What was The Jacksonville Landing soon will become a lawn, at least until it's redeveloped, which the city wants to do
James Croft, city assistant director of public affairs, said May 8 that contractor D.H. Griffin Wrecking Co. Inc. and subcontractor Crossbow Cattle Inc. are grading the riverfront site Downtown and are scheduled to start sodding late next week.
“Sodding operations are expected to take a week. The fencing will remain in place for a period after the sod is laid to help with grass establishment,” he said.
Croft said grading and sodding were included in the original project scope.
D.H. Griffin’s contract to demolish the Landing totaled $1,074,002. Croft said $90,000 was budgeted for grading and sodding. The site is about 6 acres.
In November, the city Building Inspection Division issued a permit for D.H. Griffin to demolish the closed Downtown retail marketplace.
D.H. Griffin razed the two-story, 178,838-square-foot structure built in 1987 at 2 Independent Drive W. on the Northbank of the St. Johns River.
Site work began Aug. 8, when D.H. Griffin installed fencing around the job site.
The city, which owns the land, has not decided how to redevelop it.
Croft said the demolition and sodding is being done to prepare the location for bids in a request for proposals process by the Downtown Investment Authority.
"This is a temporary solution and this project will go up for bid and the City is very much open to ideas," said city Director of Public Affairs Nikki Kimbleton in an email