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28-536: I.M. Sulzbacher was a successful insurance broker and civic leader who entered politics during the Jacksonville Consolidation era and was elected to the Jacksonville City Council in 1968. Out of his concern for the homeless, he helped raise awareness about the problem, and convinced his fellow council members of the need for the city to help. With the support of city administrator Lex Hester ,

56-657: A new development named Sawgrass that eventually encompassed 1,200 acres. Phillips Petroleum Company acquired SWD early in 1983 in the $ 1.1 billion purchase of the General American Oil Company of Texas, which announced a plan to sell SWD. A number of banks and corporations made combined offers for the 50,000+ acres of real estate and $ 100+ million in mortgage notes. When the bids were analyzed, Phillips saw that they would maximize their return by selling SWD's real estate and mortgages separately. Executives of First National Bank of Boston were not interested in

84-600: A new pro shop was built. Steam and sauna rooms were added to the men's lockers; a women's locker room was constructed. The San Jose Country Club is on the National Register of Historic Places . Brown Whatley wrote to Florida mortgage bankers in late June 1952 urging them to meet in Jacksonville to discuss common problems and possible solutions. Later that summer, the Mortgage Bankers Association of Florida

112-517: A year of transition, the consolidated government went into effect on October 1, 1968. Jacksonville celebrated with a parade and fireworks that attracted 200,000 spectators. Hans Tanzler , elected mayor of Jacksonville the year before, became the first mayor of the consolidated government. Jacksonville became the largest city (by population) in Florida and the 13th largest in the United States. According to

140-821: The Civil Rights Act that ended legal racial segregation of public facilities, and the state was working to adapt to other changes. On January 19, 1965 Yates called a lunch meeting of the chamber at the Robert Meyer Hotel to decide on a course of action for the region. Attendees included Glenn Marshall Jr., Roger L. Main, W. S. Johnson, Charles W. Campbell, Gert H.W. Schmidt, Edward Ball , C. G. Whittaker, Luke Sadler, B. D. Fincannon, George B. Hills, Jacob F. Bryan III, B. N. Nimnicht, James R. Stockton Sr. , J. T. Lane, J. H. Coppedge, Gen. Maxwell Snyder, Harold Meyerheim, Joseph W. Davin , Thompson S. Baker, Richard Lewinson, Henry M. French and S. Kendrick Guernsey. The date

168-619: The Fifth Amendment , refused to testify, and resigned. Claude Yates had recently retired as vice president and general manager of Southern Bell in Jacksonville and been named president of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce in 1964 when all 15 public high schools lost their accreditation; they were still segregated despite the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling by the US Supreme Court. That year Congress had passed

196-474: The Florida Legislature to accomplish many objectives. The Legislature generally deferred to the decision of the county delegation on whether to enact such special legislation, which gave the county delegation in a particular county great political influence. Following the adoption of a new Constitution, effective January 7, 1969, home rule powers of cities and counties were expanded, and the influence of

224-571: The Jacksonville Historical Society , the city "became the largest city in land area in the entire world", a distinction it eventually yielded to Juneau, Alaska . All land in Duval County is considered part of Jacksonville except the four independent municipalities of Jacksonville Beach , Atlantic Beach , Neptune Beach and Baldwin . Residents of these towns vote in city elections and are eligible for other services. Jacksonville

252-581: The Lex Hester Family Dining Room was dedicated in his memory on May 14, 2001. Linda Lanier, executive director of the center stated that Hester had, "quietly—behind the scenes as usual—made sure the homeless center was part of the River City Renaissance plan, and also that long-range funding for the center was in place. ...[The] appropriate thing to do was to name the room in honor of the man who so richly deserves it." In 1998, 22% of

280-530: The 20th century, when the state legislature had disenfranchised most African Americans and effectively hollowed out the Republican Party , with which most blacks had been allied since they were granted the franchise as freedmen following the Civil War. In the 1960s, a grand jury indicted 11 Jacksonville and Duval County officials on 142 counts of bribery and larceny including: The city tax assessor took

308-655: The LGSC submitted a consolidation proposal entitled, Blueprint for Improvement . The legislative delegation altered the plan slightly to make it more appealing and ordered it to be placed on a referendum in 1967. Claude Yates also helped promote the government merger plan. Yates led the Citizens for Better Government committee, which successfully disseminated information about the advantages of consolidation to voters who had consistently defeated consolidation referendums since 1935. Lower taxes, increased economic development, unification of

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336-502: The Legislature did not exercise the power. Through the 1960s, Jacksonville, like many other large cities in the US, suffered from the effects of urban sprawl , with the city losing tax base to new residential and business development in the suburbs, which also drew out jobs. Both the city and county suffered corruption scandals, following virtual one-party rule by Democrats since the turn of

364-643: The United States. SWD and Arvida Corp. were two of the largest real estate companies in Florida in the 1960s. Management of approximately $ 100 in land from Miami-based Arvida was entrusted to SWD in 1961 when the two created an alliance. The main offices of SWD in downtown Jacksonville were demolished in late 1962 and replaced with a seven-story office building designed by architects Saxelbye & Powell . The 79,052 sq ft (7,344.2 m ) building opened in November, 1963 in addition to ten other offices in Florida. The company's executives occupied one floor,

