JACKSONVILLE, Fla — The mask mandate is forcing many Jacksonville businesses to get creative and make sure people are following the new requirement, but one downtown building owner doesn’t have to “police” his tenants -- he already has the technology in place to help.
“We’re doing our best we can to protect our tenants and their guests here – and it starts right here at our main entrance," Adam Schaffer said.
Schaffer rents out office space to an assortment of local businesses and non-profits.
As the state has opened up, people are going in and out of the building again. So, Schaffer turned to an infrared sensor camera to provide an extra level of safety for his staff, tenants and their guests.
The new technology is not only helping Schaffer stop the spread of COVID-19 in the building, but it also makes sure tenants are following the new Jacksonville mask mandate. The infrared sensor can take a person's temperature and remind them to put on a mask.
“The technology we’ve invested in -- goes a step further than us policing the property," Schaffer said.
When First Coast News talked to H. Stephen Jones & Associates at the beginning of the pandemic, the Jacksonville engineering consulting company was still testing the effectiveness of the infrared sensor technology on checking temperatures.
Now, the device can be found in a handful of places all over the city.
“From property managers, to hospitals and clinics to spaces just like [The Downtown Duval Building]," HSJ Business Developer Ryan Lee said. "How do you enforce the mandate without having someone to stand here? This really helps.”
Schaffer said this extra safety measure has also made tenants comfortable to return to their normal workflow.
“It was really important for our businesses to come back to the building," he explained. "We all want to come back to work – and now we’re seeing all of our tenants come back.”