A 400-unit apartment complex is in review for Deerwood Park on land owned by GuideWell Group Inc.
GuideWell Mutual Holding Corp. is the parent company of Florida Blue.
WRH Deerwood would be six apartment buildings on almost 16.6 acres along Deer Lake Drive East.
It would be developed at northeast Butler and Southside boulevards in Deerwood Park North, west of the Florida Blue Deerwood Campus.
There also would be a clubhouse and pool, playground, leasing building and at least two parking garages.
Florida Blue spokeswoman Toni Woods said GuideWell does not plan to use the property and it appeared to be a good opportunity to dispose of assets.
“It was important to us to find a partner who would make better use of the property for the good of the area,” she said.
Woods said GuideWell put a bid out to multiple companies and received more than 20 responses.
She said that among the reasons for selecting WRH, it was the best partner in meeting GuideWell’s needs as its neighbor and it had concrete plans.
“We were able to give input into the design and aesthetics of the building. They presented conceptual plans and we liked that they are not only the builder, but that they stay to manage the property,” she said.
WRH builds, manages and maintains multifamily properties.
“We know this will be an asset to the community,” Woods said, adding that it was possible that some Florida Blue employees might choose to live there.
She said the sale should close in early 2017 and the price would not be disclosed until after the closing.
City Council is reviewing an ordinance, 2016-724, to rezone the land from one Planned Unit Development to another to permit multifamily use.
The ordinance was introduced at council last week.
The project would be up to 60 feet in height. The legislation also outlines it would offer at least 750 parking spaces and up to 810 at the developer’s discretion without triggering additional landscape requirements.
Access to the complex would be from Deer Lake Drive and the property might be gated.
GuideWell Mutual Holding Corp. is a not-for-profit mutual holding company for a family of health care companies.
It is based at 4800 Deerwood Campus Parkway at the Deerwood Park North campus.
St. Petersburg-based WRH Realty Services Inc. has an office in Jacksonville.
WRH Realty Services Inc. Marketing Director Kaley Rawlins Vaughan said Wednesday she did not have enough information to make a statement about the property.
She said WHR has fee-managed assets as well as owned assets in Jacksonville and other markets in the Southeast.
Jacksonville-based Vestcor Inc. is one of its clients and WRH manages many of its area properties.
WRH Realty Services Inc. is a full-service real estate investment, property management, construction and consulting firm.
Its website, wrhrealty.com, says it manages 15 Jacksonville properties, including Vestcor’s 11 East Forsyth and The Carling, both Downtown.
WRH also has been awarded the management contract for the Lofts at LaVilla, a 130-unit affordable housing apartment building Vestcor will develop Downtown along Water Street.
WRH manages 75 properties in 33 cities in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
It says its vision is to grow its portfolio “while continuing the pursuit of excellence within each of our business strategies,” including conventional, affordable, high-rise, mixed-use and senior living housing.
Jimmy Hula’s joining OakLeaf
A Jimmy Hula’s restaurant is proposed at southeast Crosshill Boulevard and Merchants Way, across Applecross Road from Zaxby’s.
The site is in the OakLeaf area of southwest Jacksonville.
Plans show a 250-seat Jimmy Hula’s in a 5,835-square-foot building on 1.46 acres.
The consulting engineer is Goodson Nevin and Associates and the architect is Doherty Sommers Architects Inc.
Jimmy Hula’s already operates at Hodges and Atlantic boulevards and in Orange Park. A location is coming soon to Jacksonville Beach.
Dunkin’ Donuts to open along Dunn Avenue
A Mobility Fee Calculation Certificate shows that Dunkin’ Donuts plans a shop at southeast Dunn Avenue and Interstate 295.
Plans show a 2,000-square-foot Dunkin’ Donuts as well as an 8,000-square-foot retail space and 30,000 square feet of office space.
The 40,000-square-foot project is envisioned on 4.33 acres.
The property is owned by Dunn Investment Property LLC.
RS&H names new
CFO, general counsel
RS&H announced Wednesday Holt Graves was promoted to chief financial officer and John Hallisey was named general counsel.
RS&H is a Jacksonville-based architecture, engineering and consulting firm.
Graves, a certified public accountant, joined RS&H in 1992 and has been its controller, working with retiring CFO and General Counsel Ken Jacobson.
Hallisey has more than 20 years of experience as a trial lawyer, structural engineer and general counsel at public and private companies, including with Hallisey Engineering Associates.
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