As Duval County Public Colleges works to promote its Southbank administrative headquarters and relocate, a Jacksonville Metropolis Council member is withdrawing laws urging the varsity district to stay Downtown.
Decision 2025-0562, which Matt Carlucci launched July 22, requires the district to search out new workplace area alongside the Northbank or Southbank, or in LaVilla or Brooklyn.
At Carlucci’s request, the Council Neighborhoods, Neighborhood Companies, Public Well being and Security Committee voted Aug. 4 to advocate its withdrawal.
Carlucci stated in a textual content message he realized that the nonbinding decision “may complicate the choices forward” for the district. He stated that as a supporter of conventional public faculties, he wished “to make sure nothing I do provides problem to their course of.”
Matt Carlucci
Carlucci stated he obtained assurances from Duval Colleges Superintendent Christopher Bernier and Downtown Funding Authority CEO Colin Tarbert that the organizations would collaborate because the district plans to promote its places of work at 1701 Prudential Drive alongside the St. Johns River.
The almost $700 million RiversEdge mixed-used growth is adjoining to the Duval Colleges constructing.
“In that sense, the decision served its function by opening the door for cooperation, and I’m grateful for that end result,” Carlucci stated.
Carlucci launched his concept for the decision at a July 16 DIA assembly, encouraging it to work with Duval Colleges.
“It retains workers near eating places and small companies that want as many shoppers as they’ll get,” Carlucci stated on the time. “It sustains foot visitors and power. And it provides Downtown the added anchor of a public establishment in a spot that I imagine provides it prominence.”
Duval Colleges has operated with 600 workers within the six-story, 120,822-square-foot Southbank property since 1981. In 2021, the district sought bids to promote and relocate its headquarters area.
When a bunch of bids for the property was whittled down to 2 choices, college board members grew hesitant and halted the trouble. The following 12 months, Duval Colleges modified path and employed Trinity Industrial Group actual property agency to promote the constructing.
The Neighborhoods Committee’s motion sends the advice for withdrawal towards a vote by the total Council.