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Record & Observer Curry backs JEA effort to sell utility
DEVELOPMENT JACKSONVILLE
Record & Observer THE BROOKLYN BOOM
A government-run utility “does not serve the best interests of our community in the long term,” mayor says.
JACKSONVILLE
Record & Observer BY MIKE MENDENHALL STAFF WRITER
JACKSONVILLE
Mayor Lenny Curry told City Council members at Monday’s JEA fact-finding workshop that he will oppose any effort to stop Jacksonville’s public utility from exploring a possible sale. In 5 minutes of prepared remarks, Curry weighed in for the first time on JEA’s privatization process in front of Council, putting his support behind the utility’s efforts to Curry explore a sale. Curry said he would not let JEA’s planning process end “because of baseless conspiracy theories” and “unprecedented negative onslaught from a small segment of the media” or “because the conversation is simply difficult to have.” “I philosophically believe that less government is better for the people and the limitations of a government-run utility monopoly does not serve the best interests of our community in the long term,” Curry said. Curry interceded in the JEA debate as former Mayor Jake Godbold, 86, increased his public opposition. Godbold published a full-page ad in The Florida TimeUnion on Monday to call on Council members to “pay attention to what JEA’s customers — your constituents — are saying” and testified at the fact-finding hearing.
Record & Observer NEW FIS HEADQUARTERS
Special to the Daily Record
FROM STAFF
FIS announced in October it will build a $145 million, 12-story, 300,000-squarefoot world headquarters at 323 Riverside Ave. The site is a former Florida Blue surface parking lot. FIS will receive $29.9 million in city and state incentives and hire an additional 500 workers by 2029.
T
he Brooklyn area Downtown is in the midst of a boom. More than $269 million in projects are underway or planned in the neighborhood along Riverside Avenue and the St. Johns River. Projects include a Residence Inn hotel; Brooklyn Place, next to the Brooklyn Station shopping center; a parking garage for Florida Blue; and the Vista Brooklyn and Lofts at Brooklyn apartment communities. The largest project is the most expensive, the $145 million world headquarters for FIS. More Brooklyn development, Page 6
The top commercial real estate sales of the week PAGE 8 The Mendenhall Report: Why JEA put incentive plan on hold PAGE 10 Leaders in the Law: Aequitas Counsel founder Kirsten Doolittle PAGE 12
Photo by Monty Zickuhr
MMENDENHALL@ JAXDAILYRECORD.COM (904) 356-2466
THE MATHIS REPORT
Johnson & Johnson Vision expansion could top $30M Plus: Plans for RH at Town Center in review. PAGE 4 VOLUME 2, NO. 26 • ONE SECTION
WHAT’S TRENDING
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JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD /J ACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2019
Big news doesn’t break just on Thursday. Here’s a look at some of the top stories published over the past week online at JaxDailyRecord.com and in the Jacksonville Daily Record that you may have missed.
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Chick-fil-A, based in Atlanta, operates almost 20 locations in Northeast Florida, including six university, mall and hospital restaurants.
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Lakewood could gain Chick-fil-A A closed Krispy Kreme in Lakewood could become a Chick-fil-A restaurant. The city Concurrency and Mobility Management System Office calculated a fee of $54,733 to mitigate the traffic impact of redeveloping the site at 3814 University Blvd. W. for a 135-seat Chick-fil-A. Bowman Consulting of Sunrise is the agent. Monmouth Shadowbrook Inc. of Holmdel, New Jersey, paid almost $1.8 million for the 1.31-acre
site in 2015. The mobility fee application shows the 2,700-square-foot former Krispy Kreme will be redeveloped into a 4,999-square-foot Chick-fil-A. The project comprises horizontal development and a new building with a drive-thru. The Krispy Kreme closed in spring 2016 along with one in Arlington at 7612 Merrill Road that was converted into an Arby’s restaurant.
CORPORATE MERGERS Hong Kong-based Seaspan acquires APR Energy Seaspan Corp., a Hong Kong-based operator of containerships, announced an agreement to buy Jacksonvillebased APR Energy Ltd. for stock valued at $750 million. The buyout is part of a reorganization of Seaspan into a new holding company called Atlas Corp. APR, which builds fast-track power plants around the world, was a public company before it was acquired by a
group of private equity firms in early 2016. “We are bringing together two leading, integrated platforms, in two industries in which we have long-term confidence – maritime and energy,” Seaspan Chairman David Sokol said in a news release. The reorganization and the acquisition of APR is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2020.
Editorial content focuses on news and trends, with a concentration on development, real estate, construction, law, companies, economic and industry trends and how local and state government affects business.
