Despite Jacksonville's soliciting bids to potentially sell its public utility, JEA is still moving forward with plans to build a new headquarters.
On Tuesday, headquarters building contractor Ryan Companies US Inc. submitted its conceptual design approval application to the Jacksonville Downtown Development Review Board.
JEA selected Ryan Companies in April to build the estimated $72.2 million headquarters and parking garage across from the Duval County Courthouse in the 300 block of West Adams Street.
The cost estimate was based on the company's original renderings. Ryan Companies released a new rendering Tuesday that shows an office building that looks significantly different than what was originally released.
Ryan Companies is now proposing a nine-story, 190,000-rentable-square-foot office project with an accompanying nine-level parking garage with 850 parking spaces.
“Presenting this application to the DDRB this week signifies a very important step in the process towards building the new JEA headquarters,” said Doug Dieck, Ryan Companies southeast region president, in an email to WJCT News.
The Ryan Companies expects the DDRB to review its application next month.
Construction on the headquarters is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2020, according to the Ryan Companies. JEA has also launched a webpage with a mission statement for its new headquarters.
The JEA board voted on July 23 to proceed with the new headquarters, according to WJCT News partner the Jacksonville Daily Record, along with exploring privatization and the possible sale of part or all of the city-owned utility.
JEA Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Kerri Stewart is scheduled to appear on Thursday’s First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross to answer questions about what a poential sale could mean customers.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
