Before you drive your new car off the lot, it’s crossed oceans, gone through inspections, and been delivered, by truck or rail, to its final destination through a complex supply chain. For many Toyota vehicles in the southeast, one major stop is the new JAXPORT facility, JE Dunn’s latest project for Southeast Toyota in Jacksonville, Florida.
“We’re very honest and transparent, probably a lot more than some other GCs that they’re used to,” said Senior Project Manager Jeff Gazaway on scoring repeat business with Southeast Toyota. “They also just enjoy hanging out with us.”
Set to complete this August, the 380,000-square-foot, seven-building vehicle processing center sits on 88 acres of Jacksonville’s Blount Island and will process roughly 4,000 vehicles per week. In addition to newly built rail lines, car washes, and fueling stations, the facility also includes a 272,000-square-foot accessory building, where each car is tailored to meet specific dealer and driver needs. The team said that to pull off a project of this scale and size, everything needed to work together perfectly.
“It just requires a lot of communication,” Senior Project Engineer Geoff Carter said.
Like many current JE Dunn projects, the team relies heavily on traveling employees. In fact, the entire team comprises JE Dunn personnel from East Region offices and AFG. That means overcoming the challenge of building a strong culture on the go, grounded in shared purpose and mutual trust.
“On a team this big, especially when you’ve got younger people working alongside old-school guys, and all of us being travelers — getting to know someone outside of work is important,” Jeff said.
The JAXPORT team instantly put in the effort to build those relationships.
“Work is work, but I think we get to do it with some great people,” Senior Project Engineer Ethan Selmer said. “I’ve loved meeting people and making new friendships. I’m looking forward to the next one.”
In addition to bowling, Topgolf, and team dinners, outings to minor-league Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp games became a favorite, offering an easy, low-pressure way to unwind and get to know each other.
“Our Jumbo Shrimp nights were a big thing,” Jeff said. “We were trying to find something that was a little bit easier for people to come and go as they please. They’ve been fun.”
For many of the travelers on-site, JAXPORT is their first experience of a project of its size and impact, providing roughly 1,000 jobs to the local community. This project allowed team members to take on new challenges and build their portfolios with memorable work for a high-profile client.
“It’s a pretty badass job, in my mind,” Geoff said. “This is my first ‘big’ job. It’s been a cool learning curve for me.”
Through strong teamwork, a culture of unity, and the opportunity to deliver meaningful work for a recognizable brand, the Southeast Toyota JAXPORT project has become more than just a job. For many on the team, it has been a chance to stretch their expertise, build lasting relationships, and contribute to something that will impact the region for years to come.
“It really goes to show that the sky’s the limit with JE Dunn,” Jeff said.
