by Karen Brune Mathis
Managing Editor’
This weekend, the Modis sign is scheduled to start coming off the north face of the 37-story Downtown Northbank building, called Independent Square, that the Modis company has anchored since 1998.
That’s just a week after the Wachovia name came off the 28-story Riverplace Tower on the Downtown Southbank. Kathy Harrison, Wachovia corporate communications manager, said the bank, now merged with Wells Fargo, will not put a name back on the building and has moved just about all its Downtown operations to its Northbank offices in the One Enterprise Center building.
The Modis letters are expected to removed by March 31, when the lease expires for the staffing company, which was bought by Adecco Group North America.
The letters will be removed from the top and taken apart to fit within the service elevator. Unlike the removal of the Wachovia name, no helicopters are involved.
Once the Modis letters are down on the north side, the work moves to the south side of the building that faces the St. Johns River.
“We want to leave the river side name on as long as possible,” said Tyra Tutor, Adecco Group senior vice president of corporate development.
Adecco Group is moving to suburban Deerwood Park, where its name will be on a building.
When Adecco moves, it will vacate about 115,000 square feet in one of Jacksonville’s signature skyline buildings.
The Modis building is the tallest Northbank building with tower-top signage. While the Bank of America building is taller, it does not have signage at the top.
Real estate sources, who asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to discuss the deal, have said that Wachovia/Wells Fargo has been considering whether to remain at the 21-story One Enterprise Center building or move to take the former Modis space and the skyline signage.
Harrison said that was speculation. “Our corporate properties group that handles negotiations for the lease are constantly looking at all of our buildings and the best and most efficient way of operating,” she said.
Harrison said she was not aware if that group was looking at the Modis space, “but it’s not something they would share with us,” she said, referring to the general staff.
Harrison said the Wells Fargo name will go up this summer on Wachovia properties.
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