QuoteSignet Center Means New HQ in Downtown Jacksonville
Building Symbolizes Signet's and BMD's Growth Strategy
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct 06, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Signet Enterprises, a multinational business group with a broad portfolio of operating companies and real estate development projects, together with Brennan, Manna & Diamond, PL, (BMD) a law firm with a focus on business, litigation and healthcare law, announced today the opening of Signet Center, located at 800 West Monroe St. in Downtown Jacksonville.
Signet Center will serve as a business center and provide a centralized location for a wide array of business, legal, and financial solutions for domestic and international clients, projects and developments. The building will house a variety of disciplines including legal, financial, real estate development, healthcare facility financing and development, mergers and acquisitions, project management and investment banking.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/signet-center-means-new-hq/story.aspx?guid={F0F462BA-34EF-42B2-999C-240867978FCC}
Google street view is so good. You read this post and look where it is going.
On a more relevant to the thread comment maybe our courthouse project will finally spur something.
I have mixed feelings. It's great we will add a few jobs downtown and get rid of a grass lot, however, the proposed building leaves a lot to be desired. As quoted from the article.
"Signet Center, the newest Class "A" building downtown, includes 20,000 square feet spanning two floors. The building is located on 1.5 acres of land and includes 80 parking spaces. Rink, Reynolds, Diamond and Fisher designed the building."
My problem is we add yet another fenced in parking lot with a small two story building in LaVilla. Is there not a better way? Could they not have found a partner to go in with and then perhaps build a taller building to accommodate two offices? Then perhaps they could have included some underground parking. I guess perhaps this is the best we can hope for in that area. Are we so desperate though that we approve anything we can get? That makes me sad.
They are sharing the building with BMD, a 42-attorney law firm with locations in two other cities.
But of course, it would be so much better if they could have found a way to create a denser and better connected facility.
Quote from: brainstormer on October 06, 2008, 06:24:46 PM
"Signet Center, the newest Class "A" building downtown, includes 20,000 square feet spanning two floors. The building is located on 1.5 acres of land and includes 80 parking spaces. Rink, Reynolds, Diamond and Fisher designed the building."
My problem is we add yet another fenced in parking lot with a small two story building in LaVilla. Is there not a better way? Could they not have found a partner to go in with and then perhaps build a taller building to accommodate two offices? Then perhaps they could have included some underground parking.
Atleast it was positive, it didn't move to off of JTB!
Just anothe example of Jacksonvilles fear of tall buildings. There are already height limits in Riverside and at the beach. Lets just hope that mentality doesnt make its way downtown.
I don't think it is so much a fear of tall buildings downtown, but more a lack of vision and support/funding from city leaders. Our new "flat" courthouse is really setting a high standard for where we want downtown to head. Anyone who reads my posts knows I think Peyton's vision for this city is crap. I hope The Peninsula isn't the last tall building to be built downtown, but there isn't much hope on the horizon.
Quote from: GatorShane on October 06, 2008, 08:23:15 PM
Just anothe example of Jacksonvilles fear of tall buildings. There are already height limits in Riverside and at the beach. Lets just hope that mentality doesnt make its way downtown.
I don't know if it's a fear of tall building so much as a feasability issue. Vacancy rates are higher everywhere right now and they may not want to build a building they can't lease out.
Quote from: reednavy on October 06, 2008, 08:08:30 PM
Atleast it was positive, it didn't move to off of JTB!
Agreed or ditto!!!
Downtown has a fair vacancy rate, and constructing any new office tower right now would be stupid. The only companies that would do that are ones that want their own tower, and can lease enough of the space to be the main anchor, but not neccessarily have naming rights.
Devon Energy in OKC is constructing a new 925' tall corporate HQ downtown, in order to have all operations at one place, and not spread over 5 locations in downtown and the NW Expressway area. This will leave more office space up for grabs, not to mention OKC's most iconic tower, First National Center built in the 1930's, is severily vacant, yet being rehabed significantly in order to compete.
Jax has plenty of space, yet particular properties are less vacant than others, namely Riverplace, BOA and Modis due to their high visibilty and premiere location and property aspects. AT&T Tower has a number of floors available, yet is pretty much Class B status due to it's layout and building appearance.