by Tammy Taylor
Staff Writer
Despite some terse words in the past over the Main Street improvement project, Mayor John Peyton was greeted with cheers and applause as he boarded a trolley for a tour of Springfield last month.
The tour was sponsored by the Main Street Task Force.
“This tour is a chance for me to see first-hand the transformation Springfield has undergone in the last couple of years,” said Peyton. “I am looking forward to seeing the wonderful changes this group of determined, civic minded community members has brought about. “
City Council member Pat Lockett-Felder, whose district includes Springfield, was happy to see the mayor take the tour.
“The mayor, the City Council and the community came together on this project today,” said Lockett-Felder. “This is not just a Springfield problem, but a city problem and the community came out to support us 150 percent.”
The tour began at the Springfield Preservation Revitalization Council (SPAR) headquarters. Along for the ride were SPAR council members, area developers and City employees who have been involved with the Springfield improvement efforts.
According to mayor’s office spokesperson Heather Murphy, Peyton was excited to participate in the tour.
“This is something the mayor really loves to do,” said Murphy. “He loves to celebrate the success of the people and the renovations that have occurred.”
Louise DeSpain, president of the SPAR Council, was pleased with the turnout.
“I think it was excellent,” said DeSpain. “There was a good turnout from the mayor’s office and City Council members.”
Tour highlights included renovations of Phase I of the Main Street project and several community landmarks: the U.S. Post Office which was converted to The Sanctuary, JEA Waterworks building, Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, Shands Hospital and Beulah Beal School.
The purpose of the tour was to obtain funding to begin Phase II improvements along Main Street from Fourth Street to Eighth Street, which are scheduled to begin soon.
“There is no commitment for financing right now,” said DeSpain, “but there is a much firmer commitment to financial backing.”
Peyton has directed his staff to reach out to State and federal partners to obtain funding to complete the Main Street restorations.
“Main Street is a State road,” said Murphy, “so we are hoping that the state will help bear the load of helping the City of Jacksonville to complete this project.”
The project calls for transforming Main Street into a three-lane road with landscaped medians at Perry, Silver and Walnut streets. Bike lanes will be added on both sides of the road, sidewalks will have the hexagonal pattern that can be seen in the Phase I, overhead electrical systems will go underground, and sewer lines and water mains will be upgraded.
DeSpain said the tour gave people who had never seen Springfield the opportunity to do so.
“People saw the increased tax space and how the property value of the area has increased,” she said.
According to the Main Street Task Force, “a long delay in completing the project will seriously diminish the revitalization of the entire community.”