Supervisor of Elections Moving?

[Tacachale]

To be fair, it's only 4.7 miles from the Park View Inn to the office on Atlantic they are proposing.

What type of message would it show that a city who "talks" about the importance of downtown revitalization, then turn around and do the exact thing it wants the private sector not to do (leave for the burbs)?  I wonder if there are other opportunities in downtown that have not been fully vetted.

Spot on, in addition to the fact that 4.7 miles can be quite a slog if you're relying on public transit. Downtown is a bus hub, I doubt many run by some random building on Atlantic Boulevard.

It seems to me that there would be many other suitable options downtown. Perhaps, though, the ones they looked at are simply more expensive and/or time consuming compared to what they can do at the Park View site. Either way, we should not be talking about moving employees out of downtown without a much better reason than this.

[johnny_simpatico]

I suggest the City and SOE buy back the former Haydon Burns Library building.  After many years, the adaptive reuse of this 100,000 square-foot marvel has yet to achieve any traction.  I wouldn't be surprised if it's principal owner, Wm. Cesery, wouldn't mind putting some distance between his firm and what has evolved into a white elephant. 

Some of the pluses:
1.  It removes and renews what has become a downtown eyesore.
2.  The Haydon Burns building is one block from the SOE headquarters.
3.  The building was designed as a clearinghouse for regional libraries.  Floors are overbuilt to handle heavy loads of books.  Loading dock and elevator could be adapted to handle distribution of voting equipment and supplies.

[copperfiend]

To me, this is just another reason why you don't immediately spend millions to demolish the city hall annex and courthouse once the new courthouse complex opens in May.  Nothing in this town (in regards to downtown development strategies) is ever fully vetted from the public sector level.  Considering the city already owns the land and building, how much would it cost to revamp the courthouse annex as a mixed use tower, with SOE being one of the tenants?  I doubt it costs $7.4 million.  Even if it isn't a permanent solution, it could still be a short term option in the event they have to leave Gateway soon.

I'm not opposed to keeping it downtown.  I like the idea you propose about the courthouse annex. I wish there were a way to consolidate offices like like Supervisor of Elections, the School Board into the northbank core.

[thelakelander]

Old JEA tower?

[Tacachale]

^Who owns that now? I think part of what the Elections office is looking at is owning rather than renting.

Either way I'd have to imagine there'd be enough room in the old City Hall.

[mtraininjax]

Surely someone can find them space in Springfield? Aren't there enough empty spaces along Main Street? Jax Bargain Plywood just pulled out, surely that space is available. There is no reason to move them to downtown when there are good spaces around where they are now, just outside of the Gateway Mall.

[urbanlibertarian]

Considering that new election technology or other factors may reduce their sq. footage needs in the future I would prefer they lease 72,000 sq. feet downtown and save that huge up front capital cost and not possibly build a bigger structure than they may need in the long run.  Also it won't take property off the tax rolls.  Is there that much suitable space for lease downtown?

[thelakelander]

Here's an update:

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-07-12/story/duval-elections-supervisor-looks-move-office-although-mayor-said-idea

Talk of moving should wait until 2013, DeCamp said, "when all the stakeholders can be part of the discussion.”
But that’s too late, Holland said: With the busy election year of 2014 around the corner, the move has to begin sooner.

His plan: Sell his Monroe Street office for around $1.2 million and then build a $5.8 million building on land the city owns near the LaVilla School of the Arts.

Borrowing costs would be about $25,000 a month, half of the Gateway lease, he said.

[duvaldude08]

Here's an update:

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-07-12/story/duval-elections-supervisor-looks-move-office-although-mayor-said-idea

Talk of moving should wait until 2013, DeCamp said, "when all the stakeholders can be part of the discussion.”
But that’s too late, Holland said: With the busy election year of 2014 around the corner, the move has to begin sooner.

His plan: Sell his Monroe Street office for around $1.2 million and then build a $5.8 million building on land the city owns near the LaVilla School of the Arts.

Borrowing costs would be about $25,000 a month, half of the Gateway lease, he said.

Well it sure would be another empty lot occupied. YO, whassup with that Lavilla Grille building. It looks complete, why arent we doing anything with it? Could they just convert that to the supervisor of elections office?

[thelakelander]

The office is currently housed in a former JCPenney.  I doubt the LaVilla restaurant is large enough for their needs.  However, you raise a great question.  We need to do something with that space.

[carpnter]

To me, this is just another reason why you don't immediately spend millions to demolish the city hall annex and courthouse once the new courthouse complex opens in May.  Nothing in this town (in regards to downtown development strategies) is ever fully vetted from the public sector level.  Considering the city already owns the land and building, how much would it cost to revamp the courthouse annex as a mixed use tower, with SOE being one of the tenants?  I doubt it costs $7.4 million.  Even if it isn't a permanent solution, it could still be a short term option in the event they have to leave Gateway soon.

If the city has to bring the building up to current codes it could very well be cost prohibitive to move the SoE offices into it.

[downtownjag]

Considering that new election technology or other factors may reduce their sq. footage needs in the future I would prefer they lease 72,000 sq. feet downtown and save that huge up front capital cost and not possibly build a bigger structure than they may need in the long run.  Also it won't take property off the tax rolls.  Is there that much suitable space for lease downtown?

That's only two floors in Everbank Center DT.

[thelakelander]

If the city has to bring the building up to current codes it could very well be cost prohibitive to move the SoE offices into it.

I seriously doubt bringing it "up to code" would be more cost prohibitive than constructing from scratch.  It's not like the place is getting ready to fall into the river.

[duvaldude08]

The office is currently housed in a former JCPenney.  I doubt the LaVilla restaurant is large enough for their needs.  However, you raise a great question.  We need to do something with that space.

Its carzy. The building is complete pretty much. Even if they incorporate that building and just contruct the rest that could save some money I would think.

[carpnter]

If the city has to bring the building up to current codes it could very well be cost prohibitive to move the SoE offices into it.

I seriously doubt bringing it "up to code" would be more cost prohibitive than constructing from scratch.  It's not like the place is getting ready to fall into the river.

When you factor things in like asbestos removal, installing a fire sprinkler system, replacing other outdated and aging mechanical systems (plumbing and HVAC) it can very easily become cost prohibitive.