by Glenn Tschimpke
Staff Writer
Commuters headed for downtown Monday morning passed their usual entrance to the Downtown Trolley parking lot and drove through the dusty entrance of the new trolley lot. That’s the amount of fanfare the City generated as the new parking facility enjoyed a “soft” opening this week.
“The reason being is that the City is shifting all their people from the old lot to the new lot,” said JTA spokesperson Joanne Kazmierski.
The City is putting the finishing touches on the new park and ride trolley lot bordered by A. Philip Randolph Boulevard, East Beaver, Duval and Palmetto streets and expects to complete the project within the next three to four weeks. The old lot, which is across the street from the new facility, has been closed and is being reclaimed to make way for the Better Jacksonville Plan’s proposed sports arena. The City broke ground on the arena Nov. 27.
The new lot offers about 950 spaces, roughly double the parking area of the old facility. The covered waiting station will decrease in size after City planners found the old building was underused.
“The covered area will be a much smaller version than the old,” said Mike Bouda, project manager with the City. “We found we didn’t need as big a station. The waiting area will be the same but we won’t have an area for concessions.”
While the restrooms will be a carryover from the old lot, the concession area will not be offered in the new building. Drinks and snacks were not big sellers among commuters.
“When trolley riders get to the parking lot, they’re ready to get on the trolley go to work and when they get off the trolley, they’re ready to go home,” said Bouda.
Called St. Andrews Station in reference to the nearby church, Bouda expects the building to be done within the month and will feature a motif typical of area architecture.
“It’s going to be done in brick to match the St. Andrews Church,” he said.
Bouda doesn’t expect a formal grand opening ceremony when the new facility is complete. Any such thing could be considered overkill.
“It’s really moving only about a block,” he said.
The trolley will continue to run every weekday from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. in 10 minute intervals.