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Northeast Florida Business Briefs - March 2007
ALACHUA COUNTY --
? The county commission approved $79 million in bonds for government, transportation and recreation projects, including a $33.5-million judicial complex that will house the state attorney and public defender offices and a $9.9-million aquatic center.
BAKER COUNTY --
? The county received $750,000 from the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant program, which will be used to improve housing and build 12 homes for low-income residents.
CLAY COUNTY --
? Fujifilm Hunt Chemicals U.S.A. is closing its Orange Park plant, laying off or relocating 71 workers.
? According to the chamber of commerce, tourism had a $21.65-million economic impact in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.
FLAGLER COUNTY --
? A grand jury has cleared State Attorney John Tanner of wrongdoing in his handling of a jail abuse investigation.
GAINESVILLE --
? William Hough donated $30 million to the University of Florida, the school's largest private gift, for graduate business studies. The university's graduate school of business will be named the Hough Graduate School of Business. Hough founded municipal bond firm William R. Hough and Co. in St. Petersburg. He sold it to RBC Dain Rauscher of Minneapolis in 2004. He was also chairman of Republic Bancshares, which was acquired by BB&T in 2004. Hough graduated from UF's business school with an MBA in 1948. UF also received $1.5 million from Donald and Irene Dizney. The couple donated the money to help researchers study addictive behavior.
JACKSONVILLE --
? Caribbean Shipping plans to build a 100,000-sq.-ft. warehouse on six acres near Blount Island.
? The homeless culinary arts program at the Clara White Mission received an $8,000 grant from the UPS Foundation.
? Publix plans to build a long-awaited store in San Marco, anchoring a new mixed-use development being built by Regency Centers Corp. Construction should begin in 2008.
? The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine moved its offices to Jacksonville from Alexandria, Va.
? Florida Community College at Jacksonville received approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to offer its first bachelor's degree in fire science management.
? Seaboard Credit Union and First Florida Credit Union have merged, making it the fourth-largest credit union in Jacksonville.
? Accounting firms Patrick & Robinson and Carter & Co. have merged.
? According to a study by the Boyd Co., a corporate site-selection company, Jacksonville is the fourth-most-affordable city nationwide to operate an insurance data security center.
? The city has issued a request for proposals to build workforce housing near Hanna Park to help ease the lack of affordable housing in the beach communities.
? JEA will pay $79,000 in fines to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection after 164,000 gallons of wastewater leaked into local creeks.
? Miami-based Lennar Corp. dropped plans to build 350 homes at the site of the Jax Raceways because the land was contaminated with oil. Lennar plans to sell the property to commercial developers.
? Citi Cards is building a $13.3-million child-care center for its employees next to its office complex near Philips Highway.
? Jacksonville University will offer Florida's first two-year master's program to train emergency nurse practitioners, beginning this fall.
? Jacksonville International Airport is adding more than 17,000 square feet of retail space as part of a terminal expansion project.
? Rhone Capital III purchased Jacksonville-based Arizona Chemical for $485 million.
? Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast plans to add 300 jobs this year, with more than half in engineering, architecture and acquisition and project management.
? The Duval County School Board initiated a study to determine if its salary structure is competitive with other school systems.
? Developers of the Berkman Plaza condominium towers downtown are suing property appraiser Jim Overton, tax collector Mike Hogan and Jim Zyngale, executive director of the state Department of Revenue, for $20,000 for what they claim are excessive property taxes.
MARION COUNTY --
? County commissioners approved an agreement that will allow Ocala and the county to provide service for fire calls in the urban service area, which includes sections of the county adjacent to Ocala. If approved by the city council, the county will pay the city $400,000 a year for fire and emergency medical services in those areas.
? The county's new growth management building, which houses the building, planning, municipal services taxing units and zoning departments, opened in January.
NASSAU COUNTY --
? Amelia Island Plantation plans to build two hotels. Construction on the $40-million Amelia Links Lodge is set to begin this spring.
? County commissioners are considering a teen curfew ordinance after dozens of businesses in Callahan were vandalized.
ST. JOHNS COUNTY --
? Apartment Investment and Management Co. purchased the Remington apartment complex in Ponte Vedra Beach for $37.2 million.
? Verticality sued St. Johns County after the company was denied a permit to build a 150-foot cell phone tower in Ponte Vedra Beach.
? County commissioners issued a $78.6-million impact credit fee to the Parc Group to help pay for construction of the Nocatee Parkway.
? Flagler College is building a $9.6-million student center.
