by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
Despite requests from Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art officials that Duval Street be re-opened to improve the museum’s walk-up business, City officials said Tuesday that repairs to the street will keep it closed until the Main Library opens late this year.
Haskell Company CEO Preston Haskell, head of fundraising for JMoMA, asked Mayor John Peyton last week to open Duval, which borders the museum to the north. He said in a letter that the street’s closure for construction was limiting pedestrian traffic around the museum and hurting attendance.
With JEA finishing installation of chilled water piping under the street today, Haskell had hoped the street could be opened. However, Better Jacksonville Plan spokesperson Lisa Rowe said repairs to the street wouldn’t be complete until the library’s opening, scheduled for late 2004.
“Because of the work they’ve done under the street, JEA will have to totally reconstruct the road,” said Rowe. “It will take time to make the repairs necessary to make it the best road for the public.”
JMoMA president Jane Craven said the repairs had hurt business.
“Based on customer complaints, we’ve heard that the closing of the streets has made access to the museum more difficult. It’s difficult to park, and it makes it more difficult to access on foot.”
Craven said the construction was hitting the museum at a delicate time. JMoMA opened in May 2003, and Craven said attendance in the first year was crucial to build a base of visitors and members.
Craven said she understood the need for the construction and said she looked forward to working with the library on common causes like youth literacy. Still, she said the museum “needed the streets to be open as soon as possible.”
JEA spokesman Ron Whittington said the street repairs were anticipated. He said he was told by the project manager the repairs would not push the project’s budget. In addition to repairing holes bored in the asphalt to install a new air conditioning system, Whittington said JEA might also replace worn sewer and water lines.
Rowe said a portion of Monroe Street, to the museum’s south, would also remain closed as construction continued on the library’s upper floors. Rowe said bricklaying on the top floors would require scaffolding to remain in place and would keep portions of the sidewalk and street below off limits.
“It will still be a hard-hat area,” said Rowe.
The City will also disappoint Haskell on a request to use the library’s parking garage prior to the Main Library opening. Because construction on the garage will be essentially complete in 60 days, Haskell asked if museum patrons could access some of the garage’s 600 spaces.
Rowe said the garage will be used to store construction materials and will remain closed until the library opens. Museum patrons will have access to the garage once it opens.