Ownership of Orange Park-based GEM Products Inc. bought property Wednesday in Flagler Center, where the marine hardware supplier has submitted plans for a new facility.
President and CEO Matthew Bridgewater said in late November that GEM would move its primary operations to the new facility, which it hopes to complete by the end of 2017. It also intends to keep its current facility for now.
He had no comment Monday.
Owners, through EmBee Industries LLC, paid almost $1.7 million for the property from FDG Flagler Center Land LLC. Compass Bank issued a $1.1 million loan.
The address is 12770 Flagler Center Blvd.
The company filed plans with the city in November for an almost 71,000-square-foot office-warehouse to be built in two phases on 5.36 acres at Flagler Center Boulevard and Corklan Drive.
The first phase would be 38,400 square feet, comprising 26,000 square feet of warehouse and industrial space and 12,400 square feet of office space.
A second phase would be 32,167 square feet, consisting of 23,167 square feet of warehouse space and 9,000 square feet of office space. England, Thims & Miller Inc. is the civil engineer.
Craig Meek, principal with Meek Development Group, represents GEM as the broker in the land acquisition and will serve as project manager. He said Collis McGeachy and Jess Simmons with CBRE represent Flagler Center.
Meek expects the builder, D.W. Meyers Constructors Inc., to break ground on the first phase of the project by early in the second quarter of 2017 and complete it by year-end.
The second phase would be developed when needed, he said.
GEM Products was founded in 1961 and says on its gemlux.com site that it has grown into one of the world’s leading stainless steel marine and boat hardware suppliers.
Catalog items include outriggers, hinges, plumbing, deck hardware, rod holders and steering wheels.
GEM Products is based at 140 Industrial Loop in Orange Park in Clay County. The Clay County Property Appraiser’s Office shows GEM Products owns a 20,846-square-foot metal building constructed in 1984 and a 3,900-square-foot building developed in 1999 on 1.33 acres.
Lexington to start 4th phase of renovations
The Lexington Hotel & Conference Center on the Downtown Southbank continues its renovations, focusing next on more rooms and the main lobby and atrium along with the pre-function area, ballroom and meeting room finishes on the first floor.
The city is reviewing a permit for that $890,000 fourth phase of work at the riverfront hotel at 1515 Prudential Drive.
By early 2017, Vantage Hospitality Group has said it intends to complete the estimated $21 million renovation to the five-story, 323-room hotel that was built 35 years ago.
Through LexDevCoJax LLC, Vantage bought the hotel in June 2015 for $9 million and started a top-to-bottom, inside-and-out upgrade.
Brown Nester – Florida LLC, an affiliate of Coral Springs-based Vantage Hospitality, is the development and construction company for the renovations. Phoenix Building Corp. SE of Stuart is the contractor.
The hotel remains open during the renovation. New décor is in greens, blues, grays and earth and wood tones and finishes, all tied into the hotel’s nautical theme.
The structure was built in 1981 as a Sheraton and has operated as a Radisson and more recently, a Wyndham. It was foreclosed and bank-owned when Vantage Hospitality bought it.
The fourth phase is described as quadrants B, C and D, covering 179 rooms among the five stories, along with the lobby, atrium and ballroom and meeting room areas.
Adecco Group to lease in Deerwood South
Adecco Group North America is leaving the CIT building in Deerwood Park, where its lease expires in the first quarter, for the entire third floor at Building 400 in the Deerwood South office park at 10151 Deerwood Park Blvd. It’s a half-mile relocation.
Senior Vice President Tyra Tutor said Adecco Group will expand from 23,000 square feet in the CIT building into 29,000 square feet in Deerwood South. She said 140 employees will move.
The new lease brings more Adecco Group associates into Deerwood South, where it already leases about 103,000 square feet in Building 200. That’s where most of the headquarters staff operates.
The city is reviewing a permit application for Dav-Lin Interior Contractors to renovate more than 25,000 square feet in Building 400 for Adecco Group at a cost of $450,000.
Plans show conference rooms, open office areas, interview rooms and other areas.
Adecco Group is an international recruiting company. Its North American headquarters are based in Jacksonville.
It also leases space in Riverplace Tower on the Downtown Southbank.
Blo Blow Dry Bar to open in Hurst Plaza
The Blo Blow Dry Bar chain plans to open a salon in Hurst Plaza at 9210 San Jose Blvd., No. 4.
It will occupy 1,161 square feet, according to plans filed with a building permit application. The website says the location is coming soon.
The salon doesn’t cut or color — it washes and styles hair “into runway ready locks in no time,” says the blomedry.com site.
It operates more than 70 locations.
Blo Blow Dry bar, based in Toronto, said by email it will debut in Jacksonville in early 2017. Hiring can be 10-15 stylists.
It’s franchise partner is Ken Elmore.
Food note
• Taco Bell intends to build at the Town Center Promenade. The city is reviewing a $425,000 project to build a 1,029-square-foot restaurant at 4466 Town Center Parkway.
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