by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Last month Better Jacksonville Plan officials narrowed their list of potential county courthouse architects to four. Wednesday, representatives from those firms gathered in Chief Judge Don Moran’s chambers for a face-to-face with courthouse projects managers, county and circuit judges and several others who have vested interests in the new $190 million facility.
The objective of the courthouse orientation was clear: these are things we want, these are things we don’t want and here’s our budget.
During the morning session, Don MacCormack, vice president of Jacobs Facilities, Inc., the program manger for the new county courthouse, explained in detail what each architectural firm should incorporate into its design.
Although the courthouse comes with a price tag of $190 million, the firms were advised to stay well below that figure in an effort to avoid some of the controversy that accompanied the recent completion of the new downtown library design competition. With plenty of fiscal flexibility, the thinking is the firms will easily be able to stay under budget and circumvent any debatable accounting methods.
MacCormack and several other members of the Jacobs staff spent the better part of an hour delivering essentially a wish list for representatives from Rink Reynolds Diamond Fischer Wilson, P.A., KBJ Architects, Inc., Cannon Florida, Inc. and Spillis Candela & Partners. In addition to a facility capable of housing 26 circuit judges, 14 county judges, seven general masters, the Clerk of the Courts and hundreds of staff members, the firms were reminded to keep in mind the City’s desire for the courthouse to retain a historical aura while displaying the ability to handle future growth without having to add onto the facility in the near future.
One of the major concerns the firms had revolved around the old federal courthouse and how it is to be incorporated into their designs. They also expressed concern over the removal of hazardous materials in the building.
MacCormack said plans are to basically gut the old building — leaving only the exterior facade and weight-bearing walls — which will serve as the only abatement process needed.
Understanding that they have general guidelines but the ability to employ their imaginations, the architects also wondered about plans for the surrounding blocks.
“We are contacted almost every day about those areas,” said Al Battle, managing director of
the Downtown Development Authority.
When the new United States Courthouse at Jacksonville is completed in September and the new Duval County courthouse opens in 2005, that eight block complex will the center of Jacksonville’s legal community.
“Many attorneys are interested in moving near that area,” said Battle.
In addition to their designs for the four blocks the county courthouse will occupy, the architects will also be asked to submit plans for the adjacent three blocks, two of which will become parking, while the other will be set aside for future use.
The next step is for the four firms to create renderings and scale models of their designs. Those models will be presented June 25 at the final design competition (which will probably be held at the University of North Florida) similar to the ones held for the library, arena and baseball park. The competition will be a chance for both the public and the courthouse design review committee to see the creations.
Eventually, Mayor John Delaney and several other Better Jacksonville Officials will select a winner. While the courthouse won’t be completed until sometime in 2005, plans are to have an official ground breaking before Delaney leaves office on June 1, 2003.