The city is reviewing civil engineering plans for Virginia-based Chalmers Property Co. to develop Imeson Port Center in North Jacksonville.
The BGE Inc. civil engineering firm, led by Jenny Urcan, director of land and site development, is the civil engineer.
BGE submitted plans to the city May 23 for the project, which is north and south of Zoo Parkway. It is next to the intersection with Imeson Park Boulevard.
Chalmers Property Group Executive Vice President Fraser Chalmers said in April that the Fairfax, Virginia-based company intends to invest a projected $175 million to $200 million to develop up to 1.67 million square feet of industrial space. It also has offices in Ponte Vedra Beach.
Chalmers said May 29 the first phase of three buildings will be 198,000 square feet each, totaling 594,000 square feet.
Duval County property records show that through IPC Owner LLC, Chalmers Property paid $10.4 million on Dec. 14 for 106 acres. It bought the property from Bostwick Trust entities.
Chalmers Property intends to buy more property that will create a 121-acre park.
Chalmers said the company will develop nine speculative multitenant buildings. Six will be north of Zoo Parkway and three would be south.
Chalmers expects to break ground in August and deliver the first phase of two speculative 200,000-square-foot buildings and a pad for another of that size in the second quarter of 2024.
He said if leasing is strong on the first 400,000 square feet, Chalmers would build the additional building.
The Conlan Co. is the contractor.
Chalmers said JLL Executive Managing Director Luke Pope and Senior Vice President Ross Crabtree were the primary brokers on the property transaction and will handle leasing.
Chalmers is targeting tenants who need 50,000 to 200,000 square feet of space.
“We are seeing opportunity in the size range of the buildings we are creating,” he said.
He anticipates that local and regional tenants would lease the space.
The site’s proximity to JaxPort Blount Island Marine Terminal could attract port-oriented tenants.
The site also is close to Interstate 95 to the west.
Chalmers said Chalmers Property is pursuing additional properties in the Jacksonville area.
ChalmersProperty.com says the company began in 1991 as a privately held and family-owned real estate investment and development firm delivering major land projects across the Greater Washington, D.C., area.
“More than three decades later, we continue our heritage in ground up development, leveraging full-service commercial real estate expertise to execute successful projects across the greater Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.”
Fraser Chalmers and his brother, Grant Chalmers, both executive vice presidents, handle the operations of Chalmers Property Co.
Their father, David M. Chalmers, is the president and founder.
Chalmers Property Co. has redirected its growth from the greater Washington, D.C., area with joint ventures and institutional partners in Charleston, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, and now Jacksonville.