Citizens draws bids for office space in Downtown and South Jacksonville

[thelakelander]

I think we all saw the writing on the wall.

[Skybox111]

Heres some of the problems they had they ranged from a naked man entering a nearby building, a man being stabbed Downtown, a bullet going through one of the EverBank building's windows, and a homeless man exposing himself and then urinating on himself in front of a Citizens employee.

[jaxlongtimer]

Regardless of the outcome of Citizens, I would hope City leaders will now better appreciate the need for security and safety Downtown.  Maybe that newfound priority will pay dividends from future opportunities. 

I will add that the JSO presence for cultural events Downtown such as the vicinity around the Performing Arts Center and Arena have also been lacking over the years.  Big difference between Jags games and everything else.  More JSO should boost attendance at these, MOCA, and other events.

FYI, I am not sure the suburbs or anywhere nowadays are fully immune from the issues that Citizens is concerned about but everything is relative.

Adding things up for Downtown (exclusive of Brooklyn) losses:
- Citizens - 1,000
- Army Corp (maybe) - 800
- IRS/Federal jobs (maybe) - ??
- HD Supply/Interline - 400-600??
- Wells Fargo - ??

Gains (over time):
  -Vystar
- Hanania
- Haskell
- Everbank
- UF Grad Campus

It is notable that gains are mostly coming from local companies and losses are mostly from non-locally controlled entities.

[Jones518]

It's still a bummer... it's like the city takes a step forward in the right direction then something happens and takes us 3 steps back ... never ending cycle...Hopefully the building can be leased out again sooner rather than later...one thing fasho, Jax can attract a corporate headquarters...

I think we all saw the writing on the wall.

[Joey Mackey]

Let's not pretend Citizens had 1000 employees showing up to work in that office everyday. The real number was closer to less than 100. The biggest loser here is the landlord and the loss rent, not downtown viability.

[Ken_FSU]

Let's not pretend Citizens had 1000 employees showing up to work in that office everyday. The real number was closer to less than 100. The biggest loser here is the landlord and the loss rent, not downtown viability.

Valid.

A major blow to downtown - thanks Ronald and Rory for killing the mayor's plan to aggressively fight homelessness and a lack of affordable housing! - but downtown isn't losing 1,000 daily employees.

Up until just a few months ago, the average Citizens employee was working maybe 1.5 days a week in office. The very recent RTO mandate was wildly unpopular and led to a ton of attrition.

So, definitely a bummer, but we're losing closer to 200 workers max a day in the CBD vs 1,000.

[Zac T]

Regardless of the outcome of Citizens, I would hope City leaders will now better appreciate the need for security and safety Downtown.  Maybe that newfound priority will pay dividends from future opportunities. 

I will add that the JSO presence for cultural events Downtown such as the vicinity around the Performing Arts Center and Arena have also been lacking over the years.  Big difference between Jags games and everything else.  More JSO should boost attendance at these, MOCA, and other events.

FYI, I am not sure the suburbs or anywhere nowadays are fully immune from the issues that Citizens is concerned about but everything is relative.

Adding things up for Downtown (exclusive of Brooklyn) losses:
- Citizens - 1,000
- Army Corp (maybe) - 800
- IRS/Federal jobs (maybe) - ??
- HD Supply/Interline - 400-600??
- Wells Fargo - ??

Gains (over time):
  -Vystar
- Hanania
- Haskell
- Everbank
- UF Grad Campus

It is notable that gains are mostly coming from local companies and losses are mostly from non-locally controlled entities.

JWB is also building out their HQ in the Greenleaf & Crosby building which will add a few hundred employees right in the heart of DT

[thelakelander]

Move to the Southside confirmed:

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2025/03/12/citizens-property-insurance-board-approves-moving-jacksonville-office/82336789007/

[Ken_FSU]

Downtown has its problems, but I can't imagine a hell worse than working 40 hours a week off Baymeadows and Phillips Highway.

[Jones518]

No more beautiful views of the river and definitely not walkable to anything.... I'm sure you can hear the highway less than 1000 ft away too at the old Florida Coastal School of Law property... But I guess it's closer to their employee base and it's closer to the suburban oasis that many Jaxsons prefer.

Downtown has its problems, but I can't imagine a hell worse than working 40 hours a week off Baymeadows and Phillips Highway.

[thelakelander]

Downtown has its problems, but I can't imagine a hell worse than working 40 hours a week off Baymeadows and Phillips Highway.

To be honest, that location would make me resign from Citizens lol. But to each their own. It's heavy traffic congestion over there for a reason.

[Ken_FSU]

Downtown has its problems, but I can't imagine a hell worse than working 40 hours a week off Baymeadows and Phillips Highway.

To be honest, that location would make me resign from Citizens lol. But to each their own. It's heavy traffic congestion over there for a reason.

100% agree.

I don't think I could ever do suburban office park.

[heights unknown]

Wow. Regrets, great regrets on the horizon. Brings to mind a song by "Hall and Oates," 1976, called "She's Gone." Yep, She (Citizens) is gone.