by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
The State has agreed to let residents at the San Juline Condominiums keep and reuse historic pavers, which are currently being replaced by a new sidewalk.
The Florida Department of Transportation began removing the 90-year-old pavers at the site located across from Memorial Park earlier this week, sending San Juline residents into a panic about what was to be done with the hexagonal walkway.
According to Mary Jarrett, one of 14 residents in the building, requests to keep them were originally denied.
However, FDOT officials made a call to the City’s Streets and Drainage Department early Thursday, making a compromise possible.
“From what I understand, the FDOT wanted to see if the City would be willing to take them and hold on to them for a little while,” said City Council member Michael Corrigan.
Corrigan has served as an intermediary between residents and the FDOT for several days.
“The City said they plan to turn them over to Riverside Avondale Preservation, who will ultimately be giving them back to San Juline,” he said. “I’m thrilled this was taken care of. The FDOT really came through for us, and we’re very grateful to them.”
Corrigan said the pavers could be moved to a nearby City-maintained road.
Riverside Avenue is state road and all required maintenance is an FDOT expense.
“I’m not really sure,” said Corrigan, “but there’s another road that runs through there, May Street, that might be a good place. I don’t think a decision has been made yet.”
Jarrett said once the pavers are returned she and the other residents would like to refurbish them and incorporate them into a new landscaping design along the property’s back lawn.
“We’d thought that would be a nice way to let them still be a part of San Juline,” she said. “We’ve always felt like they were just as much as part of this property as the building itself.”