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Display & Digital Advertising: Call Jay Lesowitz at (904) 356-2466 or email jlesowitz@jaxdailyrecord.com To find more business events or to submit your event to the the business calendar, visit jaxdailyrecord.com/calendar. DEC. 6
Mark Vitner at St. Johns County Chamber: Wells Fargo Securities LLC senior economist Mark Vitner will provide insights at the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Economic Development Council Dec. 6. The event is 8-9:30 a.m. at the Renaissance World Golf Village Resort at 500 S. Legacy Trail in St. Augustine. Cost is $45 for Economic Development Council members and those invested at a higher level. Nonmembers and guests can contact Erin.Johnson@SJCChamber.com. For information, visit sjccchamber.com. DEC. 10
CSX’s Wallace at JAXUSA: Mark Wallace, executive vice president of sales and marketing with CSX Corp., is scheduled as the keynote speaker at the 4th Quarter JAXUSA Partnership Lunch on Dec. 10. JAXUSA Partnership is the economic development division of JAX Chamber. Check-in starts at 11:30 a.m. followed by the program at noon. The event is at the
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Hyatt Regency Jacksonivlle Riverfront Hotel at 225 E. Coastline Drive. Tickets are $50 for JAXUSA investors; $60 for JAX Chamber members; and $75 for nonmembers. For information, visit myjaxchamber.com. JAN. 14
Stavridis at World Affairs Council: Retired Adm. James Stavridis is scheduled to speak about “Global Power and Sea Power” to the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville Global Issues Evening and the University of North Florida’s Distinguished Voices Lecture Series on Jan. 14. Stavridis is a retired four-star admiral in the U.S. Navy who led the NATO Alliance in global operations from 2009-13 as Supreme Allied Commander with responsibility for Afghanistan, Libya, the Balkans, Syria, counterpiracy and cybersecurity. The event is 7-8:30 p.m. at the UNF Adam W. Herbert University Center at 12000 Alumni Drive. Attendance is free but reservations are required. For information, visit worldaffairscounciljax.com or call (904) 280-8162.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2019
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Stein Mart optimistic on sales initiatives Cannae Holdings names new CEO
MARK BASCH CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Third-quarter sales fall 1% after Jacksonvillebased retailer closes five stores. Stein Mart Inc. last week reported a loss for the third quarter but remained optimistic that new sales initiatives are improving its outlook. The Jacksonville-based fashion retailer recorded a net loss of $12.1 million, or 25 cents a share, for the quarter ended Nov. 2. Sales fell 1% to $276.1 million, impacted by the closing of five stores this year that reduced its footprint to 283 stores in operation across the country. Comparable-store sales (sales at stores continuing in operation for more than one year) fell 0.1%. However, CEO Hunt Hawkins expressed optimism about the sales trend because third-quarter comparablestore sales were 2.5 percentage points better than they were in the first half of the fiscal Hawkins year. “The increase reflects traction from our fall initiatives, with the most impactful being the launch of our Kids department and a double-digit increase in omni sales,” Hawkins said in a conference call. Omni sales, or sales from all online channels, jumped 18% in the third quarter. The launch of the Kids department was one of several initiatives introduced to turn sales trends around. Hawkins said the expansion of children’s clothing makes Stein Mart a “one-stop destination” for families to shop. “As planned, Kids is creating incremental sales by attracting
File image
In the third quarter, sales at Stein Mart stores in operation for more than one year fell 0.1%.
new customers to Stein Mart, as well as increasing basket size for existing customers that can now conveniently shop for their children in our stores and online,” President MaryAnne Morin said in the conference call. Stein Mart this month launched a fine jewelry department, which Morin said offers merchandise at prices 40% to 60% lower than competitors. “The addition of fine jewelry allows us to expand our luxury offerings and is another way we differentiate from other off-price retailers,” she said. Stein Mart is projecting fourth-quarter comparablestore sales to be in a range of flat to a low single-digit percentage increase. “With our improved thirdquarter sales trend, we believe we are in a good position heading into the fourth quarter and expect to continue to make healthy progress with our business,” Hawkins said. Wall Street remains uncertain about the turnaround. Stein Mart’s stock has been trading below $1 since May as investors wait for more sales improvement.
Shoe Carnival beats forecasts Shoe Carnival Inc. last week reported third-quarter earnings that were higher than analysts’ forecasts. The footwear chain controlled by former Jacksonville Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver reported earnings of 94 cents a share for the third quarter ended Nov. 2, up from 76 cents the previous year. The earnings were 3 cents a share higher than the consensus forecast of analysts, according to Zacks Investment Research.
Sales in the quarter rose 2% to $274.6 million and comparable-store sales rose 3.5%. With the strong third quarter, Shoe Carnival raised its earnings forecast for the full fiscal year from a range of $2.77 to $2.83 a share to a range of $2.85 to $2.89. It expects comparable-store sales to be up by a low singledigit percentage for the full year. Shoe Carnival’s stock opened $2.85 higher at $40 Friday after the earnings report, but slipped back and closed the day at $36.30, down 85 cents on the day. Weaver is chairman of Evansville, Indiana-based Shoe Carnival and his family is the largest shareholder, controlling 34% of the stock. Shoe Carnival operates 393 stores in 35 states and Puerto Rico.
