Status Update:

Staff is currently reviewing proposals.  Check back for more information.

Summary of Pending RFP:

The Jacksonville Economic Development Commission (JEDC) issued a formal request for proposals (RFP) for a master developer of 4,499 +/- acres of City-owned property at Cecil Commerce Center. The site is ideal for manufacturing, industrial-related and supply chain logistics end users.  Envisioned by the community to be a premier industrial employment center for Northeast Florida, the development timing of Cecil Commerce Center needs to capitalize on upcoming JAXPORT expansion plans and its subsequent economic impacts for the community. Clearly, Cecil Commerce Center is positioned to be a world-class distribution and logistics center with market dominance and a critical mass of factors converging in its favor.  Therefore, time is of the essence to find a private sector partner that can help the community realize its vision for Cecil Commerce Center.  Extensive site due diligence, permitting and core infrastructure investment has been performed by several public sector agencies.  These efforts and resulting entitlements have better positioned the property for development opportunities and should serve to expedite transfer to a private sector development partner.

Ron Barton, executive director of the JEDC, said "the decision to issue an RFP was driven by the need to capitalize on market momentum created by JAXPORT and leverage the experience and financial resources of a private developer that will bring the property to shovel-ready status thereby attracting quality end users and higher wage jobs to Cecil."

GOALS OF THE CITY REGARDING MASTER DEVELOPER EFFORTS

1. To establish a business relationship with a Master Developer with sufficient experience and financial capacity to execute a long term development vision for this property.
   
2. To create favorable conditions for the Master Developer to recruit end users to Cecil Commerce Center bringing with them as many higher wage jobs in the manufacturing, supply chain logistics, and other industrial users, as possible
   
3. To create a world class commerce center to complement the multi-modal infrastructure indigenous to Jacksonville
   
4. To maximize the value of the property for the taxpayers through private capital investment
   
5. To create growing ad valorem base for the City by privatizing the ownership and accelerating the development of the property
   

SITE DUE DILIGENCE AND PROPERTY ENTITLEMENTS

Much of the last year has been dedicated to translating the Cecil Master Plan into an implementation plan founded on specific and reliable site development data. Working with its engineering and environmental consultants, the JEDC has gained a clear picture of the land's development potential, cost to bring land to market and, as such, its current and potential future value. Due diligence recently completed includes complete wetland survey, topographic studies and conceptual master stormwater system planning.  This work has put the JEDC in a much better position to negotiate with companies interested in developing at Cecil Commerce Center.  With the conclusion of this detailed site development evaluation, full disclosure of the site's development potential, costs and subsequent value is more readily discernable.

The JEDC has concurrency trips to implement the full build out of the Master Plan at approximately 34 million square feet of industrial and support mixed uses.  The concurrency entitlements will remain with the JEDC until such time as development parcels are acquired by the Master Developer.  It is the intent that the concurrency entitlements travel with the property.

As part of the RFP process, qualified proposers my request a "Cecil Commerce Center Due Diligence Notebook" which provides specific information to many topics that will be critical to the formation of a business proposal:

• Cecil Overview
• Current Operations
• Master Plan
• Zoning, Land Use and Special Designations
• Stormwater and Wetlands
• Environmental Summary
• Geotechnical Data
• Utilities and Roadway Infrastructure
• Concurrency
• Memorandum of Agreement Between City/JEDC and JAA

Responses were due on Friday, March 13, 2009.  Proposals received are currently being evaluated and will be submitted to the JEDC Commission, Mayor and City Council for approval.

Click here to learn more about the infrastructure, developments and current uses.