DCPS plan move from Southbank to Baymeadows, raising accessibility concerns

[thelakelander]

The entire original point of DCPS moving off the riverfront is null and void with this deal. Seems like the goal post has been moved.

[thelakelander]

I get it if DCPS wants the $20 million. There's a plus in that idea by itself. The positives drop big time when the financially broke district then turns right around and spends all the money buying and taking a suburban corporate headquarters office building right off the tax rolls, along with 650 jobs out of downtown.

[heights unknown]

IMO they should put @heights unknown in charge of the design; I think he'd make a good proposal. Nothing less than 20 stories with a rooftop venue!

Hee hee...LOLOL...you got that right!

[sandyshoes]

Who's in the Charles Bennett building now, if the IRS really is being dissolved? On the other hand, there are a couple of buildings off Belfort Road in the office park across from St. Vincent's hospital that are available. 

[vicupstate]

The entire original point of DCPS moving off the riverfront is null and void with this deal. Seems like the goal post has been moved.

The entire original point of DCPS moving off the riverfront is null and void with this deal. Seems like the goal post has been removed.

FIFY

[Zac T]

Who's in the Charles Bennett building now, if the IRS really is being dissolved? On the other hand, there are a couple of buildings off Belfort Road in the office park across from St. Vincent's hospital that are available.

The IRS is still in that building

[thelakelander]

As assumed when the news came out, the board votes to move forward with the sell and move to the burbs:

In two Sept. 2 votes, the Duval County Public Schools board authorized Superintendent Christopher Bernier to negotiate the sale of the DCPS central administration building on the Southbank Downtown and the purchase of new offices in Baymeadows.

With the 6-1 votes, the board took a step toward moving from the current school board headquarters at 1701 Prudential Drive to a proposed location at 8928 Prominence Parkway in Prominence Office Park.

Board Chair Charlotte Joyce, Vice Chair April Carney and board members Reginald Blount, Melody Bolduc, Cynthia Pearson and Anthony Ricardo voted in favor of both motions. Board member Darryl Willie voted against both.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/sep/02/school-board-approves-advancing-negotiations-to-sell-its-downtown-headquarters/

[urban_]

Dissapointing.

[vicupstate]

$20 mm plus millions more for demo costs seems like a lot to pay for 3 acres. It's not like there isn't other riverfront property literally next to this location.

[Jax_Developer]

The value is largely a function of the incentives - for which the Development next door has already had that fleshed that out and likely will not be as strong as a package compared to what Fleet Landing will be able to negotiate. Moreover, senior & assisted living communities can pay top of market for mid-sized parcels. The different code requirements for parking exclusively reduces their per unit costs by $30k per unit easily but more importantly space/building height.

Related purchased their 3 acres for $10M... so $20M really isn't that surprising. 390 less parking spaces is easily $10M in dollars saved. 

[jaxlongtimer]

So, with incentives to reimburse a developer/Fleet Landing, the City is effectively paying the School Board to move.  Those dollars should be subtracted from the $20 million offered.  Regardless of the source, City or School Board, it's all taxpayer dollars.

On First Coast Connect today they also noted that the first of two payments won't cover the purchase price of the Baymeadows building so the School Board is going to have to bridge finance the difference plus pay moving, renovation, Realtor commissions, etc.  And, depending how far out the second payment is, it should be present value discounted which likely brings the value of the deal down below $20 million.

Like U2C, another unexplainable action by local officials.  How do voters keep voting for such incompetency?

[thelakelander]

Everyone basically makes money off the backs of the taxpayers. Straight highway robbery.

[Jax_Developer]

The financial flaws in this deal are obvious. I love the 'yeah no need to counter, lets just rip this offer' attitude from DCPS. Very little public information about the building's condition they are purchasing also. What's the capital investment there?

- If recent DIA Completion Grants remain consistent, this city is looking at a $30M+ Completion Grant
- Dream Finders purchased the entire Prominence Parkway for $22M in in June 2024, now are going to sell one of the several buildings in the entire office park for $14M? (Do I even need to say it?)
- As Lake mentioned, questions around what percentage of the Fleet Landing Site will ever pay property tax but I doubt they will pay any due to the combo of their assisted living & REV grants available
- The $7.5M second payment is really worth $6.9M in 2025 dollars as well. So not crazy, but another $600k in "profit" instantly gone
- DCPS needing to get a loan to buy the Baymeadows building first (LOL) another $500k to a $1M in profit is also instantly gone

I also love how this move is due to like ~$6M in 'profit' that would earned by moving buildings... I want to meet the genius that said "You can save $6M by moving from a 1980's built, 122k sf building to a 1990's built, 165k sf building." I mean... you can't make this stuff up. Does anyone really believe the new building's operating costs will have any meaningful savings?

[Skybox111]

Unknown you will love this me too


https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/sep/09/fleet-landing-releases-renderings-of-proposed-southbank-project/

[thelakelander]

 

Unknown you will love this me too


https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/sep/09/fleet-landing-releases-renderings-of-proposed-southbank-project/