SEC probing Ameris finance company deal
Ameris Bancorp disclosed in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing last week it received subpoenas from the SEC and from a U.S. Attorney for information related to its acquisition of US Premium Finance Holding Co. Ameris first invested in the finance company in 2016 and acquired full control of the business in 2018. The subpoenas issued by the Atlanta Regional Office of the SEC and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia seek documents and other materials related to the deal. Ameris did not say why the subpoenas were issued. Ameris recently moved its headquarters to Atlanta after previously maintaining its
Cannae Holdings Inc., the investment company spun off from Jacksonville-based Fidelity National Financial Inc., last week named Richard Massey as CEO. Massey is senior managing director of Trasimeme Capital Management, a firm with ties to Fidelity that is operating Cannae under a management Massey contract. Massey also is a board member of Fidelity. Cannae is headquartered in Las Vegas, but has been run by executives with ties to Fidelity since it was spun off as a separate company two years ago.
American Outdoor Brands splitting Three years after acquiring a Jacksonville-based outdoor gear company to diversify beyond firearms, the parent company of Smith & Wesson is splitting its gun and outdoor businesses into two. American Outdoor Brands Corp. announced it will split into two public companies called Smith & Wesson Brands Inc. and American Outdoor Brands Inc. “There have been significant changes in the political climate as well as the economic, investing, and insurance markets since we embarked upon what we believe have been our very successful diversification efforts,” American Outdoor Chairman Barry Monheit said in a news release. “We believe that separating into two independent public companies will allow each company to better align its strategic objectives with its capital allocation priorities.” Smith & Wesson bought Jacksonville-based Ultimate Survival Technologies for $32.3 million in 2016 and changed its name to American Outdoor as part of a plan to expand its business beyond firearms. American Outdoor closed the former UST facility in Jacksonville early this year and consolidated operations of its
outdoor gear business into a new facility in Missouri, which will be the headquarters for the new American Outdoor company. Smith & Wesson will be headquartered in the company’s current offices in Springfield, Massachusetts. CEO James Debney will stay on as CEO of the outdoor company. “Since we established this business five years ago, I have been enthusiastic about its potential for both organic and inorganic growth,” Debney said in the news release. “We have successfully acquired and integrated several respected consumer brands and grown the outdoor products and accessories business so that it has become a meaningful percentage of AOBC’s overall revenue.”
THE BASCH REPORT
executive offices in Jacksonville.
Jacksonville Medtronic sees sales growth
Medtronic plc last week reported higher sales growth for its Jacksonville division, which makes surgical instruments for ear, nose and throat physicians. While the medical device maker does not give specific sales figures for the ENT division, it said sales grew by a high-single-digit percentage in its second quarter ended Oct. 25, adjusted for currency fluctuations. That’s up from mid-single-digit growth in the first quarter. Medtronic said the increase was driven by capital equipment sales of a surgical navigation system and sales of disposables used with a nerve monitoring system. The ENT business is part of Medtronic’s specialty therapies group, which had total revenue of $333 million in the second quarter. Ireland-based Medtronic’s total global sales grew by an adjusted 4.1% to $7.7 billion. Medtronic reported adjusted earnings of $1.31 a share for the quarter, 9 cents higher than last year and 3 cents higher than Zacks’ consensus forecast. The company also slightly increased its earnings forecast for the full fiscal year from a range of $5.54 to $5.60 to a range of $5.57 to $5.63 a share.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2019
JaxDailyRecord.com
THE MATHIS REPORT
Johnson & Johnson Vision expansion could top $30M
KAREN BRUNE MATHIS EDITOR
The company makes Acuvue disposable contact lenses at the Deerwood Park facility. Johnson & Johnson Vision is working toward a minimum $30 million investment to upgrade and expand the central utilities plant at its Jacksonville campus, which makes Acuvue disposable contact lenses. The investment could top that, pending more permit applications. What it means is that Johnson & Johnson Vision, part of New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson, sees continued output and potential growth at its plant at 7500 Centurion Parkway in Deerwood Park. “This is related to utilities upgrades needed to maintain current production operations at the site, as well as allows for future utilities expansion should the plant require it,” said Johnson & Johnson spokesperson Jessica Giangaspero. She said she could not verify
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The Johnson & Johnson plant at 7500 Centurion Parkway in Deerwood Park.
