While office development slowed during the pandemic, The CSI Companies took the step of leasing a speculative three-story Gate Parkway area building for its new headquarters.
“Jacksonville is CSI’s national headquarters and we wanted to make a statement about our commitment to employees and to the city,” said Chief Operating Officer Chris Flakus.
“This is a state-of-the-art building with amenities designed at giving our employees a great work experience.”
The CSI Companies provides national staffing in the technology, financial, accounting, health care and other professional industries.
The city is reviewing permit applications for The CSI Companies to build-out the headquarters at The Point at Gate Parkway at 7720 Baymeadows Road E. at an estimated cost of about $570,000.
That is not the total investment because it doesn’t reflect the development or all of the interior and exterior work and amenities.
Marand Builders Inc. is the contractor for the project. Connie Turner Interiors Inc. is the interior designer.
Flakus said Oct. 15 the goal is to move in during March and be up and running April 1.
Jacksonville-based Ash Properties developed the 54,354-square-foot Point at Gate Parkway.
Flakus said the deal came about because of a relationship CSI developed with the landlord and the work of its broker, Brad Chrischilles, principal and Jacksonville director at Foundry Commercial.
Chrischilles represented CSI in the site search.
The CSI Companies announced July 23 it will relocate and expand its headquarters to the structure.
CSI is a national staffing firm with about 120 Jacksonville employees and it is adding staff.
In 2004, CSI moved to 9995 Gate Parkway N., where it leases about 40,000 square feet. That is about 4 miles north of the new site.
“We are growing at a very fast rate and we do continue to hire,” Flakus said.
The CSI Companies was founded in 1995 and marks its 25th anniversary this year.
“We have outgrown our current building and because this is our national headquarters, we were looking for someplace we can be for the next 10+ years,” Flakus said previously in an email. He said the lease is for 10½ years.
Flakus said CSI was looking for headquarters space for several months before it saw the Point at Gate Parkway property.
He said the company liked eTown and also looked Downtown.
“When we first saw it, we loved it but we weren’t sure we were ready for this type of commitment,” Flakus said.
“Thankfully, we continued to grow and we were able to construct a deal that fit both sides.”
Chrischilles said the building was available for about a year, targeted for multitenant use and build-out.
Instead, CSI will occupy all of it.
“For CSI, it just fit well,” Chrischilles said.
“They really wanted to control an entire building.”
Flakus said the project “is both representative of hard work and a belief in the direction we are headed.”
“We will have to work hard to grow into this building, which we will do. It is a commitment to our employees and a statement to our clients that we are a strong partner.”
CSI said the building features a horseshoe-shaped layout, a private center courtyard, and an interconnected stairwell with marble and stone finishes.
The space will feature a fitness center on the first floor and a café-style lounge as well as collaborative spaces around the building.
The building will be the home for CSI specialty divisions: CSI Financial, CSI Healthcare IT, CSI Professional, CSI Tech and its nonprofit organization, CSI Gives Back.
In 2010, The CSI Companies became a part of Recruit Global Staffing, which is active in Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania.
