JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Another option is on the table for the city of Jacksonville’s prospective acquisition of the privately held Interline Brands Inc. building to provide for the University of Florida’s graduate campus in LaVilla, News4JAX’s news partner the Jacksonville Daily Record reported.
On May 6, Council member Nick Howland introduced a proposal for the city to purchase the property from its owner, developer Gateway Jax, while offering it the right of first refusal on two city-owned riverfront properties on and near the Riverfront Plaza, the former Jacksonville Landing.
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Howland’s plan bridges two other recommendations that have emerged for the city to acquire the two-story, 38,136-square-foot building at 801 W. Bay St.
An option supported by Gateway Jax, Mayor Donna Deegan’s administration and the Downtown Investment Authority would provide Gateway with one of the riverfront properties, a 1-acre development parcel at Riverfront Plaza and an option on an adjacent piece of land to the east in exchange for the Interline building.
Under that option, Gateway Jax plans to build a 17-story mixed-use tower on the Riverfront Plaza development pad with a hotel, residential units, restaurants, retail, public spaces and more.
Option No. 2 came from Council member Ron Salem, who proposed an outright purchase of the Interline building for up to $8 million.
Howland said his alternative would be a “quick, easy and efficient” way for the city to acquire the building immediately for UF while giving Gateway Jax an advantage in a competitive bidding process for the riverfront properties.
Howland offered his proposal during the May 6 Council Finance Committee meeting.
Read more on JaxDailyRecord.com.