the amount proposed for the expansion. Permit applications made to date indicate Johnson & Johnson Vision anticipates a plant expansion of at least $27.5 million. In addition, the city issued a permit in June to add mechanical equipment to the existing plant at a cost of $2.2 million. Permits under review for the utilities plant show footings and sediment and erosion controls; installation of a pipe bridge to process chilled water and other utilities; building demolition; and a 15,421-square-foot, two-story addition. As of March, Johnson & Johnson Vision had about 1,800 employees in Jacksonville. JAXUSA Partnership, the economic development division of JAX Chamber, reports Johnson & Johnson
Vision Care is one of the city’s largest employers with 2,000 employees. Giangaspero said the workforce fluctuates. Johnson & Johnson Vision is part of Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies. Formerly called Johnson & Johnson Vision Care and Vistakon, it began expanding beyond the contact lens business in 2017 with acquisitions of other eye health businesses. The company says that its products and technologies address needs including refractive error, cataracts and dry eye. Its website is jjvision. com. It operates a Jacksonville campus of almost 900,000 square feet of space, records show. Johnson & Johnson Vision has operated the Jacksonville contact lens unit since 1981 when it bought Frontier Contact Lenses. Dual-headquartered in Jacksonville and in Santa Ana, California, Johnson & Johnson Vision says it has more than 10,000 employees worldwide and its eye health products are available in 103 countries.
More reviews for RH St. Johns Town Center store
RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, is another step closer to building a store at St. Johns Town Center. Civil engineer EnglandThims & Miller Inc. filed plans with the St. Johns River Water Management District for an
RH store in what will be the fourth phase of the Southside shopping area. St. Johns Town Center LLC, part of landlord Simon Property Group Inc., is listed as the applicant. England-Thims & Miller applied to the district for a modification to the existing permit on behalf of Simon. RH wants to occupy a multilevel 42,759-square-foot store on 3.77 acres at northeast Village Shops Way and Bistro Drive, at the southern end of St. Johns Town Center. The application is another step for RH to open the store. JEA issued a service availability letter in August for a multistory RH at the site. The city issued conditional capacity availability statements Aug. 14 for the center’s fourth phase, and EnglandThims & Miller filed civil plans with the city Nov. 1 for the store. California-based RH, which changed its name from Restoration Hardware in 2017, sells furniture, lighting, textiles, rugs, bath ware, décor and outdoor items, as well as baby, child and teen products. Some RH stores offer a rooftop park that includes a restaurant and wine bar, although the Jacksonville plans don’t show those details. RH operated a Jacksonville RH Outlet store for about three years but closed it early this year. St. Johns Town Center opened 15 years ago at northwest Butler Boulevard and Interstate 295.
Plans show the four-parcel fourth phase will comprise a theater, hotel and additional retail space. RH is called Parcel 2.
BB&T issues mortgage for Bentley dealership
Branch Banking and Trust Co. of Fort Lauderdale made a $16.05 million mortgage Oct. 31 to MNAR - Real Estate Holdings LLC for the Bentley Maserati Alfa Romeo dealership. In September, the city issued a construction permit for the dealership at a cost of almost $11 million at 7137 Bonneval Road. Miami-based Brickell Motors and Miami Automotive Retail Inc., led by President and CEO Mario Murgado, paid Murgado $3.36 million for the 9-acre site in February through MNAR-Real Estate Holdings LLC. Murgado signed the mortgage as the mortgagor and borrower. The St. Johns River Water Management District is reviewing a modification to a permit for construction of a 43,000-square-foot auto dealership building.
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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE Promotions,hiringsandhappeningsforbusinesspeopleinNortheastFlorida.Senditems to ssailer@jaxdailyrecord.com Finxact added three employees to its leadership team. Martin Barbee is chief engagement partner, Bill Clinton is chief financial officer and Carol Stewart is senior product manager of commerical lending. Barbee was senior vice president of enterprise banking at nCino Inc. for seven years before joining Finxact. Clinton most recently served as CFO of NSM Insurance, CSMI LLC and Vitalyst LLC. Stewart has more than 30 years of development experience with Automated Financial Systems commercial loan products. Leah Kammerdiener joined Florida
Eye Specialists as an ophthalmologist specializing in the treatment of glaucoma and cataract surgery. Kammerdiener was a glaucoma specialist at Lowcountry Eye Specialists in Ladson, South Carolina. Christine Cauffield, CEO of LSF Health Systems, was appointed to the Florida Department of Elder Affairs State Plan Advisory Group.
Comcar creating 75 jobs: Comcar Industries, the parent company for four divisions offering national truck transportation services, announced it will realign some operations to a new office in Jacksonville at 8800 Baymeadows Way W. and create 75 jobs. Functions will include dispatch, customer service, brokerage and backoffice support. The transition will begin in mid-December and be completed in the second quarter of 2020. Comcar will retain its offices in Auburndale. The Comcar board of directors said it chose Jacksonville because it offers greater access to the region’s expanding talent pool of logistics profession-
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BUSINESS IN BRIEF Belfort Parkway building sale: Jacksonville-based NAI Hallmark Managing Partner Christian Harden and associate Sarabeth Lewis represented Blackwood Investment Group in the purchase of 7900 and 7950 Belfort Parkway for $4.8 million. Harden led the transaction and found the property for the buyer to purchase off-market. The property, built in 1989, comprises two single-story, flex-office buildings totaling 83,027 square feet on 4.95 acres. Occupancy was 88% at the time of the sale. Acorn Property Holdings, which sold the property, purchased it a year ago as part of a six-building portfolio for $10 million. Blackwood Investments, which bought the property through Belfort 3 Partners LLC, is the principal of Central Railway Manufacturing, which will occupy the last available 10,000 square feet of space. It designs and fabricates technology for the railroad industry.
