Duval County Public Schools narrows list of bidders for headquarters move

[jaxlongtimer]

Maybe JTA wants to convert the Skyway track to a horizontal office building (see the miles long horizontal city Saudi Arabia wants to build in the desert for inspiration).  Finally, a real use for that thing.  LOL.

On a more serious note, I recall JTA still owns some land near their Skyway garage off Hendricks.  Maybe they want to offer that up for a developer to partner with the School Board to build something there.

I was under the impression that something was already planned there?

At one point, Mike Balanky wanted to enter into a long term lease for some of this property and had offered it up as candidate for JEA's new headquarters.  I found an old post of mine and a news article on the Kings Road site offered - see quotes below.  It seems that same parcel might be again offered now as a candidate for the DCPS, except as JTA (Balanky again?) playing the role of developer.  Or maybe, just offering the site and leaving it to DCPS to take it from there.

Southbank 'A little too far away'

Developer Mike Balanky, through Kings Avenue Station P3 LLC, pitched JEA to relocate to the Downtown Southbank on property he controls on Kings Avenue, next to the Kings Avenue Skyway Station and two hotels he developed.

Balanky reminded the board that his site was pad-ready, had a garage and was near a public transportation hub.

After the Tuesday meeting, Howard said JEA preferred to be within the DIA boundaries, but the Southbank property was outside.

"It was just a little too far away," Howard said.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/jeas-next-hq-what-put-the-west-adams-street-site-past-the-jaguars-northbank-locations

I am not familiar with the Kings Ave site proposal.  Is this on the parking lot across the street from the Bearded Pig?  The address listed on the Daily Record Article lists the address of the two hotels already there (1201 Kings Ave).

FYI, I have it on very good authority that this site is, indeed, the parking lot across from the Bearded Pig and next to the hotels....

.....Interesting note, too:  JTA apparently owns all of this property and leases it to Kings Avenue Redevelopment.  They, in turn, are subleasing to the hotel owner about 1/2 of the property and still control the other 1/2 being offered to JEA.  Will be interesting to see if JTA has agreed to sell, rather than lease, the property to get this deal done.

The property does appear to have some unique characteristics such as being adjacent to an already large parking garage, being along side the I-95 overland bridge giving it outstanding visibility (but, not so sure about the traffic noise factor - will require quite a bit of soundproofing) and being connected to the (underutilized) Skyway.  Main downside could be the "San Marco Train" [https://twitter.com/sanmarcotrain?lang=en ](and its horns).  Being across from the Bearded Pig might be help clinch the deal though .

[marcuscnelson]

Excuse the photo quality, but I think I've stumbled across a piece of JTA's bid for the new DCPS building.

They took the renderings originally developed as part of the U2C TOD study and replaced the block where the pedestrian bridge turns to connect Greyhound and the main JRTC building with a mid-rise building that appears to have DCPS logos on it. They then used these renderings in the updated Commuter Rail proposal. Looks like an L-shaped building wrapped around a parking garage.





Of course, JTA ranked sixth in the list of bids anyway, so this probably isn't happening, but it's interesting to see a bit of what the idea was.

[jaxlongtimer]

Rumor has it that the BCBS/Florida Blue space in their Brooklyn building is what was offered and ranked at the top.  With their new garage and what's happening in Brooklyn plus the access to I-95 and I-10 to visit various schools, I can see how this would greatly appeal to DCPS.  They could also share the cost of building security with other tenants.  And, I bet Florida Blue, as a "non-profit" that is very vested in our community would make a great landlord for them.

[marcuscnelson]

Can't say a building constructed in 1968 is what I'd expect from an "office of the future," but if that's sufficient for them then why not, I guess. Certainly cheaper than building from scratch.

LoopNet says the building has nearly 240k sqft of space available, and DCPS only asked for about half that, so it'd make some sense. If they took all the available space on the 10th-15th Floors it'd be about 113k sqft. Biggest challenges then would be ensuring public accessibility and building out all the spaces they want. I wonder if at that point you rebrand at least part of the building for them, like Morgan & Morgan just did across the street.

[Jagsdrew]

Estimated Costs:
$67m to rent at BCBS in Riverside for 20 yrs
OR
$200m new building in Lavilla over 40 yrs but they'd own the building after that.

Source: https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/education/duval-schools-superintendent-search-potential-new-headquarters/77-da8ac698-ef4b-4e01-9b65-bb7c661dd26b

[thelakelander]

Although I like the idea of a new $200 million building in LaVilla and having direct access to the Northbank via the Skyway, it seems their decision has already been made:

The first option - rent a space for 20 years in the Florida Blue building in Riverside. The other, to build a brand-new headquarters in LaVilla next to JTA.

Estimates show the district would pay $67 million over 20 years to rent in Florida Blue, or more than $200 million for the new building near JTA over 40 years, but they'd own the building after that.

Chair Coker brought up the district has lost 9000 students in the past five years, so that downward trend is something she'd like them to consider.

Board Member Charlotte Joyce echoed those concerns.

"We don't want to put future boards in a position where so many dollars are going to maintaining an administrative building and not educating children," said Joyce.

