The building where Duval County Public Schools makes decisions affecting students could move to Regency Square Mall, a Southside office park or two other sites after the School Board reviewed relocation options Aug. 19.

Real estate consultant Dan O'Berski of Trinity Commercial Group presented the four finalists, culled from 88 potential properties, at a board workshop. Two competing purchase offers for the district's current Prudential Drive headquarters are also in play, meaning the board faces decisions on both ends of the move worth tens of millions of dollars.

For Mandarin families, the outcome could shape how DCPS spends capital as the district makes other facilities decisions.

The Four Relocation Finalists

The least expensive site is a four-story office building on Prominence Parkway in Baymeadows, owned by Dream Finders Homes. The building is listed at $13.65 million and could accommodate up to 1,000 staff members. The board workshop agenda packet rated it highest in physical and financial certainty and potentially the fastest to occupy.

But the building lacks an auditorium, meaning public board meetings would still be held at the Schultz Center. Board member Cindy Pearson pushed back.

"Penny-wise, pound-foolish comes to mind," Pearson said at the workshop. "We may save some money or make some money in the short term, but in the long term, I think it's going to cost us to be separated like that, and we're going to be committed to a building that currently nobody else wants either."

Two other options were estimated at about $16 million each. Buying up to four additional buildings in the Midtown Centre office park near the Schultz Center could create a single headquarters campus with room for up to 400 staff members. The final cost would vary by the number of buildings purchased.

The Regency Square Mall option, involving space in the former mall in Arlington, also was estimated at about $16 million and could house about 400 staff members. It would require significant renovations, and additional space could be available if the district chose to spend more.

The fourth proposal would involve a new building on Jacksonville Transportation Authority-owned land downtown. The board discussed the option but showed little interest in its potential cost.

Selling the Current Headquarters

Two developers have offered to buy the Prudential Drive property. Bainbridge, a Central Florida firm, bid $15.5 million. Ashco, a Jacksonville family-owned developer, bid $15.6 million.

Both proposals would include the district's riverfront land, including a smaller parking-lot parcel that was a point of contention in the district's previous deal with Chase Properties. Board members appeared to favor Ashco's proposal, which includes a mid-rise residential building, retail space and possibly condominiums.

Trinity Commercial Group assessed both offers at a 75% probability of closing.

Years of Stalled Deals

The relocation has stalled repeatedly. In August 2025, Superintendent Christopher Bernier proposed selling the Prudential Drive building to Fleet Landing and buying the Prominence Parkway property. That deal collapsed. Chase Properties then agreed to buy the headquarters but later backed out. DCPS canceled its Baymeadows purchase contract to avoid owning two buildings.

Chief Operating Officer James Culbert is the district's point of contact on the headquarters matter. No vote was taken at the Aug. 19 workshop, and the date of the next board action had not been announced.