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Around the State

BRADFORD COUNTY -- Proposed expansions of Camp Blanding would boost the economy of Starke, the city closest to the National Guard post that occupies part of Bradford, Clay and Baker counties. The Guard plans to build a conference center; the Air Force may put in a training center for its meteorologists.

GAINESVILLE -- Construction started this spring on a $30 million University of Florida Hotel & Conference Center. Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. plans to buy the complex, with 20,000-square-feet of meeting space and a Doubletree Hotel, when it's completed in 2000.

HAMILTON COUNTY -- With $1 million from Florida lawmakers, water and sewer infrastructure will be installed next year at the I-75 and State Road 129 interchange to allow commercial development.

JACKSONVILLE -- AccuStaff (NYSE-ASI) will split in two this fall. Professional staffing, such as high-tech consultants, lawyers, accountants and engineers, will be under Modis Professional Services (NYSE-MPS), the new name for AccuStaff. Clerical staffing will be handled by Strategix Solutions (NYSE-STG).

Citibank, which purchased AT&T Universal Card Services this spring, plans to close credit card operations in Denver and Salt Lake City this fall and move up to 1,000 jobs to Citibank Universal Card Services in Jacksonville, where it employs 2,800.

Union Camp Corp. moved its chemical products division headquarters from New Jersey this summer, adding 27 employees to the 40 from that division already in Jacksonville.

Riverside Group (Nasdaq-RSGI) formed a subsidiary, Wixx Energy, to market natural gas and electricity in deregulated utility markets.

The Jacksonville Port Authority will complete a $6.5 million, 99,000-sq.-ft. cargo warehouse at Jacksonville International Airport next month. Also, a $3.2 million, 50,000-square-foot cargo building will be completed this fall.

Prudential Insurance Co. of America plans to sell its Southbank skyline building to West Palm Beach-based Ocwen Asset Investment Corp., for $36 million, but the insurer plans to lease space and remain in the 22-story building. When built in 1955, it was the tallest building in Florida.

United Health Care Corp. will become the city's third-largest health insurer this fall with its planned purchase of Humana Inc. Despite the buyout, Humana still plans to move its operation downtown.

Developer Sleiman Enterprises expects to complete a 420,000-square-foot shopping complex and hotel at Philips Highway and Interstate 95 within the next 18 months.

UNION COUNTY -- Near downtown Lake Butler, Main Street Plaza, a $500,000 retail and medical office building, opened this summer with two of six tenants in place.