JEA weighs options to repair - or tear down aging downtown tower

[thelakelander]

The JEA tower — a dated Mid-Century Modern high rise topped by a Jetsons-style conference room — is a curiosity in Jacksonville's downtown skyline. It also represents another daunting challenge to an agency already facing financial and regulatory headwinds and a complex political debate over the city's underfunded pensions.

After years pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into its generation and transmission infrastructure, JEA now says its neglected 1960s-era downtown headquarters is in critical need of expensive repairs or complete replacement — either way, costs range from $40-50 million, according to a report to the utility's audit and finance committee.

JEA bought the downtown campus — which includes the tower, the neighboring customer-service center and a parking garage across the street — in 1989. The buildings, constructed in 1962, have never undergone major capital improvements, and JEA staff now says the buildings, particularly the tower, face costly problems, according to a staff report:

■ The tower's backup generator sits at street level, where it's vulnerable to storm surge or flooding. That means the building housing nearly 500 employees, among them senior staff and decision makers, could be without power for weeks in the event a major storm hits Jacksonville.

The basement is also vulnerable to flooding. A storm surge of two feet could cause the building's electrical system to fail, which could leave the building essentially inoperable for months.

■ Several critical systems, like the plumbing, are at the end-of-life stage.

■ Elevators frequently fail and their parts so old they cannot be easily replaced.

■ Fire protection systems have to be updated to meet compliance standards.

Maintaining the existing buildings would take $41 million.

Demolishing and replacing the tower would cost about $37.7 million, though the report notes there is "significant uncertainty in cost estimates" for that option. Leasing space elsewhere, a potentially more cost-effective option, is problematic for JEA because there are virtually no buildings that would fit its robust security needs.

If the board decides down the road to construct a new tower, JEA would want to keep a future building, and its some 750 employees, downtown.

Full article: http://jacksonville.com/news/2015-05-11/story/tearing-down-jea-tower

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Would the possibility be there for the JEA to help jumpstart the commercial aspect of Khan's shipyard plan?

Somehting akin to issuing bonds to kickstart the construction of a tower on the property with the costs offset by signing into a long-term lease and signage rights. 

[mtraininjax]

Would the possibility be there for the JEA to help jumpstart the commercial aspect of Khan's shipyard plan?

We have the jail on the river, so why not put the Utility on the river? NAS is on the river, so why not put all government we can find in Jax on the river.....wait, darn it, we moved the courthouse off the river.....what were we thinking? 

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

Would the possibility be there for the JEA to help jumpstart the commercial aspect of Khan's shipyard plan?

We have the jail on the river, so why not put the Utility on the river? NAS is on the river, so why not put all government we can find in Jax on the river.....wait, darn it, we moved the courthouse off the river.....what were we thinking? 

I don't want JEA owning the land, only renting space in one of the commercial buildings. 

So....

Not at all like the examples you gave.

[vicupstate]

I have always thought that was one of the ugliest buildings in all of Jacksonville. Build new and tear it down seems to be the only option. It is amazing to believe how vulnerable the entire utility is in this building.   This sounds LONG overdue.

[Tacachale]

Maintaining the existing buildings would take $41 million.

Demolishing and replacing the tower would cost about $37.7 million, though the report notes there is "significant uncertainty in cost estimates" for that option. Leasing space elsewhere, a potentially more cost-effective option, is problematic for JEA because there are virtually no buildings that would fit its robust security needs.

Doesn't sound like there are a lot of solutions to this problem.

[thelakelander]

How about build new and sell the old building?  After all, it's not in danger of falling over. Some retrofit is needed but demolishing a building that size is probably a good chunk of the $37.7 million. Save yourself the demo costs and make a little money getting rid of it. If some extra property is needed, I'm more then sure, COJ has a few underutilized parking lots we can put a new building on.  One is right at the corner of Adams and Julia.

[marksjax]

I gotta question the premise here that a storm surge could cause the building to have a major outage. The building is in the middle of Downtown, correct?
How many floods has the middle of Downtown seen since 1962? My guess is zero. A two foot storm surge from where? The river? The sky?
If you want to tear it down then say you want to tear it down because thats what you prefer rather than hide behind a ridiculous 'what-if' scenario that is extremely unlikely to happen in the first place.
All new government buildings are extremely over engineered and over built in my opinion. This false premise is how that mentality is created.
Just my two cents.

[spuwho]

Deferred maintenance caused by prior CEO's desire to not raise rates during his term.

Now that the reserves are consumed, time to pay the piper.

[Tacachale]

How about build new and sell the old building?  After all, it's not in danger of falling over. Some retrofit is needed but demolishing a building that size is probably a good chunk of the $37.7 million. Save yourself the demo costs and make a little money getting rid of it. If some extra property is needed, I'm more then sure, COJ has a few underutilized parking lots we can put a new building on.  One is right at the corner of Adams and Julia.

Sounds like a good call to me. Building on a new lot would also mean they wouldn't have to worry about disrupting the whole agency while the new building is built, they could just move over when it's done. And maybe even (gasp) get some infill on an empty lot.

[I-10east]

This (as MJ says) from johnctaughtme on the TU comments.

Has nobody else ever been to cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, or so many others? Buildings from the century before last continue to serve in a variety of ways both significant and less significant. Do what they will in Jacksonville with the Universal Marion Building, The Landing, and others for whatever reason they will, but for goodness sake, stop trying to "sell" us with terms like "antiquated", "dated", and "aging" for buildings which are not nearly as old as many still in active use and service in many cities.

Such stuff as this is why "Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage" is one of the favorite books in my library, but one which makes me increasingly sad and sentimental about my city.

[Keith-N-Jax]

I actually like this building.

[Elwood]

Regency has some empty space for lease....

[Jax Friend]

If this building is allowed to fall it will be a sad day in Jacksonville. As we careen toward the future buildings like that of the JEA Tower will begin to be appreciated. This was a quality building built for a major corporation. It is rare to find buildings anywhere that exhibit its characteristic. If this city ever wants to coin a school of architecture for itself buildings like the JEA Tower need to be celebrated and protected. 

[JECJAX]

Why is there even a question ?  This is an iconic building in downtown.  The location is perfect and apparently it's the right size for the JEA offices.  I think once it's renovated, it would be nice to see the Embers Restaurant back in business for evening and weekend dinners and events.  Renovation should be the only option.