JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It’s now official: the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office will be moving its headquarters out of the Police Memorial Building in Downtown and into the Florida Blue building in Brooklyn.
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But there are some open-ended questions, including the total cost and the timeline for the move.
According to legislation approved by Jacksonville City Council on Tuesday night, rent for the first 15 months would be set at just under $7.3 million a year.
The landlord could increase the cost by 3% a year after that.
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“Our city is modernizing and so is JSO,” said Councilmember Nick Howland (R-Group 3 At-Large).
Howland said in the end, the move will save taxpayers money, as JSO will no longer need to maintain the 51-year-old Police Memorial Building.
“Plus it’s us leasing instead of having to spend a billion dollars of capital to build a new building,” said Howland.
The landlord is offering the city $19.8 million to renovate the building ahead of the move, which is factored into the initial rent price.
There is a possibility the annual lease cost could end up being higher than what is laid out in the base agreement.
The city would have the option of taking an additional $20 million for renovations, which would increase annual rent by roughly $1.6 million, bringing the total to $8.9 million a year.
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The initial lease would span 16 years and three months with two five-year extension options and would start after the completion of renovations.
It’s not clear exactly how long that will take, but according to JSO, the agency plans to be fully moved in by spring 2027.
“A modern headquarters will enhance our ability to serve the community, improve operational efficiency, and provide our officers and staff with the resources they need to do their jobs effectively,” said Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters in a statement. “This new facility represents a commitment to the safety and well-being of the people of Jacksonville.”
By the time JSO is fully moved in, Howland argued the Police Memorial Building property will be ripe for sale, further offsetting the price of the lease.
“I think you’re not going to be able to recognize Downtown in two to three years, the time it will take for the police to move out of the PMB over into Brooklyn. That will be some of the most premiere real estate in the Southeast,” said Howland.
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And Howland is optimistic the HQ move will also speed up the Duval County Jail move.
“The jail will follow and that is going to be premiere real estate in the City of Jacksonville,” said Howland.
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It’s too early to know how the two key pieces of Downtown property may be renovated or reimagined.
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