Employers ended 2003 with plans to add 8,874 jobs in Jacksonville, an improvement from last year but still well below the three years before that.
The total is below experts' predictions that employers would create 10,000 to 12,000 jobs in the area this year, but still is 13 percent above last year's rate.
Planned Jobs
During our five-year survey, including 2003, we found that employers said during 2002 they could create 7,830 jobs in Jacksonville during 2002; 10,528 jobs during 2001; 12,778 jobs in 2000; and 12,581 jobs in 1999.
While not meeting projections, last year's expectations still represent a turnaround following the recession and the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Employers said during December that they might create 176 jobs if they carried through with their plans, capping a roller coaster year of reports.
They announced net job losses in November and May, and net increases the other months, ranging from 262 jobs in October to 1,337 jobs during April.
Our unscientific report tracks job cuts and gains that employers said they might make in Duval County. The hires and cuts can take place over days, months or years.
We gather the information from employers and from the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission and its divisions, the Jacksonville Planning and Development Department and its Concurrency Management System Office, the state and other sources.
It does not include information from Baker, Clay, Nassau or St. Johns counties, the other counties in the area. Also, the survey does not include unannounced gains or layoffs.
During 2003, employers announced plans to cut a net 377 jobs in November and 34 jobs in May. They projected net gains of 176 during December; 262 jobs during October; 1,029 jobs during September; 1,324 jobs during August; 1,334 jobs during July; 680 jobs during June; 1,337 jobs during April; 750 jobs during March; 1,141 jobs during February; and 1,252 jobs during January.
Here are the 13 companies or organizations that indicated during December that they might add jobs in Jacksonville, how many, where and the source of the information.
-- Old Kings Road South Office Park, 46 jobs, Old Kings road between Bradford and Baymeadows roads, concurrency.
-- Synovus Bank of Jacksonville, 30 jobs, Centurion Centre in Deerwood Park, company.
-- Normandy Square Bank, 25 jobs, Normandy Boulevard near Interstate 295, concurrency.
-- VyStar Credit Union, 25 jobs, 103rd Street and McManus Drive, concurrency.
Nine employers indicated they would create up to 20 jobs: LMI East warehouse condos, 15 jobs, 11901 Fayal Drive, concurrency; Florida Kidcare Center, nine jobs, 14970 Mandarin Road, concurrency; Bodie Electrical Contractors of Florida Inc., six jobs, Edgewood Avenue and Cleveland Road, economic development commission; Liberty Center for the Homeless, six jobs, 2303 Art Museum Drive, concurrency; Oaks at Normandy Apartments, five jobs, 7777 Normandy Blvd., concurrency; Logan's Pointe Phase II, three jobs, 3544 St. Johns Bluff Road S., concurrency; North Star Motors LLC, three jobs, Philips Highway, concurrency; Pearl Collision, two jobs, 6575 Blanding Blvd.; First Guaranty Bank, one job, 1234 King St., concurrency.
ST. AUGUSTINE COMMONS
Construction should start within two weeks for the St. Augustine Commons office condominiums.
Bob Freeland with developer Lockwood Freeland Realty said the three-building, 14-unit complex at 6550 St. Augustine Road should be ready for occupancy by July.
Freeland said the units are 1,201 and 1,210 square feet. Pre-construction prices are $152,000 for the smaller unit and $156,000 for the larger.
Freeland said the target market is professional and medical services.
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