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New parking garage could be coming to Brooklyn neighborhood

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A new parking garage could help relieve some of the parking problems in the Brooklyn and Riverside neighborhoods.

The Downtown Investment Authority approved a resolution to give a retention pond to Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Florida so the company can build a parking garage with a minimum of 750 spaces on that land.

The land, which is located at Forest and Park Streets, is appraised at $3.17 million.

The city said the transfer would save it maintenance costs for the site, which is estimated by the Department of Public Works to be $12,000 per year.

The city would chip in $3.5 million in the form of a parking grant, payable upon substantial completion of the parking garage.

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Under the agreement, the parking garage would be open to the public after 6 p.m. on weekdays and 24 hours a day on the weekends and holidays, a term of 39 years.

The DIA said the parking garage would help meet the demand for existing and proposed retail establishments and restaurants nearby.

It could also increase the opportunities for downtown employment, according to DIA.

Florida Blue said it plans to move 500 employees from its Southside complex to the Riverside building but it needs the extra parking.

Right now, some Florida Blue employees use a surface parking lot on the waterfront. Freeing up the lot it opens up a prime piece of real estate on the St. Johns River for future development.

If the project gets final approval, the groundbreaking is expected before the end of March 2020, and construction should be completed within a year.
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