The LaVilla site would be better for downtown revitalization, in that those employees are 100% more likely to support LaVilla and Northbank businesses. However, at the end of the day, even with BCBS, they will be staying in the urban core (switches that potential business support to Brooklyn and Five Points/Riverside). So, I'm happy a building in a Southside office park, miles away from downtown, didn't end up as a finalist.

[Jax_Developer]

To be fair DCPS already owns a pretty good site that could be redeveloped at Midtown Centre. That area also could use the revitalization of DCPS coming into it. It is a 10 acre site with 200k SF existing. Hard to imagine DCPS should have a $200M HQ built for them when there is another really good site not that far away with an existing building. It has good access too, with multiple bus routes running in or nearby.

[thelakelander]

DCPS moving out of the downtown core would be devastating for downtown. Don't expect the type of development you'd like to see and talk about happen in downtown from the private sector, if our own public agencies are moving hundreds of employees out to the burbs.

[Captain Zissou]

Looking at the scope that was originally laid out in the Jax daily record article from August 2022:

"The district advertised for an "office of the future" to accommodate 618 full-time employees with 100,000 to 120,000 square feet of space." 

That doesn't cost $200M.  Just look at what JEA built for reference.  162,000 square feet of office with a 656 space parking garage cost $100M.  If the office floors are intended to be above a parking podium, I LOVE IT, but it still doesn't add $100M to the cost.  I would say they could accommodate he stated needs for $80M or less depending on the level of finish. Did the scope of this project massively change, or where are these inflated costs coming from.

[tufsu1]

^ are you sure? I mean the mid-rise hotel at the proposed Lot J was supposed to cost something like $120 million.

[jaxlongtimer]

I went through the staff's slide presentation.  The elephant in the room is that, of all the options, staying put and renovating their building is far and away the cheapest option.

An insider told me the only reason for considering a move is for the political optics created by our dysfunctional school board.  When the school tax was passed, there was also a provision/promise that all of it would pay for schools, not administrative buildings, so where do we think this money to move will come from. 

Bottom line, everyone should be focused on improving our schools, not building a new and unnecessary new HQ's for the school board.  As many have noted, there is plenty of developable land along the river so there is no pressing need to add more.  Unlike the jail, the school board building is an office building that adds vibrancy to an area otherwise, to date, lacking same.  The development next door isn't exactly setting the world on fire so why add more land to that area.  What do we think will replace the school board building?  Another empty lot for the next few decades?

It's another boneheaded project by our elected officials IMHO. 

[thelakelander]

^I haven't followed this close enough but if the moves cost them more money in the long run, then staying put, then they should stay put. If part of a coordinated downtown master plan to get complimentary uses located adjacent to each other, then some downtown money should be used to cover the financial gap.

[Jax_Developer]

DCPS moving out of the downtown core would be devastating for downtown. Don't expect the type of development you'd like to see and talk about happen in downtown from the private sector, if our own public agencies are moving hundreds of employees out to the burbs.

I don't think it is fair to consider the first exit off of Hart Bridge "the burbs." Also to your prior points, I'd rather see that money go elsewhere (aka jail) than to a single-use government facility in an area only invested in by other single-use government facilities and subsidized housing.

I went through the staff's slide presentation.  The elephant in the room is that, of all the options, staying put and renovating their building is far and away the cheapest option.

An insider told me the only reason for considering a move is for the political optics created by our dysfunctional school board.  When the school tax was passed, there was also a provision/promise that all of it would pay for schools, not administrative buildings, so where do we think this money to move will come from. 

Bottom line, everyone should be focused on improving our schools, not building a new and unnecessary new HQ's for the school board.  As many have noted, there is plenty of developable land along the river so there is no pressing need to add more.  Unlike the jail, the school board building is an office building that adds vibrancy to an area otherwise, to date, lacking same.  The development next door isn't exactly setting the world on fire so why add more land to that area.  What do we think will replace the school board building?  Another empty lot for the next few decades?

It's another boneheaded project by our elected officials IMHO. 

I believe this scenario completely.

[Captain Zissou]

^ are you sure? I mean the mid-rise hotel at the proposed Lot J was supposed to cost something like $120 million.

Did you get personally attacked by someone at the Jags?  Your 5 most recent posts are some sort of lamentation about present or past Jag developments.  Let it go, tufsu.

[thelakelander]

DCPS moving out of the downtown core would be devastating for downtown. Don't expect the type of development you'd like to see and talk about happen in downtown from the private sector, if our own public agencies are moving hundreds of employees out to the burbs.

I don't think it is fair to consider the first exit off of Hart Bridge "the burbs." Also to your prior points, I'd rather see that money go elsewhere (aka jail) than to a single-use government facility in an area only invested in by other single-use government facilities and subsidized housing.

I believe its fair for two major reasons:

1. Historically speaking, Midtown was the first suburban office complex built in the country.

2. Moving hundreds of employees out of downtown proper, removes that population from spending money daily at downtown shops, restaurants, etc.

I'd rather them stay where they're at, if that was the option.