• Plans to buy and redevelop Bay Street’s Churchwell Building have fallen through. A group headed by area nightclub owner Bob Green was seeking a $900,000 grant to renovate the historic building and turn it into condos sitting on ground-floor retail. However, Al Battle, the managing director of the Downtown Development Authority, told the DDA board that Green’s group was no longer interested. Battle said the current owners are pursuing other deals and said Green might be interested in other downtown projects.
• Jacobs Jewelers owner Roy Thomas told the DDA board Wednesday that nearby construction is costing his business parking and customers. Thomas said construction on the Main Branch Library and the Carlington apartments, both about a block away from his store at the corner of Adams and Laura streets, had taken away spaces and filled meter spaces with construction workers’ vehicles. DDA board chairman Bob Rhodes said the City should keep construction workers out of the on-street spaces.
• Don’t think the Jaguars are cheap. A USA Today report shows that the team is 13th of the National Football League’s 32 teams in paying its players. The Jags’ total payroll is $78.7 million with running back Fred Taylor getting the biggest chunk at $8.5 million.
• One of the most celebrated athletes ever was in town this week. Bo Jackson, one of few to play both major league baseball and football, is now in the food business and a major client is the military. He was to visit the John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier today. You’ll also remember Jackson as an Auburn running back.
• The National Football League’s plans for Super Bowl week are slowly emerging and one surprise is the location of the commissioner’s party: the new equestrian center. Those usually have been closer to the arena.
• You know Dr. Fran Kinne as an educator from her days of running Jacksonville U., but you may not know of her ability as a concert pianist. She’s going to cut a CD, and the music will be “the songs that are most requested when I play at parties.” Can you buy one? No, but you might get one as a Christmas present.
• Remember: no civic club meetings on Memorial Day.
• A golf course may seem like an odd place for a Navy reenlistment ceremony but one takes place this morning at the TPC at Sawgrass. Fire Controlman 1st Class Benn Jackson, a golf nut who’s the husband of PGA Tour employee Leslie Jackson will re-up for 6 more years.
• Improv Jacksonville is losing a cast member as Chris Maloney has decided to take the next big step in his career and is moving to Chicago, where he’ll start classes at the famed Second City studio.