JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Duval County School Board on Tuesday approved not only a $17.2 million sale of its riverfront headquarters but also the purchase of a new HQ location: the Dream Finders building on Prominence Parkway off Baymeadows Road.
Both votes were a narrow 4-3 margin. Board members Darryl Willie, Cindy Pearson, and Tony Ricardo were the three “no” votes.
The $13.65 million proposed Baymeadows property purchase includes $650,000 for personal property, such as office furniture, with the remaining $13 million allocated for the building itself.
Pearson, the District 3 Board Member, raised concerns about the long-term financial implications of the Prominence Parkway purchase, saying she thinks the board is paying too much for the property.
On Wednesday, the Jacksonville Branch of the NAACP raised a different concern about the relocation: lack of access for minority groups to their elected school board members.
The NAACP said it supported the board’s 7-0 decision last month to reject the purchase of the Prominence Parkway property.
But the reversal has left them scratching their heads.
“This move sets a dangerous precedent. It threatens to alienate the very communities the School Board is meant to serve. We cannot allow decisions that prioritize convenience for the few over accessibility for the many,” said Isaiah Rumlin, president of the Jacksonville Branch of the NAACP.
The organization accused the school board members of making “backroom deals” that “overshadow the concerns of those most affected.”
Board Chair Charlotte Joyce and Jacksonville City Councilman Joe Carlucci, who represents the district where the current headquarters is located, voiced support for the relocation.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: DCPS unanimously votes not to sell current administration building; also rejects purchase of Prominence Parkway property | DCPS headquarters staying by St. Johns River for now; district is exploring ‘alternative relocation options’
Carlucci’s focus seemed to be on the financial benefits of the relocation and the possibility of what Chase Properties, the purchaser of the current headquarters property, will do to develop the riverfront location.
“This is going to be a great success for our community, and it’s going to generate tremendous amount of tax revenue,” Carlucci said. “The more exciting part is that this will continue to amplify the progress we’ve already made downtown and it coincides with the plans that we have for the future.”
Chase Properties plans to turn the riverfront property into a mixed-use development featuring residential and commercial space.