A three-story building originally built in the early 1900s was demolished on the western edge of Downtown, leaving several residents combing through the ruble for choice bricks. Joel McEachin, planner with the City’s historic preservation division, said he didn’t know what the last use of the building was but that it was long abandoned. Jacksonville Economic Development Commission Deputy Director Paul Crawford said his office issued the demolition permit because the building was condemned and had no significant historical value. Although no redevelopment application or other use for the property has been submitted, Crawford said he doesn’t expect the land, directly adjacent to the proposed County Courthouse property, to stay vacant forever. “I imagine there’ll be a development plan coming forward in the next couple of years as we get closer to construction of the courthouse,” he said.
photo by David Ball