SPOTLIGHT
How about a nice, refreshing glass of cider on a hot day? You’re in luck at A1A Cidery in Fernandina Beach.
Owners Roger Morenc and his wife, Heather, who also operate Marlin and Barrel Distillery in Fernandina Beach, decided on cider in part because it’s not beer — something that’s already in abundant supply locally.
Morenc describes hard cider as something between wine and beer. It’s like wine because it’s fermented and made from pressed juice, but it’s similar to beer in its alcohol content and carbonation. Flavors at A1A Cidery include strawberry margarita, blueberry and sweet heat, but not all of their ciders are sweet. “I used to think all ciders are sweet or heavy, but the reality is that each cider maker has their own expression,” Morenc says.
The base juice AIA Cidery uses comes from North Georgia, but it’s flavored with Florida-grown ingredients such as blueberries and peppers.
After a soft opening earlier this year, the next step is to distribute their product in kegs to bars and restaurants. “There’s room for growth as we expose people to what cider could be,” he says.
BANKING
- Bank of America is slated to close its retail banking location at 50 North Laura Street in downtown Jacksonville by late June due to a decreasing number of visitors. Executive offices for Bank of America as well as private banking and a Merrill Lynch Wealth Management office will remain at the location.
CONSTRUCTION
- Stellar, a Jacksonville-based design-build construction firm, has opened offices in Honolulu, Hawaii, and Gainesville. The company recently renovated the University of Florida’s architecture building and is project manager for the Bruno E. and Maritza F. Ramos Collaboratory, a $45-million, 50,000-sq.-ft. expansion to the building.
HEALTH CARE
- The University of Florida and UF Health have broken ground on UF Health Durbin Park, a 42.5-acre campus located in northeast St. Johns County. Durbin Park will include a 150-bed hospital along with a medical office building and an ambulatory surgery center. It’s slated to open in late 2025 and bring 2,000 new jobs to the area.
- The Florida Blue Foundation has awarded a $500,000 grant to UF Health to design programs that improve health care for residents of east Gainesville in the next five years. The plans will include a mobile healthy food pantry and transportation options.
- Brooks Rehabilitation is adding 36 beds to its Bartram inpatient rehabilitation hospital campus. The $26-million expansion will create 70 new jobs and is expected to be ready next year. Brooks renovated and added 10 new beds at its original 160-bed rehabilitation hospital on University Boulevard last year.
HOUSING
- The publicly traded company Dream Finders Homes of Jacksonville has acquired Crescent Ventures, a private homebuilder with a footprint in South Carolina and Nashville. With the acquisition, Dream Finders received 457 homesites in different construction stages as well as a sales order backlog of 460 homes and 6,200 lots.
- The Jacksonville Housing Authority raised $41 million in its first general revenue bond offering. The proceeds will be used to buy and renovate the 256-unit Westwood Apartments in Jacksonville. An estimated 82% of the units will be rented to those earning less than 80% of Jacksonville’s average median income. Net operating income from the apartments and Jacksonville Housing Authority’s general revenue will be used to repay the bonds.
HIGHER EDUCATION
- The Jacksonville University College of Law has received provisional accreditation from the American Bar Association, which enables its students to take the Bar examination and become members of the Bar. The law school can apply for affirmation of its accreditation two years after receiving the initial accreditation. Its inaugural class began in August 2022.
LOGISTICS
- The third-party logistics firm Air Van of Jacksonville has acquired G & C Cartage Co., a fellow Jacksonville logistics provider. G & C Cartage, which started in 1971, focuses on logistics for commercial transportation services. The acquisition includes 35,000 square feet of warehouse space.
MUSEUMS
- The Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum has purchased the historic Sanchez House in downtown St. Augustine for $4.5 million. It is currently operating as a mini museum in a nearby location. There are nine Karpeles museum locations around the U.S., and a Jacksonville location closed in 2023. The full-size museum in St. Augustine is slated to open this summer.
NON-PROFITS
- The St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce has formed a foundation to expand programming and philanthropy. Focus areas will include Leadership St. Johns, disaster relief and workforce development. Renewing Dignity has merged with Feeding Northeast Florida.
- The Renewing Dignity Program focuses on the distribution of free menstrual products in 12 Northeast Florida counties. It also has installed free menstrual supply vending machines in Duval County’s Title 1 schools.