Kraft Heinz sells Maxwell House parent business, Downtown tower incentives stall in committee, and the Jaguars push back on a bigger Downtown improvement district

Kraft Heinz agrees to sell a majority of its coffee business, including the Jacksonville Maxwell House plantKraft Heinz said Nov. 4 it agreed to sell a majority interest in its North American coffee business to an affiliate of investment firm One Rock Capital Partners. The deal includes the Maxwell House plant at 735 E. Bay St. in Downtown Jacksonville, the last remaining U.S. Maxwell House plant, which has operated at that location since 1924. Kraft Heinz expects after tax net proceeds of $500 million in cash and will keep a 30% equity stake. The sale also covers the Gevalia, Nabob, Yuban, Tassimo, Ethical Bean and Sanka brands, and One Rock will take on about 250 employees in the coffee business. Kraft Heinz did not say how many people work at the Jacksonville plant. Source: Jax Daily Record, Nov. 4, 2026

Council committee deadlocks on incentives for the Block N7 towerThe Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee tied 3 to 3 on Nov. 4, so Ordinance 2026-0541 did not advance toward a planned full Council vote Nov. 10. The ordinance would provide $21.41 million in tax rebates and a $28.25 million completion grant for Gateway Jax’s Publix anchored Block N7 project in Pearl Square, a 15 story tower at 119 W. Beaver St. with nearly 260 apartments, 400 parking spaces and a 31,000 square foot Publix. Council President Nick Howland said he will decide by Nov. 6 whether to bring it to the Nov. 10 meeting. If he does not, it would be delayed at least two weeks. Finance Chair Will Lahnen said Amendment 3 will add pressure on the city budget, while Gateway Jax CEO Bryan Moll said it makes commercial property tax more important to the city. Source: Jax Daily Record, Nov. 4, 2026

Jaguars oppose being included in an expanded Downtown improvement districtRepresentatives of the Jaguars and Shanna Collective told a City Council committee Nov. 3 that they do not want to pay the higher assessments that come with joining Downtown Vision’s business improvement district, calling it a double tax because they already cover services such as litter cleanup. Downtown Vision’s assessment is $1.10 for every $1,000 of assessed property value. The proposed map would cover all areas the Downtown Investment Authority defines as Downtown, including Brooklyn, the Sports and Entertainment District and the Working Waterfront east of EverBank Stadium. Council member Joe Carlucci said Ordinance 2026-0814 is only a first step. It passed the Neighborhoods committee 5 to 2 and the Finance Committee 4 to 2, and a full Council vote is set for Nov. 10. Source: Jax Daily Record, Nov. 4, 2026

DIA to seek developers for historic Snyder Memorial churchThe Downtown Investment Authority is scheduled to issue a request for information Nov. 5 from developers interested in reviving the 123 year old, city owned church at 226 N. Laura St., across from City Hall. The DIA is not seeking multifamily or mostly office uses and wants a public space with street level activation, such as a restaurant, gallery or music hall. Responses are due in early February, and a tentative timeline calls for detailed proposals April 12 and a DIA board vote at its April meeting. The DIA has lined up $4.5 million in incentives and has spent $430,000 on structural repairs and $600,000 on a fire suppression system. Source: Jax Daily Record, Nov. 5, 2026

Ascension St. Vincent’s plans three primary care locations in St. Johns CountyThe health system plans to open locations at 3655 Longleaf Pine Parkway, expected in December, at 1035 Crosswater Parkway in Nocatee, expected in the winter of 2027, and at 616 Florida 13, expected in 2027. Ascension St. Vincent’s said St. Johns County’s population grew about 27% from 2020 to 2025. The system also plans to open a Family Birth Place at Ascension St. Vincent’s St. Johns Hospital in the summer of 2027. Source: Jax Daily Record, Nov. 4, 2026

ICE does not rule out a sale of its Jacksonville mortgage technology businessOn an Oct. 29 earnings call, Intercontinental Exchange CEO Jeff Sprecher answered an analyst question about whether ICE is the right owner of ICE Mortgage Technology by saying, “We’re not married to anything.” ICE bought the business, then called Black Knight, for $11.9 billion in 2023. In the third quarter, ICE Mortgage Technology revenue rose 4% to $549 million, while adjusted operating income fell 2% to $219 million. ICE bought the former Merrill Lynch campus in Deerwood Park for $42 million in January 2025 and committed to retain 1,500 jobs and add 500 more under a city incentive package. Source: Jax Daily Record, Nov. 5, 2026

St. Johns County denies a larger warehouse plan on Inman RoadCommissioners voted 4 to 1 on Nov. 3 to deny a major modification that would have doubled the maximum building area at the Last Mile Distribution Facility planned unit development from 125,000 to 250,000 square feet, spread over six buildings on 58.74 acres east of Interstate 95 and north of Florida 16. Commissioner Ann Taylor’s motion cited traffic on Florida 16 near Inman Road, which county staff said is already over capacity. The applicant said the project could raise annual property taxes from about $22,000 to nearly $600,000 and create 400 to 700 jobs. No tenant was named, and the site was previously approved for an Amazon distribution center that was never built. Source: Jax Daily Record, Nov. 4, 2026

Top commercial sales of the week include Clay County homebuilding dealsIn Clay County, Perry Homes of Florida bought 10 residential lots in Creekview Trail Area 4A off Berryhill Road in Green Cove Springs, and Oakleaf BTR SPE LLC bought eight rental town homes in District Oakleaf Village Phase 2 from Meritage Homes of Florida. In Duval County, Lennar Homes bought 52 residential lots in Villages of Westport Phase 5A, and the 159 unit Palms at Beacon Pointe apartments changed hands at 1251 Beacon Point Drive. Prices were not listed for these transactions in the report. Source: Jax Daily Record, Nov. 5, 2026