392-423: The center's $ 2.2 million budget came from city and federal funds. The remaining $ 1.7 million came from United Way, private individuals, corporate donations and grants from foundations. The budget had grown to $ 5.5 million in 2009, with government providing just 11% of the total. The Sulzbacher Center addresses nearly all the needs of the homeless. Jacksonville Consolidation The Jacksonville Consolidation

420-679: The community, better public spending and effective administration by a more central authority were all cited as reasons for a new consolidated government. Influential individuals who supported consolidation included: Duval county voters approved the consolidation referendum 54,493 - 29,768 on August 8, 1967 but the old government did not go quietly. A lawsuit was filed by a few elected officials contesting consolidation because their term in office would be shortened and they would be required to face re-election after one year in office. Other elected officials attempted to pass zoning changes or sign long-term government contracts for their friends. After

448-461: The company's dissolution. Like his father, James Stockton, Jr. began working with his own father at SWD. While on safari to Africa in 1970, he envisioned another golf course resort development like Ponte Vedra in the wild landscape along the coast. After he returned to Florida, he arranged to purchase 1,600 feet of ocean frontage near property SWD had available since the 1960s. He engaged a golf course architect and an engineering firm to draw plans for

476-412: The construction of a homeless facility on city land was included in the 1993 River City Renaissance plan. The Sulzbacher Center signed a 25-year lease of the property in 1995. I. M. Sulzbacher served as a center board member who led fundraising efforts and donated his own money and time. He died on June 5, 2001, but the center became a lasting tribute to his name. After Hester's sudden death at age 64,

504-481: The county delegation declined. In response, the 1965 Florida Legislature created the Local Government Study Commission (LGSC). The legislature chose J. J. Daniel as chairman to design a new government and write its charter. Daniel was known, according to The Florida Times , for his "powerful personality, unquestioned integrity, strong leadership and history of civic involvement." Lex Hester

532-541: The staff utilized five floors, and the seventh floor was reserved for the employee lounge. The General American Oil Company purchased SWD in 1964. Don Davis was named general manager of Deerwood Country Club in 1965, a position he held for over 20 years. In 1978, Davis was promoted to operations vice president of SWD, responsible for all Deerwood Club operations, including the sale of residences and home sites. William F. Aberly joined SWD as financial vice president in 1965 and retired as chairman and CEO in 1984, prior to

560-685: The undersigned, respectfully request the Duval County Delegation to the Florida Legislature to prepare an enabling act calling for the citizens of Duval County to vote on the consolidation of government within Duval to secure more efficient and effective government under one governmental body. Under the Florida Constitution as it existed at that time, cities and counties had limited home rule powers and often needed special legislation by

588-540: Was broken up by its new owner Phillips Petroleum Company . The assets were sold to First National Bank of Boston and Gate Petroleum . Prior to its breakup the company was headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida and was the developer of Ponte Vedra Beach in the early 1930s. At its height, SWD had a real estate portfolio worth $ 100 million and a mortgage loan servicing portfolio of $ 3.8 billion, providing services in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. The original company

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616-562: Was developed by SWD in the 1920s, as was Ponte Vedra Beach in the early 1930s. The abandoned San Jose Hotel was purchased from the Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust in 1946. The hotel became the San Jose campus of The Bolles School , but hotel's golf course and clubhouse opened in 1947 as the San Jose Country Club after $ 300,000 was spent on renovation. The kitchen was expanded and

644-459: Was formed with membership from more than 60 companies. In 1960, J.J. Daniel was president of SWD. He pushed development of the Deerwood section of Jacksonville, and the companion Deerwood Country Club , the most exclusive gated community at the time and for many years thereafter. The company was servicing over 50,000 mortgages valued at $ 420 million, making it the 4th-largest mortgage company in

672-540: Was founded by Telfair Stockton, Sr. in 1884. Following his Marine Corps service in World War I , his son, James R. Stockton Sr. joined the firm to learn the business. When Telfair died in 1932, James Stockton ran the company until merging with the Whatley Davin Development Company. The three principals were James Stockton Sr., Brown L. Whatley and Joseph W. Davin. The San Marco district of Jacksonville

700-535: Was hired as the executive director of the LGSC. He was the "key architect of Jacksonville's consolidated government", transition coordinator and chief administrative officer following consolidation. Claude Yates was among the 50 business and civic leaders invited to participate; elected officials and government employees were intentionally excluded. On October 1, 1965 the commission was established and given until May 1, 1967 to complete their work. In January, 1967, after 15 months of effort and three months ahead of schedule,

728-426: Was significant as it was the deadline for submitting requests for the upcoming state legislative session. At the time, the legislature met for only 60 days every other year. These business and civic leaders signed a 45-word petition to the Duval County legislative delegation, consisting of State Senator John E. Mathews and Representative Fred Schultz, that would later be dubbed as the "Yates Manifesto". It stated: We,

756-599: Was the city-county consolidation of the governments of the City of Jacksonville and Duval County , Florida . It was effected on October 1, 1968. In 1934, the Florida Constitution was amended to give the Florida Legislature the “power to establish, alter or abolish, a Municipal corporation to be known as the City of Jacksonville, extending territorially throughout the present limits of Duval County," but for many years thereafter,

784-455: Was the second consolidated government in the state of Florida and one of ten in the nation. Stockton, Whatley, Davin %26 Co. Stockton, Whatley, Davin & Co. ( SWD ) was one of the largest mortgage banking, real estate and insurance firms in the Southeast of the United States. It was founded in 1884 as the property management Telfair Stockton Company and operated until 1983 when it

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