Sulzbacher closes financing on first phase of Sulzbacher Enterprise Village

I.M. Sulzbacher Center for the Homeless (Sulzbacher) has closed its financing on the $37 million phase one of the Sulzbacher Enterprise Village. Construction of phase one will begin immediately and will include 100 affordable studio and one-bedroom workforce housing apartments prioritizing formerly homeless men.

The Enterprise Village will be located at 4785 Walgreen Road in Jacksonville, which is located just off I-95 and Golfair Boulevard. Financing for phase one has been provided by EverBank, the Jacksonville Housing Finance Authority, The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida (through the Delores Barr Weaver Legacy Fund), The Jessie Ball duPont Fund and the City of Jacksonville.

Sulzbacher has partnered with The Vestcor Companies as its co-developer for phase one of the Sulzbacher Enterprise Village. Summit Contractors will serve as the general contractor. Phase one is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

The Enterprise Village will have three total phases:

• Workforce housing of 100 units

• Comprehensive wrap-around services currently being provided at the Sulzbacher downtown campus will be relocated to the same site, including all of Sulzbacher’s Federally Qualified Health Clinics and a Mayo Learner’s Clinic, a Goodwill job training facility, and other services as requested by the community

• A for-profit manufacturing business

This unique model of housing, health care and jobs on site will be the first of its kind. The manufacturing business profits will be used to sustain the services being offered, which will create a sustainability model not just for the clients but for the organization as well.

It will train the hardest-to-place workers, including those with felonies and those with other barriers, by providing a work environment inclusive of all the wrap-around services needed to support the client as they are being trained and are entering the workforce.

Components of the Sulzbacher Enterprise Village will include:

• On the job training in a real business setting

• 100 units of workforce housing

• Full health services in a medical home-primary care, behavioral health, dental, optical (Federally Qualified Health Center) open to all in the community regardless of ability to pay

• Mayo learning clinic

• Industrial kitchen and meal program, to include culinary training

• Substance abuse treatment

• Goodwill Job Junction in partnership with FSCJ; a large training and education facility

• 80 short-term emergency units

• Green space, art and exercise spaces

• Other additional services and partners recommended by the community

Over its 30-year history, Sulzbacher has been recognized as a major player in the fight against poverty and homelessness in North Florida. It addresses the inequities so prevalent in certain parts of the community including housing, income and health inequities.

Sulzbacher is an evidence-based organization, and it strives to bring national best practices to Jacksonville to assist as many as possible in attaining, “Housing, Health Care and Hope.”

 Sulzbacher provides the opportunity for homeless men, women and children to achieve a better life. The agency’s comprehensive services include street outreach, daily meals, emergency housing, case management support, veteran services, job placement assistance, as well as permanent supportive housing, scattered-site housing and a therapeutic early learning center.

Medical, dental and mental health care is provided on its downtown campus, at the beaches and at its pediatric health center at Sulzbacher Village, along with several school-based health clinics operated in conjunction with Wolfson Children’s Hospital.

Every day, Sulzbacher is home to more than 400 homeless members of the community, most of whom are women and children.

For more information, go to sulzbacherjax.org.