General Dynamics Information Technology will open an operations center at One Imeson Center in the Imeson International Industrial Park and hire about 100 employees with training classes starting in December.
A business unit of industrial giant General Dynamics, Information Technology will open the project “to support rapidly growing contact center operations for federal government customers,” said a statement from the company.
The Information Technology unit wants to build-out almost 47,000 square feet of space at a project cost of $500,000 at the North Jacksonville business center at 1 Imeson Park Blvd., according to a building-permit application filed with the city. Another application requests approvals for a $127,719 demolition, alterations and repairs job for the project.
Dav-Lin Interior Contractors is the contractor listed on both permit applications.
The company has not responded yet to a question about more hiring. A center that size could accommodate about 300 employees, indicating that General Dynamics Information Technology could expand.
General Dynamics Information Technology would be a neighbor to the Supervisor of Elections Center, which also has leased office space in One Imeson, a former Sears Distribution Center.
The building-permit applications and plans refer to the General Dynamics Information Technology operation as BBC-Jacksonville FL.
Plans show offices, large amounts of open office area, conference rooms, training rooms, a locker room, a break room and lounge, a mother’s room and other space.
General Dynamics Information Technology has been posting job opportunities in Jacksonville, including senior human resource generalist/recruiter, customer service supervisor, customer service manager, customer service specialist and operations associate analyst.
General Dynamics, based in Falls Church, Va., is No. 99 on the Fortune 500 list of the largest companies. The Information Technology unit is based in Fairfax, Va.
The gdit.com website says General Dynamics Information Technology provides IT, systems engineering, professional services and simulation and training to customers in the defense, federal civilian government, health, homeland security, intelligence, state and local government and commercial sectors.
With about 28,000 employees worldwide, the company provides IT enterprise solutions, manages large-scale, mission-critical IT programs and provides mission support services.
General Dynamics Information Technology is one of four business units of the General Dynamics Information Systems and Technology business segment.
General Dynamics employs about 96,000 people worldwide and says it is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies.
One Imeson was developed 40 years ago as a Sears catalog sales distribution center. The building contains about 1.6 million square feet of distribution and warehouse space along with office space.
The office space previously served as an America Online call center and as an operations center for Prudential and Aetna Inc.
Another potential tenant has bowed out, however. In August, Jacksonville-based Body Central Corp. canceled plans to relocate its headquarters and distribution center to a 400,000-square-foot facility at One Imeson Center.
The fashion retailer is facing losses. A quarterly report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, said Body Central has a lease with One Imeson’s owner that runs through August 2021, and it has a lease payment obligation of $6.4 million. The company “is currently exploring alternatives to reduce, mitigate or terminate this obligation,” the report said.
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