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als. “Jacksonville has been known as ‘America’s Logistics Center’ for several years and includes thousands already leading transportation, technology and finance innovation centers,” it said. Stellar-Chemours partnership: Jacksonville-based Stellar, a global design, engineering, construction and mechanical services firm, worldwide, partnered with The Chemours Company, a global chemistry company in titanium technologies, fluoroproducts and chemical solutions. Stellar will help develop and promote the Chemours product Opteon in recreational and industrial refrigeration projects, including retrofits. Opteon is the official refrigerant of the NHL. Dalton Agency awarded: Dalton Agency won the 2019 PRNews’ Elite Award in the category of Government/ NGO. Dalton’s public relations effort promoted the 100th anniversary of the Easterseals charity for its service to individuals with disabilities and their families. The campaign achieved national and local coverage supporting the charity’s 69 affiliates. Catholic Charities moves office: Catholic Charities is moving its Jacksonville Regional Office to the Jessie Ball duPont Center effective Dec. 9. The agency will close Dec. 2-6 as it moves from 134 E. Church St. to the duPont Center at 40 E. Adams St., Suite 320. The office said client parking is available in the lot at 131 E. Adams St. The website is CCBJax.org.
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Catholic Charities is moving to the Jessie Ball duPont Center at 40 E. Adams St.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2019
JaxDailyRecord.com
THE BROOKLYN BOOM
A look at the projects underway in the Downtown community.
FLORIDA BLUE PARKING GARAGE Florida Blue will build a $22.5 million parking garage at Magnolia, Forest and Park streets. The four-story garage will have 869 spaces and include food truck areas, two public parklike spaces and room to build-out future retail. The garage will make available a surface parking lot on Riverside Avenue for development of the new FIS headquarters. Florida Blue’s parent company, GuideWell Inc., also is preparing to add 500 contract and 250 full-time jobs to its Riverside Avenue offices, bringing its total Downtown workforce to 1,750. A retention pond at the site of the garage has been filled in by the city. Construction is expected to begin by Jan. 9 and be completed by Sept. 9.
BROOKLYN PLACE The $1.78 million Brooklyn Place shopping center is rising at 50 Riverside Ave. next door to Brooklyn Station. Restaurants Panera Bread, Chipotle and Bento Asian Kitchen + Sushi will lease space in the building. The Ferber Co., which is developing the site, says construction should be completed for tenant openings by summer. Photos by Monty Zickuhr
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Renderings special to the Daily Record
JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
JaxDailyRecord.com
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2019
VISTA BROOKLYN
Bristol Development Group LLC and Hallmark Partners Inc. are developing the more than $60 million, 10-story, 308-unit tower at 200 Riverside Ave., between 220 Riverside and the Brooklyn Station on Riverside retail development. When the developers were issued the construction permit in November 2018, they said construction was expected to take about two years.
LOFTS AT BROOKLYN Vestcor Companies is building a $29 million, five-story, 133-unit apartment building on a 1.16-acre site along Spruce Street between Jackson and Stonewall streets in Brooklyn. Two building permits for the project were issued Nov. 18.
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Residence Inn by Marriott is a $10.2 million, 136-room, seven-story hotel on 1.8 acres at 357 Oak St. just west of Unity Plaza. Pinkerton & Law Construction of Orlando Inc. was issued building permits for the project in July.
jacksonvillemediator.com
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COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD /J ACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2019
JaxDailyRecord.com
Top commercial sales of the week BY SCOTT SAILER • STAFF WRITER
Here are the top 10 commercial real estate sales in Northeast Florida, comprising Baker, Clay, Duval and St. Johns counties. The sales were recorded Nov. 18-22.
File image
Welltower Inc. paid $34.3 million for Inspired Living at Jacksonville at 10520 Validus Drive.
