. “When I was a student and I got a C -, I passed.”
• JEDC executive director Kirk Wendland said the City recognizes the need to inspect and secure three deteriorating Laura Street properties. A development deal for the Marble Bank, Bisbee and Florida Life buildings recently fell through and potential buyers for the City-owned properties say the price to develop the historic buildings is climbing as they continue to decay. Wendland said the City would either conduct its own inspection or contract the work. No specific plans yet though.
• During a recent television broadcast regarding the City’s parks projects, City Council member Jerry Holland was interviewed. The only problem: Holland was misidentified as Bob Baughman, the City’s chief of Parks and Recreation. Holland later joked that he was fine with the confusion. “I don’t mind playing a duel role,” he said. “Now that I’m apparently in charge of our parks, I can get more for my district.”
• Crystal L. Ganpath, formerly of Dzikowski & Walsh in Fort Lauderdale, has joined Akerman Senterfitt in Jacksonville.
• The Jacksonville Port Authority maintained an A2 bond Rating from Moody’s Financial Services. Moody’s gave Jaxport its second-highest “A” rating for the second year in a row. Jaxport CFO Ron Baker said the rating, “demonstrates that our financial fundamentals are strong and that we are well-positioned for the future.”
• According to downtown development priorities approved Wednesday by a JEDC committee, the City will try to encourage development in LaVilla that takes advantage of the area’s access to transportation and parking. “Development next to transit is the wave of the future,” said DDA managing director Al Battle.
Don’t be fooled by the hot weather. It’s football time, and Downtown This Week has everything you need to know about the Jaguars training camp. It’s available today at various locations.