The city issued a permit Jan. 31 for JWB Real Estate Capital to renovate the fifth floor at its Downtown Greenleaf & Crosby Building for its headquarters at a project cost of $552,000.
The permit follows one issued Dec. 31 to renovate the second floor at a project cost of $872,350.
Project costs for the two floors total $1.42 million.
Jacksonville-based JWB Real Estate Capital intends to move its headquarters in phases into five floors of the building at 208 N. Laura St., including the second and fifth floors.
Avant Construction Group of Jacksonville is the contractor for the 3,880 square feet of space on the fifth floor with conference and collaboration rooms as well as open office space and an atrium.
It also is the contractor for the 6,394-square-foot project on the second floor to create open office space, conference rooms, a lounge and kitchen, collaboration rooms and other space.
Studio 9 Architecture & Interior Design of Jacksonville also is on the team.
JWB Real Estate Capital intends to relocate in phases from Deerwood Center in the Southside to the Downtown building, now called The Greenleaf.
The historic building is at northwest Adams and Laura streets.
The permits follow one for Regus, which leases space to provide flexible offices, to open on the eighth and ninth floors.
The Oak Steakhouse intends to open on the first floor in the former Jacobs Jewelers space. Indigo Road Hospitality Group announced Nov. 26 the steakhouse will open in late 2025.
JWB Real Estate Capital 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.
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.
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 for lease as well as the restaurant space on the ground floor.
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, “then everyone else (and the first floor restaurant space) mid-late 2025.”
“Occupancy will be 100% when we move in,” he said.
Colliers Senior Vice President Matthew Clark is the listing agent.