Florida Blue tower might become Sheriff's Office

[thelakelander]

The Florida Blue office tower that opened a half century ago as a health insurance headquarters could become the future home base of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

The prospect remains in the discussion stage but is picking up speed. If the Sheriff's Office were to make the move to the Riverside Avenue office tower, it would be a sign of how the COVID-19 pandemic and remote work has impacted Jacksonville's office market by making it less costly to lease space than build something new from the ground up.

If the Sheriff's Office moved out of the Police Memorial Building, it would take about 80% of the building.

He said it also avoids the cost of constructing a new administration building on top of what will be a huge cost for a new county jail. For several years, the city's capital improvement program has used an estimated cost of $244 million for building a 3,000-bed jail off Lannie Road on the Northside, a $41 million pricetag for a second 500-bed jail for short-term holding of inmates somewhere in downtown, and a new Police Memorial Building at an estimated cost of $96 million.

Boylan said the projected cost of a new jail in Pima County, Arizona, recently came in at about $850 million and it is a comparable facility to what Jacksonville is considering for its new jail.

Full article: https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2024/01/12/florida-blue-might-lease-tower-to-jacksonville-sheriffs-office/72186999007/

[Charles Hunter]

Duke Addison of Addison Commercial Real Estate told the committee he knows of two or three options in the suburbs. Schmitt said he welcomes the competition for the best site that fits the requirements.

I really hope a suburban site is not given serious consideration.

[thelakelander]

I hope they do take over the BCBS tower. This would be a good example of keeping public jobs in the downtown area and using them to fill up excess office space.

He said it also avoids the cost of constructing a new administration building on top of what will be a huge cost for a new county jail. For several years, the city's capital improvement program has used an estimated cost of $244 million for building a 3,000-bed jail off Lannie Road on the Northside, a $41 million pricetag for a second 500-bed jail for short-term holding of inmates somewhere in downtown, and a new Police Memorial Building at an estimated cost of $96 million.

Boylan said the projected cost of a new jail in Pima County, Arizona, recently came in at about $850 million and it is a comparable facility to what Jacksonville is considering for its new jail.

What does everyone think about this? Seems there will still be a new jail built in downtown. What is the downtown site that everyone is most accepting of seeing a new 500-bed jail being built on?

[heights unknown]

I hope they do take over the BCBS tower. This would be a good example of keeping public jobs in the downtown area and using them to fill up excess office space.

He said it also avoids the cost of constructing a new administration building on top of what will be a huge cost for a new county jail. For several years, the city's capital improvement program has used an estimated cost of $244 million for building a 3,000-bed jail off Lannie Road on the Northside, a $41 million pricetag for a second 500-bed jail for short-term holding of inmates somewhere in downtown, and a new Police Memorial Building at an estimated cost of $96 million.

Boylan said the projected cost of a new jail in Pima County, Arizona, recently came in at about $850 million and it is a comparable facility to what Jacksonville is considering for its new jail.

What does everyone think about this? Seems there will still be a new jail built in downtown. What is the downtown site that everyone is most accepting of seeing a new 500-bed jail being built on?

Not in eastside near the stadium, not in Brooklyn/Riverside obviously, not in the CBD, MAYBE in LaVilla as far west near the interstate as they can get it. In FTL the administration building for Police/Sheriff is 2 to 3 miles away from the Jail; the admin building is near I-95 and the Jail is on the south side of the New River in/near the CBD; I don't think that's really a problem or should be in Jax. Nothing much going on in LaVilla, that is north of the Convention Center anyway (near that area).

[Charles Hunter]

What kind of footprint would a new 'downtown' jail require? It looks like the existing jail (ignoring parking) is about the size of a typical downtown Jax block.

[jaxoNOLE]

The area near Dennis + Ives? Seems a shame, but someone is going to get stuck with an unpleasant new neighbor. That industrial area bounded by the interstate and train tracks maybe has a lower opportunity cost?

[vicupstate]

Isn't this building exponentially bigger than the one they are currently using?

[Jax_Developer]

What kind of footprint would a new 'downtown' jail require? It looks like the existing jail (ignoring parking) is about the size of a typical downtown Jax block.

The entire complex is roughly 3.5 city blocks (minus the parking) which does include their offices too. I'm not very familiar with the layout of the buildings, but the parking is necessary one-way or another for any facility. Garages of course being the much more expensive route.

--

I think the idea of moving the HQ to the Florida Blue building is a great idea (also because their parking garage is mostly empty & takes up huge amount of real estate in Brooklyn...). At the very least those sites will get some utilization! Obviously cost too.

I question the need for a 500-bed facility for trial & booking purposes downtown (I'm no expert on it though). Regardless, as a city we really should want the next prison to be located in an industrial area on the Northside/Westside. There are large assemblages, with good soil & in areas that lack any business beyond storage. That's going to be the cheapest route by a mile & pursuing more urban options creates the same issues the current location does today. There are several areas which lack a "living" population & make much more sense to pursue than pushing the problem 40 years down the road to another part of town.

P.S. The cost of shuttling will be made up by actually having tax revenue on our premium urban core parcels.

[vicupstate]

200 beds seems more reasonable  for the DT facility.

[Jax_Developer]

Agreed Vic. Not sure on the size difference but imagine the FL Blue building is larger by quite a bit. They mentioned the JSO's office taking up "80% of the building" but not sure if its a 1:1 comparison of staff.

[Snaketoz]

Why downtown?  I think a good place for the jail would be near Golfair and Brentwood, near the old fair grounds.  It's close to I95 and some of the higher crime areas.

[Jax_Developer]

Even cities that have relocated their main jails from DT have a satellite detention facility near their courthouse for ease of transit & other reasons I'm sure.

[Charles Hunter]

Why downtown?  I think a good place for the jail would be near Golfair and Brentwood, near the old fair grounds.  It's close to I95 and some of the higher crime areas.

The Brentwood community is already upset with the City for locating the new Medical Examiner's Office (aka "morgue") in their neighborhood. I think a jail with several hundred inmates will be even more unpalatable.

"The name of our organization is Metro Gardens Neighborhood Association," she said. "Not Stupid Gardens Neighborhood Association, and that's how they've played us."

She said no neighborhood group in Jacksonville would accept such a project across the street from an existing subdivision and a grade school, but the city decided to put it in a predominantly Black part of Jacksonville without giving residents advance notice of the plan.

"What you all voted for is the continued pattern of abuse in the Black community," she told City Council in September after it approved a rezoning of the site.

https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/brentwood-residents-jacksonville-failed-on-neighborhood-bill-of-rights-medical-examiners-office-golfair-boulevard-i95/77-595e3c17-0c36-43b6-978d-282db85e9568

[thelakelander]

Yeah, it would be a modern day example of redlining and highlight the problems of social and environmental justice. It would be more prudent to keep a smaller jail right where it is, than stick a new one in a historic Black neighborhood.

[sandyshoes]

If only 80% of the building at FBT would be JSO...then they could build their own mini-KrispyKreme in the building, no?