Three visions for JEA’s corporate headquarters released Friday provide the first look at where the utility could plant its flag beyond 2020.
At the request of JEA’s board in January, the three development firms vying to partner with the utility to build its next corporate home publicly released packages Friday afternoon.
While the bids do not contain financial, legal or other proprietary information, all depict alternatives to the company’s 55-year old tower and customer service center at 21 W. Church St.
They include relocating the company into new office space or redeveloping the existing campus.
According to the Invitation to Negotiate JEA advertised Oct. 8, the utility seeks to be a single tenant in a Class A office building no larger than 200,000 square feet to accommodate 836 employees.
JEA and its consultant, real estate firm CBRE, received six bids in early January. They narrowed the field to three finalists Jan. 22.
On Tuesday, the three firms will present their bids to the board of directors. They will have until March 11 to provide the board with final offers.
The board is expected to select a partner during the week of April 8 and start negotiations.
Moving to the Southbank
Kings Avenue Station P3 LLC, led by Mike Balanky of Chase Properties, would develop an eight-story building on a site the company controls near Kings Avenue Station at 1201 Kings Ave. on the Southbank.
The property currently is used for public parking and sits between the Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s Kings Avenue Skyway station and the Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites hotel.
The development group controls the site and a nearby parking garage through a 70-year ground lease with JTA.
Construction by general contractor Brasfield & Gorrie LLC could begin in the spring and take up to 31 months.
Ervin Lovett Miller is listed as the architect, with Connie Turner Interiors Inc. providing interior design and space planning services. Atlantic Engineering Services is the structural engineer and TLC Engineering for Architecture is the mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer.
Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. would provide engineering and professional services.
Parkway Property Investments LLC would be the property manager.
The Kings Avenue Station concept also could be part of a larger development Chase Properties wants to pursue between Kings Avenue and Montana Street that would comprise greenspace and two additional office buildings.
Joining Lot J
Through Iguana Investments Florida LLC, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan and The Cordish Companies are seeking JEA as its corporate anchor for the Lot J development near TIAA Bank Field.
The package describes JEA building an innovative campus in the heart of Khan’s estimated $2.5 billion development he envisions for the property near TIAA Bank Field.
JEA would anchor the first phase of that development planned for Lot J, the parking lot west of the stadium.
It is unclear how large the building would be, how long it would take to build or how much it could cost.
Jacksonville Jaguars President Mark Lamping called the prospect of JEA relocating to Lot J “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to grow downtown Jacksonville.”
He released a statement Friday.
“As the anchor tenant for an entirely new development within the sports complex, JEA would pave the way for a true work-live-play urban destination,” his statement reads.
“The newly imagined Shipyards is currently planned to feature access to residential, retail, hotel and entertainment options, which all play an essential role in recruiting and retaining top businesses and talent to downtown Jacksonville.
“With JEA establishing a presence, the potential upside to Lot J is amplified by the timing and implementation of other significant upgrades in the area, including the elevated lane removal and the vision the City of Jacksonville has set in motion to improve connectivity to the river and foster development south of Bay Street”
He said the proposal would benefit the city and JEA’s customers.
“We all have just one opportunity to get this right for the present and future of Jacksonville, and the Jaguars believe the perfect opportunity will become reality with the JEA headquarters serving as the centerpiece of our Lot J proposal.”
If Khan’s company is selected, Beyer Blinder Belle would be the architect, along with Gensler. Construction manager Gilbane also would be involved.
Staying put
Ryan Companies US Inc. seeks either to redevelop JEA’s existing campus at 21 W. Church St. or build at two nearby sites in the urban core.
Their public package came in the form of a video presentation posted to the JEA YouTube page.
In it, Ryan Companies identified three Northbank locations that include demolishing JEA’s customer service center and building a new tower at the corner of West Church and North Laura streets.
JEA also could build a new building and parking structure on city-owned property along Broad Street, between Ashley and Church streets. The site is currently surface parking.
The third proposed location could find JEA moving next to the Duval County Courthouse at a vacant site bounded by Adams and Pearl streets.
As with the Lot J proposal, there is no information about costs, scope or construction time included in the presentation.
The JEA board of directors will convene a special meeting at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the company’s headquarters in Downtown Jacksonville.