About four months after the city approved interior demolition for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at the Florida Blue building in the Brooklyn area of Downtown, it signed off on a permit for the almost $27.5 million project.
The city issued a permit Dec. 5 for Danis Builders LLC for the interior renovation of the space at what is called the Riverside Office Complex at 532 Riverside Ave.
It is referred to as Phase II of the expected three-phase project.
The city’s Aug. 1 permit allowed Danis Builders to pursue interior demolition of almost 57,000 square feet at a project cost of $1.66 million.
In September, city staff began reviewing a permit for the interior renovation that was green-lighted Dec. 5.
Plans indicate the work is in the garage and on 11 floors of the 20-story structure.
Meskel & Associates Engineering PLLC is providing private plan review.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Inc. is the property owner.
Moving to Brooklyn
On Feb. 25, City Council gave final approval to a lease for JSO’s new space in the structure on the Downtown Northbank, where the sheriff’s office can move most of its operations.
Council voted unanimously for the lease, which adds 283,893 square feet of space to 62,695 square feet that JSO already leased.
The initial term is for 210 months with two five-year renewal options, according to staff notes on the legislation authorizing the lease, Ordinance 2025-0069.
JSO moved its Homeland Security department and some crime labs into the building after Council approved legislation in 2023 to lease space in the building.
Landlord Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Inc. is providing $24.8 million for tenant improvements. That includes 15 months of rate abatement valued at $8.8 million, which JSO has opted to convert to improvements.
JSO will have access to 1,738 parking spaces at the Florida Blue campus. JSO will be allowed to request up to $20 million in additional tenant improvements in exchange for an incremental increase in monthly rent based on an 8% fixed annual interest rate.
Blue Cross is furnishing the space.
Forest Street Garage
The city issued a permit Oct. 24 for JSO’s Phase II project in Florida Blue’s 800 Forest St. parking garage at the insurer’s campus in Brooklyn.
Danis Builders is the contractor for the $6.35 million partial build-out of the first floor in the garage for JSO as a tenant.
The space is designed for a public entry, lobby and counter; and roll call, HR training, public records, a bike-unit workshop, office and conference spaces.
Hoefer Welker is the architect.
The Forest Street garage is at Forest, Park and Magnolia streets and Edison Avenue.
It is northwest of the Florida Blue tower at Edison and Riverside Avenues and Rosselle and Oak streets.
The four-level garage was built in 2020 on 2.32 acres.
Consolidating staff
During a January 2023 presentation to the Mayor’s Budget Review Committee, JSO Assistant Chief Scott Dingee said the new space would allow the department to consolidate staff from the Police Memorial Building and other rented office space.
Dingee said the department anticipated building-out in three phases, with final employees being moved to the tower near the beginning of 2027.
He said that except for a fueling station, JSO would vacate the Police Memorial Building.
A memo presented to the committee said the Police Memorial Building, at 501 E. Bay St., provides 165,466 square feet of usable office space, with 215 parking spaces for 739 employees.
Dingee said the department has used a grass lot across Bay Street but would lose access to the site under plans by the city to build the Shipyards West park on the property.
Having outgrown the building, JSO stations 184 of its employees in 73,880 square feet of off-site office space.
Dingee said JSO officials scouted more than 25 properties before selecting the Florida Blue building.
The Florida Blue building, built in 1950, is 571,459 square feet, according to the Duval County Property Appraiser. There is a four-level parking garage built in 1973.
With a total of 346,588 square feet of space under lease, JSO would occupy 60.6% of the property.
Florida Blue is based at 4800 Deerwood Campus Parkway in Deerwood Park North.