by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
As the State continues to remove pieces of sidewalk in front of the San Juline Condominiums, residents inside are doing their best to save them.
Running along Riverside Avenue across from Memorial Park, the sidewalk pavers are approximately 90 years old. Residents say if they can’t stay where they are, they’d like to reuse them somewhere else on the property.
“That’s really all we’re asking. We’re not arguing about the Florida Department of Transportation installing a new sidewalk,” said Mary Jarrett, one the 14 residents fighting to keep the pavers on or near the property. “They need to be preserved because they’re valuable to the neighborhood and valuable to the building.
“They’re a piece of the historical fabric and many of them have already been taken away.”
Tensions surrounding the near century-old pavers have continued to escalate since work began unannounced Monday.
Jarrett said she and others approached InterTech contractors, who are performing most of the work, about keeping them.
“The request went through their management and we were told it would be fine if we kept them,” she said. “Then, out of nowhere, word came from FDOT that it wouldn’t be possible, that they were the property of the State and that they would be keeping them.”
As a State road, Riverside Avenue repairs and upkeep are an FDOT expense. Until a future use is identified, the pavers will likely be taken to an Ellis Road storage facility.
“I just don’t know why they would want them anyway,” said Jarrett. “I know they’re on a public right-of-way, but we really feel like they’re ours.”
Now on board to keep them on the property are Riverside Avondale Preservation and City Council member Michael Corrigan, a former RAP chair.
Corrigan said he’d do whatever he could help.
“I know RAP feels strongly, just as I do, that they should be maintained,” he said. “I am concerned, but I’m also optimistic something can be done about this.”
Mike Goldman, an FDOT spokesperson, said he was unaware of what work was being done or why FDOT would have an interest in holding these particular pavers or any others.
“You know, I can’t say,” he said, “it’s a general maintenance contract we have with InterTech so I’d assume they’re repairing the sidewalk because of some type of safety issue we have over there.
“But why we’d be keeping them? That’s the question of the week.”