by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
The chill that has fallen across Jacksonville may have slowed the pace of some businesses in the area, but the City is reporting the Duval County Courthouse Project is on schedule for substantial completion by spring 2012.
Part of the Better Jacksonville Plan, the Duval County Courthouse Project has only experienced slight delays as freezing temperatures have limited the type of work that can be done.
“We have experienced a slight delay on one portion of construction. We aren’t pouring any new concrete slabs (which would serve as flooring) due to the recent cold temperatures,” said Kristen Beach, media relations officer for the City of Jacksonville. “We are continuing with all other work, including pouring concrete columns and sheer wall, which is supportive wall structure. We were able to pour all types of concrete until Wednesday.”
The recent chill hasn’t signaled a halt to work on the courthouse.
“We’ve just had to readjust what type of work we are doing on site,” said Beach. “Concrete is made of a large percentage of water, which you don’t want to pour in a freezing weather situation because it would not cure correctly.”
A section of the project stretches up to the fifth floor of the structure that will feature seven floors when it is completed and the building will occupy about 800,000 square feet. The structure will include about 50 courtrooms, 47 hearing rooms and 63 judicial offices along with facilities for the services that support and work within the court.
Circuit Court Judge Mallory Cooper has been one of the representatives of the Fourth Judicial Circuit on the Courthouse Architectural Review Committee and has been pleased with the progress that the project is experiencing.
“At this point, we are on schedule and on budget,” said Cooper. “It has been great working with everyone. We’ve had (Design/Build Consultant) Turner, KBJ and the City over here at the courthouse so they can see how the courtroom works and how people work within the courtroom, so we can design courtrooms that work well for everyone.”
The budget for the project is $350 million and includes renovations to the former federal courthouse to house the State Attorney’s Office and renovations in the Ed Ball Building to house the Public Defender’s Office.
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