By Karen Brune Mathis
Managing Editor
The Elkins Building in LaVilla is for lease or sale as its main tenant, Elkins Construction LLC, moves this fall to offices along Philips Highway.
The building is at 701 W. Adams St., two blocks from the Duval County Courthouse. Elkins Constructors Inc. Chairman and CEO Barry Allred said the proximity to the courthouse is a benefit in marketing the structure.
Colliers International, which is handling the listing, put a sign up Wednesday on the property stating it is available. About 60 employees will be moving.
The move also signifies a corporate shift. Elkins will be moving into a two-story Gazebo Park Place building, just off Philips Highway, with Perry-McCall Construction Inc.
Allred, Elkins President and COO Matt Welch and Perry-McCall Construction CEO Wayne McCall formed Elkins Construction LLC in February to compete for larger and regional projects.
Since then, Allred, Welch and other partners continued to run Elkins Constructors Inc., just as Perry-McCall continued to operate independently. Both provide general contracting, design-build and construction management services.
With the move, Elkins Constructors Inc. staff will become part of Elkins Construction LLC. Allred said Elkins Constructors will complete its projects but all new work is being done through the new organization.
Allred said McCall has taken over management of Elkins Construction. Allred will become a consultant for business development, market strategy and public and community relations. He will not be involved in day-to-day operations.
He said part of the strategy of the move is to share common services to improve efficiency. Elkins Construction will occupy the first floor and Perry-McCall already operates on the second floor.
Elkins Construction LLC is working on some high-profile projects, such as the Cowford Chophouse Downtown and a Publix remodel in Julington Village.
Allred said the company’s lease Downtown expires at the end of December. He expects the move to take place around September.
ELI Partners LLC, led by Allred, owns the building. Property records show it is assessed for tax purposes at $3.76 million. Allred said he and Colliers have not set a sales price, preferring to see what potential buyers might offer.
He said the two-story building is 32,300 square feet, with 30,780 square feet of rentable space. The Spohrer & Dodd law firm leases 11,450 square feet on the first floor, Allred said.
Elkins Constructors Inc. moved into La Villa in May 2000.
The city issued a building permit last week for Perry-McCall to renovate 6,500 square feet on the first floor at 6104 Gazebo Park Place S. That’s the space for Elkins.
Perry-McCall moved from Greenland Road to the building this year.
Elkins Constructors is a 60-year-old company. One of its recent major projects is a $63 million job with Hunt Construction to enhance EverBank Field.
That project included the addition of the video boards at the stadium. Elkins also has offices in Georgia.
Perry-McCall Construction was founded in 1989. Recent major projects include the $106.5 million UF Health North. It has offices in Daytona Beach and in Dothan, Ala.
@MathisKb
(904) 356-2466