The Jacksonville Economic Development Commission wrapped up its October business Thursday by approving two proposals that would create 595 jobs with a combined annual payroll of almost $25 million.
The Bruss Co. came to the commission seeking a Brownfield Redevelopment Bonus tax refund of $500,000, a $400,000 Northwest Jacksonville Large Scale Economic Development Grant and $300,000 from the state’s Quick Response Training Program.
The City’s portion would be the grant and $100,000 toward the Brownfield refund for a total of $500,000.
Bruss, a subsidiary of Tyson Foods Inc., currently has one location, its 52,000-square-foot beef and pork processing facility in Chicago.
The company is interested in opening its Southeast headquarters and processing operation at 5441 W. Fifth St. near Edgewood Avenue.
The 200 new jobs, including 162 semi-skilled positions for meat cutters, would have an average salary of $31,000, yielding a $6.2 million payroll, plus benefits.
In addition to the employment opportunities, the company would invest $7.2 million to convert and equip the former shrimp-processing facility, which has been vacant for several years.
“A lot of renovation work will be required to bring the facility up to Tyson’s standards, which are quite high,” said JEDC Business Recruitment and Retention Coordinator Joe Whitaker.
Bruss Vice President and General Manager Anthony Cericola said the company has been looking for the right place to establish its second processing facility for four years.
“We think we’ve found the ideal location,” he said.
Cericola said Bruss ages meat and cuts and packages portion-controlled steaks for the food-service industry.
“If you’ve ever eaten at Longhorn, you’ve had one of our steaks,” he said.
The area around the proposed facility has an unemployment rate of 22 percent. Cericola said the company’s intention is to fill all 200 positions locally.
“As much as I’d like to move down here and avoid the winters,” he said.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida subsidiary First Coast Service Options Inc. appeared before the commission with a proposal to create up to 395 new jobs with an average salary of $46,859, by Dec. 31, 2012.
It also proposes a $1.9 million investment in equipment, information technology, furniture and fixtures for the expansion at the company’s present location.
First Coast Service Options is a Medicare Administrative Contractor that serves 2.3 million beneficiaries and 88 health care providers. It annually processes Medicare payments in Florida, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico totaling $1.9 billion.
The company is seeking a Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund of $3,357,500 ($8,500 per job) because of its average wage and the company’s location, at 532 Riverside Ave. in Brooklyn, is in an Enterprise Zone and Brownfield Area.
The City’s portion of the QTI refund would be $671,500 with the state contributing the remaining 80 percent, $2,686,000.
First Coast Service Options Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Diana Haramboure said the proposal, if approved, would allow the company to expand its operations on a national level and compete for two additional Medicare contracts opening this year.
“We intend to bid on them and that could bring even more jobs,” she said.
The commission approved both proposals, which now are sent to City Council for its consideration.
JEDC Deputy Executive Director Paul Crawford presented an update on the Shipyards property on Downtown’s Northbank. The City recently took possession through foreclosure of the 9-acre riverfront site.
He said the City has replaced the sidewalk and removed the chain-link fence along East Bay Street, removed the old building foundations from the site and replaced the trees with specimens procured at no cost from a nursery that was closing. The site has been graded and sodded and an irrigation system was installed.
“It’s a way of land banking it and allowing the public to enjoy a space the City owns,” said Crawford.
“It’s a tremendous improvement over the dead trees and rubble,” said JEDC Chair Zimmermann Boulos.
The JEDC’s next scheduled meeting is 9 a.m. Nov. 10 in Suite 400 at City Hall.
356-2466