Nine companies submitted qualifications to demolish the former City Hall Annex and Duval County Courthouse buildings at 220 and 330 E. Bay St.
Those submitting qualifications by the 2 p.m. deadline were:
J.B Coxwell Contracting Inc., D.H. Griffin Wrecking Co. Inc., Sabre Demolition Corp., Environmental Holdings Group LLC, Pece of Mind Environmental Inc., Total Wrecking & Environmental LLC, Jackson Demolition Services Inc., Dore & Associates Contracting Inc. and Timmons Contracting Corp.
These companies submitted qualifications to provide permitting and demolition services. If qualified, they will be asked to submit price proposals for the work.
On March 6, the Procurement Division Qualifications Review Committee will meet to discuss the submissions. Those qualified will be presented March 15 to the General Government Awards Committee.
The next steps have yet to be scheduled. No dates have been announced for the final project award.
Mayor Lenny Curry included $8 million in the city budget to demolish the structures to prepare for redevelopment of the 8.38-acre riverfront site.
While no use for the property has been decided, the site is considered a front-runner for development of a convention center.
In January, the Downtown Investment Authority announced it is seeking plans for a convention center complex there.
The seven-story courthouse was constructed in 1956 and the 15-story city hall building in 1960, according to the Duval County Property Appraiser’s Office.
The city moved most of the legislative and executive branch departments in 1997 to the St. James Building at 117 W. Duval St., although some departments and the State Attorney’s Office used the space for several more years.
Courthouse operations relocated in 2012 to the new Duval County Courthouse at 501 W. Adams St.
Although the buildings are vacant, taxpayers still are paying for their upkeep.
Over the summer, a city spokeswoman said that from August 2016 to July 2017, the city spent nearly $90,000 on electricity, water and sewer services for the two buildings – about $7,500 a month.
A convention center hotel is one of several proposed projects along the Downtown riverfront.
On the Northbank, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan wants to develop the Shipyards site and a decision is expected soon on the unfinished Berkman II condominium. Meanwhile, the Jacksonville Landing is tied up in litigation.
On the Southbank, developer Peter Rummell wants to develop The District, a project in negotiations.