Florida-based RP Funding said it is completing lease negotiations to open a Baymeadows servicing center envisioned to grow to 150-175 employees.
CFO Jon Woods said the Maitland-based company would lease 26,500 square feet of office space at 8381 Dix Ellis Trail, which is Building 500 at the Prominence office park.
He said temporary offices are nearby in Building 600 at 8375 Dix Ellis Trail.
The Jacksonville office will be involved with servicing, processing, underwriting and closing loans.
Those functions as well as sales and the corporate headquarters remain based in Maitland, where the almost 8-year-old company has grown to a staff of 175.
Woods said prospective employees can email [email protected].
“The talent pool there seems to be very deep and we think there is an opportunity to bring in a new business model from a mortgage standpoint,” Woods said.
He expects the lease and renovations to be completed over the next several months and to reach 175 jobs over the next 12-18 months.
Scott Henley of Newmark Grubb Phoenix Realty Group represents RP Funding in the lease negotiations. Woods said Jesse Shimp of JLL represents the landlord, Crocker Partners.
RP Funding Direct Mortgage Lender is a full-service lender. It underwrites, closes and funds its loans. Its founder, Robert Palmer, started RP Funding in 2008 with six employees.
The company expanded its Maitland offices from 12,000 square feet to 60,000 and has opened operations centers in Jacksonville and Palmer’s hometown of Lakeland.
Palmer hosts the “Saving Thousands” radio program, promoting financial literacy, on more than 90 stations, Woods said.
Palmer is the sole owner, president and CEO of RP Funding, he said.
Woods said RP Funding moved into its current Maitland location in July 2014 with 75 employees and has added 100. “We’ve gotten there quickly,” he said.
Ameris to build-out Downtown offices
Ameris Bank took a big step toward moving its executive offices from Moultrie, Ga., and its suburban Jacksonville executive offices Downtown.
The city is reviewing a permit for Adams Interior Contractors Inc. to renovate almost 15,000 square feet for Ameris Bank on the 26th floor of Riverplace Tower on the Southbank at a cost of $800,000.
Ameris Bank previously said it would move about 40 employees by Jan. 1.
It also will open a branch on the first floor and eventually occupy 35,000 square feet in the building. Ameris Bank is putting its name on top of the 28-story tower.
It is consolidating its area back-office operations to the Center Building in Baymeadows.
Akel’s Deli opens Downtown
Akel’s Delicatessen opened Wednesday on the ground floor of the Bank of America Tower at 50 N. Laura St., taking over a long-vacant space last used as a restaurant in 2009.
Akel’s typically is open 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Along with traditional breakfast fare and its signature muffins, the menu features lunch items that include Mediterranean food, sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups and desserts.
Marwan Akel and family members operate several Akel’s Deli locations.
Akel, who works with family members at the delis, runs the new Downtown location.
It isn’t far from the Akel’s Delicatessens in the JEA Tower at 21 W. Church St., near EverBank Center at 315 W. Forsyth St. and at 245 Riverside Ave.
The first Akel’s Delicatessen was opened in 1973 by Marwan Akel and two brothers in Freeport, N.Y.
They moved south and opened the first Akel’s in Jacksonville in 1988.
Deutsche Bank applies for $8.5M renovation
Deutsche Bank didn’t wait to start work toward renovating the former PHH Mortgage building it will lease near its Gate Parkway campus.
Deutsche Bank said Thursday it will occupy the space in phases next year and immediately submitted a building-permit application for an estimated $8.5 million renovation of the three-story, 150,000-squre-foot building.
Gilbane Building Co. is the contractor. It has handled much of Deutsche Bank’s Jacksonville construction work. ASD Inc. is the architect.
Plans show the work will be done in two phases.
Deutsche Bank has 1,700 employees in Jacksonville, with 1,200 at its Meridian Business Park campus, which is at capacity, at 5022 Gate Parkway.
It said it will move employees from leased space along Belfort Road to the new building at 5201 Gate Parkway, as well as 350 new jobs to be added by 2017.
The newly leased 5201 building would accommodate those 850 employees and have space for 350 more.
The first floor includes a cafeteria, fitness center, mother’s room, all faith room, offices, meeting space and open office area.
The second floor comprises open office space and meeting, training, study, projects, quiet and think-tank rooms.
The third floor includes much of the same purpose as the second floor in addition to a board room.
In return for city and state incentives, Deutsche Bank told the city it would create 350 jobs and invest an estimated $23 million in tenant improvements, technology, infrastructure, furniture and finishes.
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