The Northeast Florida Builders Association sold its offices at 6747 Southpoint Parkway on Aug. 15 for $2.5 million.
NEFBA is renovating a building it bought at 4932 Sunbeam Road for its headquarters and an apprentice training center. It should open in March, said Jessie Spradley, NEFBA executive officer.
Under an agreement with the new owner, NEFBA will remain in its current offices until the new headquarters is completed.
Riverside Construction Group of Jacksonville bought the Southpoint building through RSH Real Estate LLC. The company is a NEFBA member and is led by 2023 NEFBA President Chris Wood.
NEFBA bought the Sunbeam Road property Jan. 21 for $3.9 million. The seller was Royal Oak Realty Trust of Rochester, New York, through Sunbeam Rd Jacksonville LLC.
The two-story, 43,024-square-foot Sunbeam building sits on 4.7 acres. Formerly used as a call center, it is along the west side of Philips Highway and south of Baymeadows Road.
In addition to offices, it will include construction labs, 11 classrooms and a 300-seat auditorium.
“We are closing one chapter in the history of our association, to be able to begin the next,” said 2025 NEFBA President Seth Kelley.
“If not for the forethought and planning of our previous leaders, we would not be in the position we are now in, to grow to further support our industry and our members.”
NEFBA’s move will involve 15 full-time employees and 30 part-time instructors.
The organization is raising funds to complete the facility’s interior. It has set a goal of raising $7.5 million.
Delores Barr Weaver, through her Legacy Funds at the Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, gave $350,000 and will match up to another $500,000 in additional donations.
Cindy and Chris Ware, founders of the Ware Group/Johnstone Supply, made a $175,000 donation.
The 2025-26 state of Florida budget includes $750,000 for NEFBA’s apprentice program.
The apprentice program started in 1973 and has trained thousands of workers in the electrical, HVAC, plumbing and carpentry fields. Classes are taught in various locations. Next year, all of the instruction will take place at the new NEFBA campus.
“It helps with the synergy of what we’re doing by having both the education facility and our operations office together,” Spradley said.
“The more we looked at it, it seemed like the commonsense thing to do. As the operations staff works more closely with apprenticeship, I think it’s also going to really highlight to our members what we’re doing in the workforce education space.”