Ally Financial renovating space in Lakeside III

Six months after the city issued a permit for Marand Builders to renovate the Lakeside IV office building in Southside for Ally Financial, plans are in review for a $6.75 million renovation for the company at Lakeside III and the installation of 10 EV chargers at $352,688.

The city is reviewing permit applications for Ally Financial to renovate the first floor at Lakeside III at 12808 Gran Bay Parkway W. and to install EV chargers in the parking lot.

On April 24, the city issued a permit for a $20.8 million project renovation of the five-story Lakeside IV building at 12850 Gran Bay Parkway W. for the Ally Financial Operations Center.

LS3P Associates Ltd. of Savannah, Georgia, is the architect for the projects.

Ally Financial, through WGB LLC of Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, owns the property, which is east of Interstate 95 and south of Old St. Augustine Road.

Marand Builders is based in Jacksonville Beach.

The scope of work at Lakeside IV involved reformatting and upgrading offices and conference, huddle and break rooms as well as restrooms.

The Duval County Property Appraiser shows the building, developed in 1999, totals 129,106 square feet of space.

The permit indicates that 65,211 square feet of space will be renovated.

The scope of work at Lakeside III involves conference, training, security, fitness, open office space and more.

That 117,172-square-foot, four-story building was developed in 2007. Renovations are on the first floor.

In May 2020, Crocker Partners sold the Lakeside III and Lakeside IV office buildings in Flagler Center to Ally Financial Inc. for $49 million.

Ally Financial spokesperson Cristianna Vazquez said by email at the time that Ally was the sole occupant of both buildings, where it had 1,090 employees.

"This purchase will help Ally strengthen the common culture and collaboration across teams in a campus-like environment for its loyal and high performing workforce," Vazquez said. "The transaction will also help Ally control long-term occupancy costs."

Crocker, through two limited liability companies, bought the property in 2014 as part of a larger portfolio in Flagler Center.

Property records show Lakeside III, at 12808 Gran Bay Parkway W., is a four-story, 117,172-square-foot building developed in 2007 on 14.3 acres.

Lakeside IV, at 12850 Gran Bay Parkway W., is a five-story, 129,106-square-foot building developed in 1999 on 26.2 acres.

Web.com leased Lakeside III before moving to the Town Center Two building near St. Johns Town Center.

Ally Bank moved into that space and already leased Lakeside IV.

It is the rebranded GMAC, a name change that took place in 2010.

Ally bought the buildings through WGB Properties LLC.

Crocker Partners sold them through Lakeside III Associates LLC and Lakeside IV and V Associates LLC.