State grant allows Keystone to expand airport

February 5, 2019     0    60

Months after applying, Keystone Heights Airport Chairman David Kirkland said airport board members and Bradford commissioners hadn’t heard back when they applied for the funds. “Basically we said, ‘Well I guess all the money got allocated elsewhere.’ Then (Bradford) County received the information and passed it on to us,” Kirkland said. “Obviously we’re excited about it. It’ll be beneficial in us putting in a road and also infrastructure like hi-speed internet.” Kirkland said the strip of land west of the airport is ideal for development and the financial impact would be felt throughout the area, from the airport to residents. A timeline for the road’s construction or installation of broadband has not been determined. “Providing this kind of infrastructure, that’s going to bring companies. In turn, it brings jobs, which brings revenue to the local community and the county and taxable income,” Kirkland said. “I think it’s a win-win for a lot of different entities.” Proposals were reviewed by the Department of Economic Opportunity and chosen by Scott based on the best economic projections and need for infrastructure. Scott’s DEO Executive Director Cissy Proctor ...

Hager Construction: Survives, Then Thrives

February 4, 2019     0    62

“The first thing we did was create a new plan that was focused on federal work and increased management efforts such as proposal writing and searching out contracts,” said Ayers. “We also obtained HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) status. So when the economy started to come back, we were ready.”  Hager Construction prioritized customer service, which included making sure it eliminated waste from jobs, managed response times and included preventative steps and training. One of the keys is Hager’s presence on job sites. “John is the superintendent for our work, and his involvement in the field sets us apart from other companies,” said Ayers. “He is present at the many client and employee meetings which helps keep our schedule intact and costs down, and clients know they can trust him to manage more complex projects. That reliability is essential to having successful working partnerships.”  Hager Construction is now back up to 30 employees, and overall revenue for 2018 is set to exceed $3.5 million. The company also has positive relationships with the City of Jacksonville and the facilities management of Florida Department ...

Manufacturing Thriving in Northeast Florida

February 4, 2019     0    61

JAXPORT’s Chief Commercial Officer Kristen DeMarco said, “We collaborate to produce an environment that creates opportunities for manufacturers, painting an end-to-end supply chain picture, working with tenants, carriers and others, sharing cover story information and advocating for opportunities.” From introducing a manufacturer to a new service provider, to looking for commonalities that can lead to savings, to pushing to remove logistical bottlenecks, JAXPORT helps connect the dots to deliver efficiencies, DeMarco said. As the third most populous state, Florida attracts manufacturers that fill the state’s consumption needs.    Jacksonville’s location as a northern gateway to Florida is icing on the cake – from a footprint in the Northeast, manufacturers can efficiently move goods to and from markets across the country. “Proximity is key. We have the international airport, interstates and three major railroads. But what pulls that all together is our location. The fact that our region provides all these resources in a condensed area means cost savings,” said DeMarco. NEWCOMERS TO THE JACKSONVILLE REGION  A number of companies are initiating or expanding manufacturing in Northeast Florida. For example, it’s reported that ...

Nearly 300 apartments coming to Oakleaf Town Center area

January 31, 2019     0    73

ARA Newmark's Tyler Nilsson and Eric Bjornson brokered the deal. Block One develops apartment communities in northeast Florida. It was behind the development of The Point at Town Center, 5116 Gate Parkway N., The Reserve at Nocatee, under development in the master-planned community in St. Johns County, and the 240-unit Seaglass at Ponte Vedra Beach.

Meet Ed Gaw

January 4, 2019     0    222

Left with no building, he began a search for a new home for Hi-Liner. “The search took us to about every vacant building in Broward, and Broward is an expensive market to purchase warehouse space,” said Gaw. The exhaustive search did not produce any suitable properties for the company. This meant Gaw would have to explore areas outside of the place he’d called home since moving to Florida. One idea that floated through his mind was the place his parents reside after relocating from colder climes – Fernandina Beach. “We went up to Nassau County, found a building, took that offer, went through the whole process,” said Gaw. “But it didn’t work.” In an instant, Gaw was back where he started, however his luck began to change that same day. While visiting a commercial real estate website, he stumbled upon the property he’s in today at 3529 Enterprise Way. “The next day, me and one of my guys jumped in the truck drove up here looked at the building and went ‘that’s it’,” said Gaw. “We didn’t know a whole lot about Clay County, knew ...