by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
In preparation for future needs, the City plans to purchase more land for the new $190 million county courthouse than previously anticipated.
At last week’s Jacksonville Economic Development Commission meeting, Mayor John Delaney delivered a Better Jacksonville Plan update in which he revealed the necessity for more than six total blocks of space.
“We are going to buy two extra blocks of land downtown for the future expansion of the courthouse,” said Delaney.
The new courthouse complex will encompass the block where the current federal courthouse is located and the blocks immediately west, southwest and south. A fourth block will be used exclusively for a parking garage. However, exactly which block that will be has yet to be determined.
“That’s something our design consultants will take into consideration,” said Sam Mousa, the City’s chief administrative officer.
The two future-use blocks will come from blocks 4, 5 and 6 on the map and the funds will have to be found to purchase the blocks.
“That is not in the $190 million. It is something we are looking at,” said Mousa.
Whichever two blocks that aren’t used won’t become urban wastelands. According to Mousa, there are a variety of possible uses for the lots, ranging from pocket parks to nicely landscaped green space to a paved and maintained surface lot, if that’s what’s needed.
In obtaining the extra blocks, Better Jacksonville Plan officials are looking into the future. Delaney said the state assigns Duval County a new circuit or county judge every year. That new judge means another office and more personnel. While the new facility will be able to accommodate several years of additional judges and staff, eventually the need will arise for additional capacity.
“We are looking 20-25 years ahead,” said Mousa. “The staff is looking at the property to buy now. We know we’ll need it in the area. We are committed to the area and we are looking at the long term.”
Mousa said the funds will be found to develop the two extra blocks into pocket parks or surface lots. However, because it will be many years before they are developed, there is no need to set aside money now to build onto the courthouse in 20 years.
“We will look at maybe doing another bond procedure or some other new revenue source,” said Mousa.
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The City has finally obtained all of the property necessary for the four vertical projects within the $2.2 billion Better Jacksonville Plan. Pat Brown of the City’s real estate department said the last parcel of property on the new arena site was acquired last Thursday and as of Jan. 4 everything needed for the courthouse was under City ownership.
“I’m sure we have the order of taking, which means we own it,” said Brown of the courthouse property. “We do own all the property for the courthouse but we still have to settle with some property owners.”