by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
Though not slated for completion until late 2005, details surrounding the new Duval County Courthouse are beginning to take shape.
Circuit Court Judge A.C. Soud, who heads a City planning committee overseeing the $211 million project, said that, currently, everything is still in the “pre-schematic phase.”
“Regarding the new courthouse” he said, “we’re still focusing on what we need and where these things are going to go. We’re still conceptualizing.”
The two-and-half-year preplanning stages have allowed the committee to avoid any serious problems thus far.
Among one of the more prominent details the committee is working through is the trafficking of prisoners, jurors and visitors in and around the courthouse.
“It’s very important that we are able to keep the dangerous criminals in the courthouse from ever crossing paths with juvenile offenders,” said Soud.
At the current location on Bay Street, there is no such separation.
“We also want to keep them away from jurors and visitors,” he added.
Soud speculated that, while not having a basement, such prisoners would be delivered to the courtroom through an underground entry.
Additionally, visitors entering the courthouse through the main entrance will pass through one of five security stations. Soud asserted that these stations will keep lines shorter and ultimately prevent individuals from having to wait in inclement weather for an extended amount of time. It is estimated that 5,000 people will pass through the building daily.
“We’re also looking into installing multiple escalators to cut down on the wait time for the elevators,” said Soud.
Another topic of discussion for the committee is how the individual courtrooms — approximately 44 in all — will be arranged. Soud revealed the committee is looking into “clustering” them by case types, including juvenile, family, civil and criminal.
“We’re also looking into arranging them by how frequently they are used,” said Soud, “basically looking to see how many people will be coming in and out of them.”
These courtroom assignments will also play a role in reducing traffic from within the building.
Plans to incorporate the old federal courthouse on Monroe Street into the new complex have also been discussed, although physically joining the two will probably not become a reality because of cost restraints.
While not meeting on a regular basis at this point, the committee will reconvene occasionally at the request of the project architect. Details should be finalized by February or March. The City plans to begin construction on the courthouse this summer.