Ryan Companies US Inc., a national developer, builder, designer, and property manager offering full-service commercial real estate solutions, announced today the topping out of construction at the new JEA Headquarters in Downtown Jacksonville. Work crews laid the final steel beam at the top of the 125-foot-tall tower, which will feature large windows and open floor plans geared toward collaborative meeting space for one of the nation’s largest community-owned electric utility companies.
The seven-story, 153,000-square-foot build-to-suit project is projected to revitalize the central business district, with a completion date of 2022. The building’s design team weaved in aspects of the surrounding area’s bridges and rich industrial history, while providing access to Jacksonville’s major roadways and public transportation.
“Despite the challenging year, Ryan Companies and JEA have displayed exceptional planning, teamwork, and creativity to reach the height of development on this Downtown Jacksonville office project,” said Scott Stenman, Vice President of Construction at Ryan Companies. “Our team has faced different obstacles throughout 2020 as the pandemic has changed the way we safely construct buildings as well as how society views traditional office space. I am proud of our progress and our ability to reach this milestone on time. The JEA Headquarters is a sign of revitalization, and economic growth in Downtown Jacksonville and Ryan is thrilled to be part of the team bringing the project to fruition.”
The Class A office tower also includes a seven-story 630 space parking garage and street-level retail. While the most recent economic crisis vacated buildings in the central business district, the utility company’s new corporate home will catalyze growth, attracting new jobs and businesses to downtown. Stenman said of the development, “This project is unique in that each of Ryan’s core business units has been utilized to bring this project to life, helping us mitigate any detrimental delays over the past year as the industry has worked to navigate through the pandemic.”
On March 25, Ryan will celebrate raising the final steel beam, painted white, onsite with the project team, subcontractors, and onsite trade labor. In addition, JEA employees, retirees and stakeholders, will be signing a commemorative beam that will be installed on the new headquarters’ lower level in mid-April.
The new JEA headquarters is located at 225 Pearl Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202. The new building is designed to achieve LEED Gold certification and WELL Building standards. The local office of CBRE has played an instrumental role in orchestrating this project on JEA’s behalf.
“I am very pleased with the progress being made by Ryan, CBRE and the JEA team. This project is an important and exciting step for JEA, as we continue to serve our community and position ourselves to retain and attract the very best talent for the future,” said Jay Stowe, JEA Managing Director and CEO.
For further details and progress on the Corporate Headquarters project, visit the Ryan Companies project website at NewJEAHQ.com.
Ryan Companies press release. Photographs by Ennis Davis, AICP. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com