by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Those who attended Thursday’s Jacksonville Bar Association meeting expected to hear guest speaker Mayor John Peyton talk about the long-awaited and long-approved new County Courthouse. He didn’t let them down.
“I want to report to you that we are definitely going to build one,” said Peyton, jokingly.
On a more serious note, Peyton called the much-maligned project — and the last of the major vertical projects from the $2.2 billion Better Jacksonville Plan — “a tough, tough project.”
Originally priced at $190 million for a 1 million square-foot criminal and civil courthouse, the project is now a $263 million – $60 million already spent on previous plans and land acquisition – criminal courthouse that includes the renovation and use of the old federal courthouse and space in the Ed Ball Building.
“We believe we have come up with a budget that keeps the project within,” said Peyton, adding that the City will be able to demolish the old County Courthouse and City Hall Annex and sell the riverfront property for private development after the new project is complete.
One of the major issues surrounding the courthouse has been ensuring the new facility addresses the needs of all its users: the judges, the Clerk of the Courts, the State Attorney’s Office and the public. Last year, the City selected Spillis Candela DMJM to oversee construction. A mostly local team was also selected to design and build the courthouse. That team consists of The Auchter Co., Perry-McCall Construction, Inc., Rink Design Partnership, Inc. and the DLR Group. Spillis is headquartered in Coral Gables and DLR is based in Orlando.
The new County Courthouse will be built just west and south of the new Federal Courthouse and will take up nearly six city blocks. Peyton was asked if the Osborn Center was ever considered as a possible location instead.
“Five thousand people daily go in and out of the Courthouse. That foot traffic is vital to the revitalization of the Downtown core,” he said. “The possible re-use of the Osborn Center was considered, but the savings were not as dramatic as expected. Not to mention, we have already spent $60 million on a site that we have yet to turn any dirt on.”
Ground is expected to be broken on the courthouse this summer and a completion date in 2010 has been established.
Peyton also talked about some of the things he expects this year.
“We will focus on the economy,” he said. “We will do everything we can to make sure we are on the right track to raise the per capita income in Jacksonville.”
A year ago, Peyton, the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce and several business leaders rolled out the Blueprint for Prosperity initiative designed specifically to address the per capita income issue.
“It’s really about quality of life. How we live in Northeast Florida is the greatest economic driver,” he said. “All in all, the economy is strong and we are functioning at near full employment.”
Peyton also said he expects development in Duval County to remain strong this year.
“Fortunately, we have major construction all over the county,” he said. “It’s inconvenient in the short term, but I think it’s important that we are investing.”
Other notes from the meeting:
• Realizing that it’s very difficulty to make announcements while members are eating and socializing, Jacksonville Bar Association President Kelly Mathis seems to have given up on that idea. “Now is the time to talk, then we’ll start our program,” said Mathis immediately following the invocation. “You have 12 minutes exactly to eat and talk.”
• General Counsel Rick Mullaney introduced Peyton and started with the short version of the city’s consolidated form of government, noting how big Jacksonville has gotten since Oct. 1, 1968. “Today, our operating budget is greater than that of six states,” said Mullaney.
• Mullaney also said two JBA members went on to serve as mayor and general counsel — Hanz Tanzler and Jim Rinaman, respectively — and both are very tall men. “All of you are now witnessing the shortest mayor and general counsel in the history of consolidated government,” said Mullaney.
• The JBA swore-in 26 new members: Teresa Arnold, Rebecca Black, Sharon Caserta, Lindsay Cole, James Cummings, Christopher Davis, Michelle Dover, Nicholas Elder, Sheldon Forte, Christine Fuqua, Georgianna Gaines, Jodie Hollingsworth, Erin Jazapavicus, Claudia Kiernan, Jeffrey Klink, Isabelle Lopez, Dorie Ortiz, Adina Pollan, Karin Posser, Lydia Russo, Bernard Salzberg, Jody Stanley, Christopher Tice, Christopher Tomlinson and Mariya Zarakhovich.
• The next meeting of the JBA is Feb. 16. Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Fred Lewis is the guest speaker.