Pamela Smith knows the AT&T Tower inside and out.
Inside, Smith has been focused on landing tenants for the 30-story Downtown tower since El Ad Florida LLC hired her as its owner representative in August 2010.
Working with local real estate brokers and others, she signed EverBank to lease 270,000 square feet of office space among nine of the building’s 30 floors.
About 1,600 EverBank operations employees will move from the suburbs into the 301 W. Bay St. building in three waves, from June 18 through mid-August.
She organized a welcoming committee for the EverBank employees to familiarize them with the neighborhood through courtesy visits to museums, merchant discounts and other assistance.
Smith also is negotiating to bring more tenants to the building, which has about 200,000 square feet available for lease. The new Duval County Courthouse a few blocks north might attract businesses, such as law firms, who need to be nearby.
“There will be a lot of activity,” she said. “It’ll create a buzz.”
Nature’s Table Café has signed on to operate in the refurbished restaurant and café space on the second floor. It should open by Sept. 1.
Smith estimates El Ad has invested at least $3 million into the building’s common areas since it bought the structure in 2004.
Outside the building, Smith will be taking a look on her way down as she rappels the structure Friday during the “Over the Edge” fundraiser for the North Florida Council of Boy Scouts of America.
El Ad Florida bought the building for $90.9 million and has listed it for sale with CBRE. It is represented by CBRE brokers Mike Harrell and Lou Nutter. Smith said there isn’t an asking price. The 1 million-square foot building was assessed at almost $46 million last year.
Smith was born in Chile and lived there until age 5. Her father, Mario Ibanez, a former professional soccer player and a pediatrician, moved to the United States and became a child psychiatrist. He was hired to open the child psychiatric department in 1963 at what became the Miami Children’s Hospital, making Miami her home when she was 13.
Attending the University of Florida endeared her to North Florida, and in 2009 she settled in Jacksonville with her husband after living and traveling extensively. She earned her MBA at Florida International University in Miami and worked in banking and then traveled to Brazil, Chile, Maui and other sites while collecting experience, including in commercial real estate.
After moving to Jacksonville, she was contacted about the job with El Ad. Until then, she had been Downtown once, for lunch.
She advocates for a Downtown Investment Authority and wants the greater Jacksonville populace to be educated about the need for a strong Downtown.
Smith sees young people and empty nesters showing interest in living Downtown, which will help spark more energy and development. “People today are excited about coming back,” she said.
“It’s got all the bones,” she said. “It’s going to take a couple more deals like EverBank.”
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