As Duval County Public Schools works to sell its Southbank administrative headquarters and relocate, a Jacksonville City Council member is withdrawing legislation urging the school district to remain Downtown.
Resolution 2025-0562, which Matt Carlucci introduced July 22, calls for the district to find new office space along the Northbank or Southbank, or in LaVilla or Brooklyn.
At Carlucci’s request, the Council Neighborhoods, Community Services, Public Health and Safety Committee voted Aug. 4 to recommend its withdrawal.
Carlucci said in a text message he learned that the nonbinding resolution “could complicate the decisions ahead” for the district. He said that as a supporter of traditional public schools, he wanted “to be sure nothing I do adds difficulty to their process.”
Carlucci said he received assurances from Duval Schools Superintendent Christopher Bernier and Downtown Investment Authority CEO Colin Tarbert that the organizations would collaborate as the district plans to sell its offices at 1701 Prudential Drive along the St. Johns River.
The nearly $700 million RiversEdge mixed-used development is adjacent to the Duval Schools building.
“In that sense, the resolution served its purpose by opening the door for cooperation, and I’m grateful for that outcome,” Carlucci said.
Carlucci introduced his idea for the resolution at a July 16 DIA meeting, encouraging it to work with Duval Schools.
“It keeps employees close to restaurants and small businesses that need as many customers as they can get,” Carlucci said at the time. “It sustains foot traffic and energy. And it gives Downtown the added anchor of a public institution in a place that I believe gives it prominence.”
Duval Schools has operated with 600 employees in the six-story, 120,822-square-foot Southbank property since 1981. In 2021, the district sought bids to sell and relocate its headquarters space.
When a group of bids for the property was whittled down to two options, school board members grew hesitant and halted the effort. The next year, Duval Schools changed direction and hired Trinity Commercial Group real estate firm to sell the building.
The Neighborhoods Committee’s action sends the recommendation for withdrawal toward a vote by the full Council.