Study recommends JEA demolish, rebuild headquarters at $57 to $64 million

[thelakelander]

http://jacksonville.com/news/2017-01-27/study-recommends-jea-demolish-rebuild-headquarters-57-million-64-million

[thelakelander]

There are currently 758 employees, 530 parking spaces, and 337,600 square feet of space.

Requirements for a future building, according to the board presentation, include: being located downtown, accommodating 800 employees and parking spaces, about 220,000 square feet of space, full backup power, no parking garage under the building, state of the art emergency operations center, board room/auditorium for 300 people, parking for customers, and parking facility for JEA vehicles and equipment.

If the utility was able to demolish and rebuild at that site, the positives include building what is needed, the downtown location, access to public transportation, utilities in place, existing parking, proximity to City Hall, and ability to incorporate sustainability principles. Relocation of employees and demolition costs, along with the expense of rebuilding, are the concerns with that option.

The positives for renovating the existing tower include it being downtown, utilities already in place, existing parking, public transportation and "structural systems are in good shape." The concerns included "many unknown conditions," double relocation of employees, the need for significant upgrade to the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, the tower being too large, existing parking beneath the building creating a security risk, and inefficient floor plan.

The cons for building at what is now a JEA chilled water site included the public image of vacating a downtown building. The pros included designing "an appropriate corporate headquarters" and "build exactly what is needed."

It's interesting that they rather spend more money to tear the 19-story tower down and replace it with a smaller building (with more parking) on-site, as opposed to building new and selling the current building.

[edjax]

Where exactly is the site mentioned if they go the route of building new at site of Chill station?  Is this one over by the arena?

[thelakelander]

I believe the chilled water site is behind the Duval County Courthouse, at Jefferson and Church.

[Jim]

Reminds of when their were proposals for the other JEA building.




Edjax, I believe they have a chilling plant behind the new courthouse.

[edjax]

I believe the chilled water site is behind the Duval County Courthouse, at Jefferson and Church.

Thanks. Yea I see that now on google maps.  Was not sure from that the article if they went this route would they still demolish current site or be open to placing it for sale for development ? I noted one of the cons for this option was vacating a tower downtown. So read that as not demolishi it right a way at least and potentially selling for development.

[FlaBoy]

We should 100% stand against them knocking down that building.

[vicupstate]

If I were Peter Rummel, I would offer JEA a free acre or two in Healthy Town. Getting a significant office tenant out of the gate would help him shorten the project's development timeline. It would save JEA from leasing space in the construction interim too, plus they could sell the old building for whatever it would bring.

That is from Rummel's perspective, not my personal preference. 

[Jim]

If I were Peter Rummel, I would offer JEA a free acre or two in Healthy Town. Getting a significant office tenant out of the gate would help him shorten the project's development timeline. It would save JEA from leasing space in the construction interim too, plus they could sell the old building for whatever it would bring.

That is from Rummel's perspective, not my personal preference. 

That would ironic given that is an old JEA site to being with.

[Jax Friend]

I agree with thelakelander. There is no logical reason JEA couldn't sell its property. Sell it to an entity that gives a crap about capital improvement. JEA is a quasigovernmental agency meant to serve a utilitarian purpose for the community. There is no reason a majority of its staff needs to be downtown. Build a giant facility at Imeson. Buy the old Concord College Buildings off of the Arlington Expressway. Occupy the hundreds of thousands of square feet of unoccupied office space in this city. Do something good! But whatever you do don't tear down the little bit of damn character this city even has to work with. Give that building to the private sector. The same reason the JEA Tower is falling apart is the same reason you shouldn't getting a brand new shinny one.

[thelakelander]

I wouldn't mind them building a new downtown structure that is tailor made to fit their needs and operations. I'd love to see something like that replace the dead chilled water block, along the JTA Flyer BRT line in LaVilla.  Broad Street could use all the infill it could get and the image of the Northbank would improve with some more tower cranes in the sky.

However, yes, no way should they be tearing down a strucuturally fine building that size. Especially, since half of the negatives to JEA, like integrated parking, 530 garage parking spaces, etc. would not be negatives to most. It's a site specifically built and designed for big box retail and corporate office space, with frontage on Main Street and a block from Hemming. I'd like to see JEA go and that site's spaces be transformed back to accommodate and embrace the uses it was originally designed for.

[Jax Friend]

I hear ya. I think when you look through the lenses of Downtown Vision Inc. and DIA of course adding jobs downtown is a good thing, and I'm with you, transforming a dead block would be amazing, especially one right next to where I live. I just think if you are taking the stand point of JEA you don't have a valid argument for maintaining operations downtown, not in this day and age.

As far as the building goes, its a gem! If it were in Miami it would be an icon. It's unfortunate that it is in the hands of an organization not structured in a way to appreciate it. A commercial client, say Deutsch Bank, would have a much higher regard for its appearance because it reflects more on the business itself. It wants to attract the best employees, the best customers, and emanate the most powerful image. JEA does not have parallel goals.

I recently read a portion of the submission to the National Park Service requesting Downtown Jacksonville be designated a historic district. It appears to have been approved in May. Contributing structures are from 1901 to 1965, JEA Tower included. I'm not sure to what degree these buildings are protected, but have you seen this come up in discussion?

[JaGoaT]

Could the current building possibly be turned into residential apartments?

[brainstormer]

Could the current building possibly be turned into residential apartments?

I was wondering the same thing. Ideally it would be nice to have affordable apartments in that location, however the problem with affordable housing is that developers don't make a huge profit, so they usually need outside funding. Right now we don't even have the collective will to turn the Barnett Bank building or the Berkman II into apartments. I worry that once vacated, the JEA tower would be abandoned and become just another ignored building downtown.

[thelakelander]

Pictures of the current property, taken a few hours ago:

6-story, former Ivey's Department Store -- (currently JEA's customer service center)


Office tower


A major JEA negative of the office tower is that it has a parking garage underneath it....



A major JEA negative of the adjacent parking garage structure is that it doesn't have enough spaces for JEA employees



It has enough for its original retail purpose though. When it was constructed, it included a Purcell's department store on the ground floor. While not an ideal layout for JEA's needs, a large retail floor plate would be beneficial for something like a Walgreens or Office Depot.



There's also some space left over at the corner of Main and Church. JEA uses it as a surface parking lot. However, original development plans for this corner was for the addition of a 5-story office building. It would have included a 250-space underground parking garage, along with a drugstore and restaurant at street level.



I rather JEA move and add life to the chilled water block (photo below), get rid of this property and have another party activate this site with a mix of uses. That would be the best option for downtown vibrancy and cheapest for JEA.