DUVAL
DUVAL
ST. JOHNS
ST. JOHNS
DUVAL
$34,301,000
$28,000,000
$12,185,000
$6,500,000
$4,950,000
10520 Validus Drive, Jacksonville
5885 Edenfield Road, Jacksonville
250 Sandy Creek Parkway, St. Augustine
Florida 312, St. Augustine
1170 Airport Road, Jacksonville
Type: Inspired Living at Jacksonville Parcel size: 15.12 acres Buyer: DSL Jacksonville II LLC Seller: Senior Care Living of Jacksonville LLC
Type: Charter Landing Apartments Parcel size: 26.6 acres Units: 332 units Buyer: Savlan Charter Landing LLC Seller: Charter Landing LLC Previous sale: $12,885,000 in 2014
Type: Self-storage Parcel size: 5.18 acres Building size: Two buildings totaling 109,809 square feet Buyer: Amsdell Storage Ventures 63 LLC Seller: Sandy Creek Development LLC and Peachtree Village Partners LLC
Type: Preserve Parcel size: Not available Buyer: The Internal Improvement Trust Fund of the State of Florida Seller: Fish Island Development LLC
Type: Days Inn by Wyndham Jacksonville Airport Parcel size: 4.07 acres Buyer: Eshaan Hospitality Inc. Seller: 4300 Salisbury LLC Previous sale: $2,500,000 in 2013
DUVAL
DUVAL
DUVAL
DUVAL
ST. JOHNS
$4,925,000
$4,801,533
$4,617,500
$4,400,000
$4,011,500
2627 Riverside Ave., No. 300, Jacksonville
7900-7950 Belfort Parkway Jacksonville
701 W. Adams St., Jacksonville
2500 Monument Road, Jacksonville
Type: Southeast Orthopedic Specialists office condominium Office size: 12,471 square feet Buyer: GMR Jacksonville Riverside LLC Seller: SEOS RS Holdings LLC Previous sale: $2,640,000 in 2017
Type: Office/flex warehouse Parcel size: 4.96 acres Building size: 83,764 square feet Buyer: Belfort 3 Partners LLC Seller: Acorn Belfort Park LLC
Type: Diamond-S office building Parcel size: 1.7 acres Building size: 31,972 square feet Buyer: Community First Credit Union of Florida Seller: Southbelt Park Ltd., IGS Diamond S Inc. and Irving G. Snyder Jr. Previous sale: $4,415,000 in 2015
Type: Wawa Parcel size: 1.82 acres Buyer: 3421 Washington Boulevard LLC Seller: BW Monument McCormick LLC
Longleaf Pine Parkway West, County Road 210 West, Roberts and Greenbriar roads, Switzerland Type: Undeveloped mixed-use Parcel size: Not available Buyer: DRP FL 4 LLC Seller: Helow Properties Ltd.
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JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
JaxDailyRecord.com
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2019
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Did you know? Women’s Council has the most extensive network presence in the National Association of Realtors and they are the largest percent of RPAC donations of any NAR network or council.
www.WCRJax.org
December Member Spotlight Janet Ogburn LLC, Keller Williams
A little known or unknown fact (past or present) about yourself. I joined the Women’s Council of Realtors 4 years ago, and have enjoyed the leadership and the broader community that the council has introduced me to. I can say without a shadow of doubt I have met some fantastic women through the Women Council in Jacksonville and other cities and some great contacts have been made in several states. I recently formed a partnership with Wendi Miller through Keller William Jacksonville Realty, we met over a Janet Ogburn LLC transaction five years ago, and became fast friends. I am Keller Williams intense and she is laid back- opposites attract. Both of us have a passion for helping others achieve their goals, so we combined our talents and our passion to make a difference with our customers and our community. Each month we will have a new project or event dedicated to helping the homeless. The month of December we have an event to assist in the Shoeboxes of Love project with Channel 4.
H O L I D AY G A L A , AWA R D S , I N S TA L L AT I O N
Women’s Council of Realtors
What is your passion in the office? Outside the office? My life is pretty simple outside the office. I love to travel and fish. Flying is my least favorite form of transportation, boarding a plane is like going to the dentist-- yikeswhere is the wine! How has the Women’s Council of Realtors benefited you personally and professionally? The Women’s Council of Realtors has helped me develop relationships within the industry and with other business leaders in the industry. The networking events educational opportunities have helped me in my real estate career offering me an opportunity to work alongside others in our industry that have similar passions and broader perspectives.
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JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD /J ACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2019
JaxDailyRecord.com
“The plan was drafted and as we were continuing to go through legal review, financial review, it was decided that until we get done with our strategic planning, it doesn’t make sense to roll it out.”
