• North Florida Land Trust has hired Marc Hudson as land protection director. He previously was program director for the Chattahoochee Valley Land Trust and land protection director for Georgia Land Trust.
• North Florida Land Trust also announced it has purchased 110 acres of saltmarsh within the Timucuan Preserve, along the Intracoastal Waterway at Big Talbot Island. The property was purchased as part of the trust’s larger effort to preserve privately held lands at Big Talbot Island. The trust will assume the long-term management of the parcel. In 2011, the trust received a bequest to fund acquisitions and conservation easements on the island. In December, the trust closed on a 4-acre parcel on Houston Avenue and in January was awarded a grant for almost 300 acres at the top end of the island. The 300-acre parcel will become an addition to Big Talbot Island State Park upon closing.
• Carriage Club Jacksonville, a Brookdale Senior Living independent and assisted living community, will break ground at 10 a.m. today on a $17 million expansion for a new community called Clare Bridge Place at Carriage Club Jacksonville. It will feature 27 beds for Alzheimer’s and dementia care. Carriage Club Jacksonville operates at 9601 Southbrook Drive.
• Jacksonville-based MedMal Direct Insurance Co. is moving its Jacksonville offices from the Wells Fargo Center Downtown to 245 Riverside Ave., the former St. Joe Building, in Riverside. The medical malpractice insurance company is expected to move by Aug. 1, said CEO Butler Ball. “We are rapidly expanding and are at capacity,” Ball said. “Our market share is rapidly increasing. And with that increased market share, many talented new people are excited to be joining our home office team.” Victor Hughes of Parkway Properties said Parkway bought 245 Riverside last year for $18.5 million after St. Joe moved its headquarters to the Panhandle.
• Baptist Medical Center Beaches will dedicate its new front entrance and lobby from 4-6 p.m. today. Hospital President Joe Mitrick, Baptist Health and community leaders and others will attend. The event marks the completion of the estimated $3.6 million improvement project with $1 million raised through philanthropic support. The center operates at, 1350 13th Ave. S. in Jacksonville Beach.
• The Jacksonville-based Stellar architecture, engineering, construction and mechanical services firm hired five employees in its Food & Beverage Facility Services division and one in its Commercial division. Jay Frisco was hired as senior design project manager in the commercial division. Those hired in Food & Beverage are Anthony Jarabek, senior project engineer; Michael Murdaugh, senior process engineer; Johnnie Paulus, senior process designer; Freida Speicher, architect; and Leon Williams, architectural intern.
• Inland Real Estate Acquisitions Inc. announced the acquisition of The Shops at Julington Creek, a 40,207-square-foot shopping center, for about $8.8 million. The center was built in 2009 and is anchored by The Fresh Market. Tenants include Hurricane Grill & Wings, Metro Diner and Sprint. Inland Real Estate is based in Oak Brook, Ill.
• Travelers in the Ortega area should prepare to detour today and tomorrow. Railroad crossings at Long Bow Road South and Verona Avenue will be closed to allow CSX Transportation to perform routine crossing maintenance. The roads will be closed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Long Bow Road South will be closed today and Verona Avenue will be closed Thursday. Traffic detour directions will be set up.
• U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw and Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll addressed more than 400 workers Monday at the Kaman Aerostructures facility in Jacksonville to warn about the threat to U.S. economic and military strength posed by $500 billion in sequestration budget cuts scheduled for January. Workers also heard from Textron Inc. Chairman and CEO Scott C. Donnelly, Sohacki Industries President Tom Sohacki, Aerospace Industries Association President and CEO Marion Blakey and Kaman Corp. Chairman, President and CEO Neal Keating. The speakers warned that, with only 225 days until the cuts begin, Congress needs to act this summer to stop the clock on sequestration and enact alternative means of deficit reduction.
• JAXUSA Partnership President Jerry Mallot said via email early Tuesday that he was continuing his direct involvement as a loaned executive and economic development strategy adviser to Mayor Alvin Brown. Mallot and Jacksonville Civic Council Executive Director Don Shea were brought on board in July to assist Brown. Shea sent a letter to the mayor Monday about returning to the Civic Council full time. Mallot was in Spain with Gov. Rick Scott and said he would remain involved with the administration through the passage of the economic development legislation proposed by Brown and then expects to gradually withdraw as Brown hires directors for economic development and for the proposed new Downtown Investment Authority. Mallot said it would probably take another two or three months to complete that transition – and he expects Shea will remain involved with projects and the legislation.