JUNE 12 TO JUNE 18, 2025 | JAXDAILYRECORD.COM
BUSINESS & LEGAL NEWS IN BAKER, CLAY, DUVAL, NASSAU AND ST. JOHNS COUNTIES
REGIONAL PROJECT UPDATE
INSIDE The Otto Aviation Phantom 3500.
From a roofing materials factory in Clay County to a potential facility that could build corporate jets in Duval, here’s a look at some of the developments taking shape or recently completed around Northeast Florida. PAGES 6-11
SWAP SETS THE STAGE
University of Florida graduate campus: The city gets the LaVilla building key to development of the new school.
New Downtown tower: Gateway Jax gets the Riverfront Plaza site where it plans to build a mixed-use tower.
THE MATHIS REPORT
Amazon adding gear for grocery orders PAGE 4
HIGHER EDUCATION
Medical school planned for Orange Park PAGE 3
The Interline Brands building is planned as the first part of the University of Florida graduate campus in the LaVilla neighborhood of Downtown.
BY RIC ANDERSON ASSOCIATE EDITOR
E
nding weeks of debate over how the city of Jacksonville should go about acquiring the former Interline Brands Inc. building for the University of Florida graduate school campus, the Jacksonville City Council opted June 10 for an amended version of a land swap for the privately owned LaVilla property.
Gateway Jax wants to build a 17-story, mixed-use development of residential, hotel and other spaces on what was part of the Jacksonville Landing.
Council voted 17-1 in favor of Ordinance 2025-0319, which directs the city to exchange a development pad at the former Jacksonville Landing site plus an option on an adjacent parcel for the Interline building, at 801 W. Bay St. Member Rory Diamond voted no without comment, and Ju’Coby Pittman was not present. The Gateway Jax development partnership owns the two-story, 38,186-squarefoot Interline building at 801 W. Bay St.
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In return for the LaVilla property, Gateway Jax agreed to build a 17-story tower on part of the Jacksonville Landing site, now called Riverfront Plaza, that would include a hotel, condos, restaurant and retail square footage and public spaces. Council member Ron Salem, one of three members who offered amendments to the ordinance, offered to withdraw his proposal to purchase the building outSEE SWAP, PAGE 14
THE BASCH REPORT
Rayonier sees opportunity in green energy business Rayonier Inc. says leasing its timberland for solar and wind farms can boost its value by up to 10 times. It’s also looking at the carbon capture market for another boost. PAGE 18
LAW & THE COURTS
JBA wraps up 2024-25 year Brian Coughlin, a director at The Bedell Law Firm, was sworn in as the JBA’s 2025-26 president. PAGE 16 AWARDS
FPZA honors ETM, Mathis Jacksonville-based England-Thims & Miller Inc. and Jacksonville Daily Record Editor at Large Karen Brune Mathis were honored with awards from the Florida Planning and Zoning Association. PAGE 12
VOLUME 112, NO. 31 | TWO SECTIONS | PUBLISHED SINCE 1912