JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As Jacksonville leaders deliberate on how to acquire a building in the LaVilla neighborhood for the new University of Florida graduate campus, Councilman Nick Howland has introduced a third option.
Howland said his proposal aims to offer a compromise between the previously discussed land swap and outright purchase options.
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The city of Jacksonville has been exploring options to acquire the Interline Brands building at 501 West Bay Street for the UF grad campus. The building is owned by developer, Gateway Jax. The two primary options have been a land swap, where the city would exchange riverfront property with Gateway Jax, and an outright purchase of the building.
“It’s a false narrative to say there’s only two options, purchase or swap,” Howland said. “What I’m proposing is something that I think can make all parties happy and be quick, easy and efficient.”
Councilman Howland’s new proposal suggests that the city purchase the building but offer Gateway Jax a right of first refusal on two city-owned riverfront parcels. This means that in a competitive bidding process for the properties, Gateway Jax would have the opportunity to match the most attractive offer, ensuring taxpayers receive the best value.
“The ability, in a future RFP for those two waterfront sites to match the most attractive offer, that’s what a right of first refusal is,” Howland said. “So, what that does is, it ensures that taxpayers get best value for those two parcels along our riverfront.”
The Downtown Investment Authority and Mayor Donna Deegan have expressed support for the land swap deal. Meanwhile, other council members, including Councilman Ron Salem, prefer the outright purchase option, with funding coming from the city’s reserves and replenished by JEA’s contribution later this year. Salem has previously said he has questions for the developer. Specifically, he told News4JAX he wanted a list of the investors who may benefit from the land swap.
“From what I can perceive, the council is divided between those two choices,” Howland said. “But like I said, it’s a false narrative to say there’s only two choices. I think the solution is elegant and bridges the gap.“
Despite differing opinions on the acquisition method, there is consensus on the benefits of having the UF campus in Jacksonville. The campus is expected to offer graduate degrees in business analytics, finance, and other fields, providing significant opportunities for the city.
Council members are scheduled to meet for a “Committee of the Whole” meeting on Wednesday, the 21st, to further discuss the options.
News4JAX received a received a statement from Gateway Jax in response to our request regarding the proposed third option. It said:
“The disposition process went out in February, which was open to the public and provided a cash alternative for responding that did not require anyone to provide land in LaVilla to participate – there were no responses outside of our proposal. There is no need to issue a third RFP in three years, which will cost the City time and additional taxpayer resources.
With two options currently available, we respectfully request that Council review and debate the merits of those before trying to find another alternative. Most importantly, the proposals currently under consideration with the City Council align with the University of Florida’s timeline of having students in the 801 W. Bay Street property by the end of the Summer. Gateway Jax will in no way stand in the way of UF’s expansion into Downtown. We are happy to sit down with Council Members that have questions."
