JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In a Wednesday afternoon meeting, the Citizens Property Insurance Board of Governors formally voted to move forward with plans to move its Jacksonville office out of the building at 301 W. Bay Street.
In a statement to News4JAX, Citizens spokesman, Michael Peltier, said:
“Citizens Board of Governors today approved funding for a 10-year lease agreement to provide Jacksonville office space following a statutorily established procurement process. Citizens’ staff will proceed with the necessary steps to execute the lease agreement. The property, located at 8787 Baypine Road, best fits the goals and objectives for Citizens' long-term operations in the City of Jacksonville.”
The Baypine Road property is the location of the former Florida Coastal School of Law. Earlier in the week, Citizens said the location aligned with the company’s goals, including:
• To provide a safe and secure work environment for Citizens’ employees and visitors.
• To prioritize the overall impact of the office location on Citizens’ employees.
• To obtain an office facility that supports team collaboration, professional development, operational efficiency, and policyholder service.
• To the extent practical, expedite the relocation of Citizens’ operations to a space that meets Citizens’ overall needs.
• To ensure the overall cost of the selected lease is reasonable and appropriate for the property that is determined to best meet Citizens’ overall needs.
The plans to move comes amid safety concerns in downtown Jacksonville, according to sources. Monday morning, a CPI employee spoke to News4JAX on condition of anonymity, saying several colleagues had been worried about their safety near the building for years. In fact, the source said a man who appeared to be unhoused was spotted behaving aggressively earlier in the morning.
Mayor Donna Deegan released the following statement regarding the Citizens Property Insurance office downtown, saying she has spoken to JSO about possibly adding more security to the area.
“The City of Jacksonville remains committed to making every reasonable effort to retain this anchor employer. I have spoken to Sheriff Waters, and we will work together to place a JSO stop station in the building for extra security.
There is a window still open for Citizens Property Insurance to remain downtown. We are hopeful their Board of Directors will reevaluate this decision given the progress that’s been made, not only in terms of safety, but also the many exciting projects that are coming out of the ground.”
Mayor Donna Deegan
A JSO spokesperson confirmed the conversation between the mayor and sheriff, but said as of now, plans for a stop station had not been finalized and there is no current timetable.
Tuesday afternoon ahead of Wednesday’s BOG meeting, Mayor Deegan expressed hope for Citizens to reconsider moving out downtown.
“We hope Citizens will stay regardless,” Deegan said. “We’re going to continue to create an environment that’s going to be really helpful. To have people come and move downtown and live, work and play, as we say, in this beautiful area. And pretty soon, it’s going to be hard for people to get down here, because you can see all the cranes in the air. You can see everything that’s happening. It’s going to be a place where everybody wants to be, and I hope they’ll be among those people.”
News4JAX also obtained a letter from the Jacksonville Civic Council and JAX Chamber, which said such a move “would be a devastating blow for Downtown Jacksonville at a time when public and private investment is sparking long-term, sustainable growth.”
Peltier said Citizens staff will now work with vendors to secure the details of the lease agreement. The Florida Department of Management Services must also give a final approval.
