Regus, which leases space to provide flexible offices, is working toward opening on two floors of the historic Greenleaf & Crosby Building – now called The Greenleaf - in Downtown Jacksonville.
The Regus.com site says the center, at 204-208 N. Laura St., is opening soon.
The city is reviewing a building-permit application for Jacksonville-based Avant Construction Group to renovate almost 7,500 square feet on the eighth and ninth floors of the building at 208 N. Laura St. for Regus at a project cost of $1.1 million. Studio 9 Architecture is the project architect.
The Regus site shows that units start at $289 a month.
“Open the door to new opportunities at Laura Street – a flexible workspace based in Jacksonville on the Atlantic coast of north-eastern Florida. Build your brand in the fifth-fastest growing city in the US, as you attract a new market in this city that boasts a diverse economy with key sectors including finance, logistics, IT and manufacturing,” says the site.
“Network with others at this strategic location which is well-connected by road, rail, air, and sea, allowing new business relationships to grow. Jacksonville International Airport is just 13 miles away while the local bus service runs regularly from Forsyth St. & Laura St. Bus Stop, just a 3-minute walk from the office.”
The listing continues that those booking office space there can “settle into work as you explore two floors of stunning modern workspace that have been recently renovated. Invite local collaborators to work on new projects in our coworking space, specially designed with large windows that let in plenty of natural light, making it the ideal space for focused work and creativity. Never miss meetings with out-of-town clients as you dial in to important calls using the videoconferencing technology in our meeting rooms.”
Regus offers serviced offices that says take care of everything “from the furniture to the high-speed WiFi” with flexible terms for customers to rent space from an hour to years.
Regus says it has 12 area locations, including two others Downtown in the Bank of America Tower on the Northbank and the 841 Prudential Drive building on the Southbank.
Jacksonville-based JWB Real Estate Capital owns The Greenleaf.
The Colliers Urban Division commercial real estate team is marketing the Greenleaf to tenants.
It says on a property brochure that:
“Originally built in 1927, Greenleaf Tower is now undergoing a $16 million-dollar interior renovation that will include an on-site restaurant on the ground floor space that was once home to Jacksonville’s finest jewelry store,” which was Jacobs Jewelers.
It says that the more than 63,000-square-foot, 12-story building has the eighth and ninth floors available for lease.
In October 2023, the Jacksonville City Council voted to designate the Greenleaf & Crosby Building a local historic landmark.
The structure is one of the few remaining examples of the mixed-use commercial buildings constructed in Downtown soon after the Great Fire of 1901 that destroyed most of the city.
It was designed by Marsh & Saxelbye, considered a prominent local architecture firm during the Florida land boom of the 1920s.
The building at northwest Adams and Laura streets reflects design elements of a commercial high-rise style referred to as the Chicago School, the Chicago Style or the Commercial Style, and is identified as the forerunner of the modern skyscraper.
JWB Real Estate Capital bought the building for nearly $7 million in 2022.
The city Downtown Investment Authority approved a $4.97 million forgivable loan package in August 2023 for JWB to finance improvements at the building at an estimated cost of $16.88 million.
The renovated building provides 44,000 square feet of office space available for lease and an 11,000-square-foot restaurant for lease on the ground floor, the former Jacobs Jewelers location.
Avant Construction Group is the contractor for that renovation and Studio 9 is the architect.
JWB said it intends to relocate its headquarters from 7563 Philips Highway in Deerwood Center to The Greenleaf when renovations are complete.
JWB President Alex Sifakis said in a July 23 email that the company plans to move 20% of the staff to the second floor of the building by the end of this year or early next year, “then everyone else (and the first floor restaurant space) mid-late 2025.”
“Occupancy will be 100% when we move in,” he said.
Sifakis said in the email the former Jacobs Jewelers space “will be a high end full service restaurant.” He said he hoped to be able to provide details by the end of the year.