MIKE MENDENHALL STAFF WRITER
JEA executive Kerri Stewart says performance unit plan wasn’t killed because of concerns raised about its cost. When the JEA board of directors approved a long-term employee incentive program at its July 23 meeting, the vote was taken without a complete analysis of the plan’s final cost. In a Nov. 22 interview at JEA headquarters, utility Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Kerri Stewart said the program the board approved was in draft form. The vote was a directive to staff to complete and implement the program, and there were no plans for additional board action after the final cost was available, she said. “The board approved the strategy and the changes to the policy and the general structure of the plan,” Stewart said. “There were more details in the
(June) compensation committee meeting, but full-blown calculations were not presented to the board in July.” That structure included offering 100,000 performance units to all JEA employees for purchase at $10 each. The unit value would increase as the utility hit financial targets within a three-year cycle. The plan was put on hold last week by JEA management and is on track to be rescinded by the board at its December meeting. The City Council Auditor’s Office issued a memo Nov. 18 that included a financial assessment showing the incentive could cost JEA up to $636.6 million if the utility is sold to a private company. JEA Managing Director and CEO Aaron Zahn sent a letter Nov. 19 to Council President Scott Wilson stating his team will recommend the board ter-
sion to postpone the plan was not determined by financial analysis but by the uncertainty whether the utility will remain municipal or become a private company. “The plan was drafted and as we were continuing to go through legal review, financial review, it was decided that until we get done with our strategic planning, it doesn’t make sense to roll it out,” Stewart said. “... It moved to fully rescinding it because we could always come up with something if we decide we’re going to be JEA as a government entity for the long haul.” The program’s framework was recommended by thirdparty consulting firm Willis Towers Watson, according to a Nov. 12 letter from Zahn to city General Counsel Jason Gabriel. Billy’s memo states the lack of a payout cap in the plan is a concern and the reason for the program’s elevated estimated costs in his analysis. Stewart said if the plan is viewed as a governmental replacement for stock options, a cap would defeat the purpose. “Why would any stock have a cap? Why would any performance unit have a cap?” Stewart said. “The better you are performing, the better the company is doing, the better the financial health.”
determine who can buy the performance units. In general, the performance incentive is open to all employees, including members of the executive team. PAYOUT QUESTIONS BY CITY AUDITOR
JEA VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF CUSTOMER OFFICER KERRI STEWART
minate the long-term incentive plan as early as Dec. 9, following growing concern from the Council Auditor. The JEA Compensation Committee’s June presentation gave an estimated $3.4 million annual performance unit award cost based on employees’ incumbent base salaries at the time. Stewart said the plan was part of a broader strategy to get JEA employees “to pay attention to the financial health of the utility” and address what appeared to be “a lack of buy-in or skin in the game for employees.” Council Auditor Kyle Billy told the Council Finance Committee on Nov. 19 that non-JEA employees, specifically the city Office of General Counsel representatives who work at JEA full time, would be eligible. For Billy, that raised red flags. A plan administrator would
According to Billy’s analysis, the three-year cost of the performance incentives to JEA ratepayers could be $101.35 million, based on a comparison of JEA’s audited financial statements from fiscal years 2018 and 2015. Billy’s audit contrasts with JEA’s internal projections. The memo shows JEA’s internal analysis, which is based on unaudited fiscal year 2019 statements and the 2022 forecast value, expects the incentives to cost JEA $15.778 million over a payout cycle, or $167.78 per performance unit. If JEA is sold, Billy said the utility’s value will increase and so will the performance unit payouts. If the city nets $3 billion in a JEA sale, the value of the performance units would be unchanged. The auditor’s analysis shows the total program payout increases by more than $300 million for each additional $1 billion the city nets. If the city nets $4 billion in the JEA sale, the total payout would be $315 million — $3,150 per performance unit. A $5 billion net proceed to the city increases that payout cost to $636.6 million. Stewart says JEA’s deci-
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JEA board didn’t know cost of incentive program
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JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD / JACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
JaxDailyRecord.com
BY SCOTT SAILER • STAFF WRITER
Here are the top 10 single-family residential real estate sales in Northeast Florida, comprising Baker, Clay, Duval and St. Johns counties. The sales were recorded Nov. 18-22.
DUVAL
DUVAL
$1,325,000
$980,000
5232 Tallulah Lake Court, Jacksonville
140 S. Serenata Drive, No. 132, Ponte Vedra Beach
Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.42 acres House size: 5,190 square feet Buyer: Jonathan D. and Amber D. Prothero Seller: Sean R. and Jacque L. Grzebin
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2019
RESIDENTIA L REAL ESTATE
Top 10 home sales of week
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Type: Ocean Villas at Serenata Beach Condominium Condominium size: 2,420 square feet Buyer: Christian B. Ragot Seller: Davis B. and Helen S. Tucker Previous sale: $759,000 in 2009
DUVAL
$1,280,000 1853 Edgewood Ave. S., Jacksonville
DUVAL
$1,895,000
Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.3 acres House size: 4,442 square feet Buyer: Charles D. and Melanie Hendrix Seller: David L. Nunes Previous sale: $1,115,000 in 2014
2502 W. Lynnhaven Terrace, Jacksonville About the property: Two-story home on the St. Johns River. Features five bedrooms, 6½ baths, theater, exercise room, detached garage, outdoor fireplace, balconies, covered outdoor spaces, pool, spa and dock.
