Nassau County is advancing plans to consolidate services into a centralized civic campus, a long-term initiative aimed at improving accessibility, convenience and efficiency for residents, according to a county spokesperson.
Jacksonville-owned utility JEA is reviewing a service availability request and the St. Johns River Water Management District is reviewing wetland impacts ahead of an Environmental Resource Permit.
The project is proposed at the Robert M. Foster Justice Center at 76347 Veterans Way east of Interstate 95 off William Burgess Boulevard, which is already home to several county facilities, including the justice center, the sheriff’s administration office and detention center and the county emergency operations center. The county owns the 215-acre site that includes the future developments.
The consolidation would bring together departments reporting to the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners, which are spread across multiple locations. The plan also includes constitutional offices currently housed in the James S. Page Governmental Complex, including the property appraiser and supervisor of elections. It is about 7.5 miles east of the proposed campus.
In October 2023, the county Board of County Commissioners entered into a contract with civil engineer Prosser | Prime AE to develop a master plan for the project, which is not finalized.
A report prepared by the County Capital Improvement Project Management Department cited county growth as the need to consolidate.
“According to the 2021 Growth Trends Report, between 2010 and 2020 the population of Nassau County swelled by 17.86% from 73,314 to 89,258 persons. Over the same time frame, Nassau County experienced significant growth in various non-residential sectors that resulted in the addition of more than 9 million square feet of nonresidential space to the County tax rolls: a 29% increase over the ten-year period.
“According to the Bureau of Economic and Business Research Nassau County is projected to be the 9th fastest growing county in Florida, by percent, over the next ten (10) years with anticipated population of 161,400 people by 2045.”
North of the proposed campus is the master-planned Wildlight community, which is the fastest-growing area of the county, bringing thousands of homes, health care facilities and schools, with more planned.
The report says the county plans for the campus to spur private development in the area.
The area for construction is “heavily wooded,” according to a report prepared by project consultant Meskel & Associates Engineering, of Jacksonville. It indicates two buildings are planned, both two stories.
“This is a long-term goal that would put all county functions in one complex to improve services to the residents,” said Sabrina Robertson, county communications officer.
Robertson said a funding source is not identified, but the county intends to pursue a hybrid model to pay for the project.
“The County’s goal is to leverage as much outside funding as possible and is seeking state and federal grants to help fund future construction,” she said in an email, adding that the county commission will vote on where the money will come from.
The county has not released cost estimates or a construction timeline for the project.
Prosser is being paid $2.2 million to develop the master plan.