by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
Space in the new Duval County Courthouse failed to materialize for the 4th Judicial Circuit’s Guardian ad Litem program, but the foster child advocate service has found a new home.
The program will move from the City Hall Annex to the planned Court Documents Building’s first floor following the two-story, red-brick buildings’ early 2005 completion. The space became available after Clerk of Courts Jim Fuller requested that the original tenant — a traffic violations payment center — be moved to Beach Boulevard.
Shortly after that decision was made, Fuller and Project Manager Joel Reitzer began looking for a replacement. Reitzer said the nearly 10,400 square feet of space was a natural fit with the Guardian ad Litem program.
“They have a number of functions, including advocates for children, providing case workers and attorneys to handle cases, they need training and conference facilities there,” said Reitzer. “As their mission has grown, it was up to us to provide good facilities for them.”
Reitzer said Guardian ad Litem will require 10,044 square feet, and should fit well within the available space.
Originally intended for the new county courthouse, ad Litem found itself squeezed out of the building due to excessive demand for the available space. Because the program will be moved next year out of the State Court Administration’s supervision, the program was not considered a priority tenant.
“Obviously we’d love to be in the new courthouse, but I think everyone would like to be in there,” said program Circuit Director Lisa Moore. “It became a matter of priority, and we’re very excited to move into the Court Documents Building.”
Adding to her enthusiasm for the A. Philip Randolph Boulevard location, Moore said the space would be available two or three years sooner. The City’s early notice will allow the program to be involved in the office’s planning and construction.
“Right now our volunteers pretty much are assigned whatever desks are empty. We’re in at the ground floor of this project; we can tell them what we need and what will work best for us. We’re very excited to have input into the space’s creation,” said Moore.
The facilities will include space for the program’s 25 full-time workers and for the five-or-so volunteers who staff the office daily. The office will also feature a large conference room outfitted with audio/visual materials used to train volunteers.
Reitzer said the program would be easier to accommodate than the office’s original tenant. The traffic violations office would have required bank-like teller facilities for fine collection and would have required money storage.
The $4 million building will also house City purchasing offices on the first floor; domestic violence counseling, tax deeds and marriage licenses will be available on the second. A near mirror-image permit center will be easily accessible from the documents building across an outdoor courtyard.
Moore said she hopes the new building will end the program’s vagabond existence. Prior to moving into its current City Hall Annex offices, the program was housed on Eighth Street and Bay Street. Moore said her office added 10 staffers shortly after taking up residence at the Annex.