Type: Single-family Lot size: 1.09 acres House size: 6,771 square feet Buyer: Brian E. and Jake E. Wolfburg Seller: Barry H. and Rori L. Stevens
DUVAL
$960,000 13658 Little Harbor Court, Jacksonville Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.41 acres House size: 4,609 square feet Buyer: The Alfonso Diago Living Trust Seller: John and Cindy J. Bradley
DUVAL
ST. JOHNS
ST. JOHNS
ST. JOHNS
DUVAL
$1,755,000
$1,680,000
$1,675,000
$1,175,000
$907,000
395 12th St., Atlantic Beach
953 Lew Blvd., St. Augustine
121 Yellow Bill Lane, Ponte Vedra Beach
299 S. Roscoe Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach
91 Ocean Breeze Drive, Atlantic Beach
Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.35 acres House size: 3,436 square feet Buyer: Chase McKeague Revocable Trust Seller: Walter T. and Janna B. McNicholas Previous sale: $1,695,000 in 2018
Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.76 acres House size: 5,445 square feet Buyer: Joseph DiFeo Seller: Mary K. Hopson and the Kate Hopson Trust Previous sale: $1,600,000 in 2017
Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.18 acres House size: 4,828 square feet Buyer: Joshua and Jennifer Eaton Seller: Robert T. and Whitney M. Marema
Type: Single-family Lot size: 1 acre House size: 4,967 square feet Buyer: Travis L. and Brandon M. Becker Seller: Michael E. and Juli C. Muzelak Previous sale: $783,000 in 2017
Type: Single-family Lot size: 0.19 acres House size: 4,053 square feet Buyer: Caitlin D. and Kyle N. Khadivi Seller: Felix Frayman and Lois S. Becker Previous sale: $1,000,000 in 2007
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JACKSONVILLE DAILY RECORD /J ACKSONVILLE RECORD & OBSERVER
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2019
JaxDailyRecord.com
KIRSTEN DOOLITTLE BY MAX MARBUT • ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Someone other than my spouse who inspires me: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg How do you relate your undergraduate degree to your practice of law? As a history major and education minor, I developed an appreciation (or tolerance) for reading high volumes of material at a significant pace, identifying key facts and themes and discussing information in a semi-intelligible fashion. I did not know it at the time, but that work provided the foundation for the skill set that I rely on every day. How did you decide your practice area? My grandfather was a union organizer and my dad is a labor lawyer in Mississippi. In high school, I worked in my dad’s office and spent some time in union halls and contract negotiations. I ultimately chose a labor and employment practice because I saw the impact that he made for individual clients as well as large groups of workers and felt called to do the same. About four years ago, I migrated into Title IX compliance to help schools protect all students by investigating allegations of sexual misconduct in a fair, prompt and thorough manner. What has been the biggest change in your practice area since you passed the Bar? Probably the evolu-
Education: Dartmouth College, B.A., University of Southern California Law School, J.D.
tion of employee protection statutes: The Americans with Disabilities Act, Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, Fair Labor Standards Act and Title VII, as well as the enactment of state and federal whistleblower statutes.
Hometown: Jackson, Mississippi
What do you think will be the next biggest change in your area of law? Over the past five years, there has been an uptick in litigation brought by students alleging that schools have violated their rights under Title IX by virtue of inadequate investigations and/or unsupported findings. As a result, many schools have changed the manner in which they respond to allegations of sexual misconduct. In addition, the Department of Education is on the eve of announcing significant changes to Title IX regulations that will further impact how schools respond to these issues, particularly at the K-12 level. Given the climate, I expect that we will see similar regulations prescribing how employers respond to workplace misconduct.
Family: My husband, Patrick Carney, our daughters, Rivers and Gracie Bell, and our dog, Chili Favorite books: “O Pioneers!” by Willa Cather; “Good Ole’ Boy” by Willie Morris Books I’m reading now: “Untangled” by Lisa Damour; “Heavy” by Kiese Laymon Websites and apps I can’t live without: Tasty, NOAA Weather, TeamSnap
If I could change anything in the legal system, I would … Eliminate the use of email to communicate on substantive matters. What community service have you pursued and why that? I have served as a board member for Planned Parenthood for nearly 10 years to ensure that people in our community have access to excellent reproductive health care and education. I also serve on the
Founder and managing shareholder of Aequitas Counsel Age: 45
Kirsten Doolittle is chair of the Jacksonville Bar Association Labor & Employment Law Committee. Who or what inspired you to become a lawyer? My parents are lawyers and inspired me to pursue this path.
KIRSTEN DOOLITTLE
Special to the Daily Record
Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville and work as a pro bono mediator for the Jacksonville Human Rights Commission. What’s your advice for new lawyers? Work hard. Speak up. Be kind.
Favorite nonwork activities: Going to the beach, watching our daughters play sports, joining the 5 a.m. First Coast CrossFit misfits
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