Tobacco company Swisher has reached an agreement with nonprofit community group Lift Jax to reserve 60 jobs for residents of the historic Eastside as part of its $135 million Jacksonville manufacturing expansion.<\/p>\n
Lift Jax announced the deal Thursday in a news release that says 25% of the 240 full-time jobs will go to people living within a 2-mile radius of Swisher\u2019s Jacksonville campus in Springfield. That includes the Eastside neighborhoods of Oakland, Campbell\u2019s Addition, Phoenix and Long Branch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The job commitment comes six months after the City Council approved<\/a> a $3.5 million property tax refund for Swisher\u2019s investment \u2014 at the time known as codenamed Project Newark<\/a> \u2014 that the tobacco company will receive over five years.<\/p>\n The agreement also follows a council vote Tuesday finalizing the structure of the board that will oversee grant awards from a $40 million pot for Eastside economic development. That money comes from the community benefits agreement between the city and the Jacksonville Jaguars as part of last year\u2019s stadium renovation deal.<\/p>\n Lift Jax President and CEO Travis Williams told Jacksonville Today that, although the CBA and Swisher\u2019s job commitment aren\u2019t directly linked, the nonprofit hopes the city\u2019s recent investments in the Eastside will get more companies to take notice of its neighborhoods and people.<\/p>\n \u201cIt definitely influenced us as an organization in trying to produce more community benefits,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd the more we can do that, when the city invests in something that\u2019s proximate to a community, and we can make sure there is a community benefit to that investment, then that just produces more opportunity for the neighborhood.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n What\u2019s the job?<\/p>\n Swisher \u2014 a 165-year-old, family-owned\u00a0 company \u2014 has been headquartered in Springfield since 1924. Its expansion will be in the Phoenix area, a Level 2 Economically Distressed Area. The new space will focus on smokeless nicotine and caffeine products.<\/p>\n According to its incentives agreement with the city, the company is required to create at least 200 jobs with an average wage of $70,000 per year and have them in place by Dec. 31, 2028.<\/p>\n \u201cOur partnership with the City of Jacksonville and LIFT JAX strengthens the talent pipeline that makes growth possible, ensuring local residents have access to quality jobs and long-term career opportunities,\u201d Swisher President and CEO Neil Kiely said in the news release. \u201cTogether, we\u2019re building a workforce that will support Swisher\u2019s continued innovation while creating meaningful economic impact for the community, we\u2019ve proudly called home for more than 100 years.\u201d<\/p>\n Williams said talks began with Swisher and the city on committing jobs for Eastside residents about three months ago. For Lift Jax\u2019s role, the nonprofit will be responsible for getting the work out to jobseekers.\u00a0<\/p>\n