The Gainesville City Commission allows companies to sublet properties that the city helped them buy

GAINESVILLE, Florida (WCJB) – On Monday, the Gainesville City Commission decided to let Phalanx Defense System sublet the property it acquired in 2016 with the help of the city to another company.

The building is located at 1125 NE 8th Ave. in Gainesville, but most of the business has moved to South Carolina. Phalanx have already contacted Colliers Real Estate to start renting the building and they already have a potential company that could occupy the space.

Big City Commissioner Gail Johnson says this could lead to similar proposals that the commission may need to review.

Commissioner Johnson said: “Even if jobs are created, a hundred jobs will be created. Great i love this what happens next time Where does it end? “

District II Commissioner Harvey Ward didn’t want the building to stand empty longer than necessary.

“The question we have is do we want an empty building or do we want something that supports the neighborhood around them, I want something that supports the neighborhood around them,” said Commissioner Ward.

Four people made their views known during the public comment portion of the meeting, all of whom agreed that the city should not allow Phalanx to move out of the building where they were contractually bound to stay for another five years. Nathan Skop, one of the commentators during the discussion, summed up this opinion.

“And now Colliers come into play trying to use Jedi mind tricks to get you to do what you want that goes against the public interest. Sure, if you want to sublet it, sublet it, but they have a lease, they have an obligation and they hold legal responsibility, ”Skop said.

The commission voted five to two in favor of the decision to change the reverter that will allow Phalanx to sublet the property. The dissenting commissioners were Commissioner Johnson and District I Commissioner Desmon Duncan-Walker.

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