Tear-down of courthouse leaves wide-open options for city

[jaxlongtimer]

An interesting task for someone:  Date all the tear-downs/implosions of significant Jax buildings and the number of years it took to build something worthwhile back on the property.  Can start with all the demolished hotels, destruction of Lavilla, the bus station, retail stores, etc.  Next, I bet once JEA moves on, the Universal-Marion building comes down soon thereafter.  It's a little humorous that the quickest "build back" was likely the Gator Bowl into the current TIAA Field.  Tells you everything about Jax priorities or lack thereof.

I don't recall any efforts or discussion regarding renovating or re-purposing the City Hall just torn down.  It seems it will join the historic City Hall's of years gone by that we now only wish were preserved as icons of their times.  What was the rush to tear the building down?

The City is enemy #1 when it comes to destroying our historic buildings.  Every day, Jax lacks more and more historic character (or, for that matter, character of any kind) and we are left with mostly cold, colorless, non-descript, unfriendly, boxy concrete and glass buildings that fail to create any memorable identity for Downtown.  Buildings of old were much more daring and interesting in their architecture than most anything built in Jax in the last 50+ years.

We are not Miami or NYC but we could maybe draw a little inspiration from their buildings.  Our conservative skyline defines the City as less than progressive.  Surely, an accurate portrayal but one many claim to want to change.  Well, then do something different than what we are currently doing.  The outcome of Daily's Place from an exciting concept to a drab structure of steel and canvas typifies the differential between potential and reality in our fair city and our failure to bridge the gap.

I am concerned that, without a complete rebuild of our approach (really, do we even have one?) to the urban core, promised developments currently discussed will likewise disappoint/fail the test of time (see Jax Landing) and downtown Jax will continue to tread water and suffer vacant lots, drab buildings and unfulfilled potential as it mostly has since WWII.  Ho hum.... 

[Snaketoz]

This is just more of the same backward thinking we had during the "good ole boy" days of the past.  I guess we'll be seeing a bare spot in the downtown for quite awhile, then we'll give the lot away to someone in the "good new boy" network.  To spend more to tear it down than it cost to build is pitiful.  It will be interesting to see who owns this property in the future.  Now, Boy Wonder can get back to work wrestling the Landing away from Sleiman, so that he can turn it into a downtown bait shop.

[Charles Hunter]

First, I think demolishing the Old City Hall without exploring re-use options is dumb.
Just to put the "cost more to tear down than build" meme in perspective.  The $6 million construction cost in 1960, the year it opened, is equivalent to $50.3 million in today's dollars.  Based on this website: https://www.saving.org/inflation/

[thelakelander]

^I'm sure whenever something does materialize, we'll be asked to provide additional incentives.

[Snaketoz]

Just to put the "cost more to tear down than build" meme in perspective.  The $6 million construction cost in 1960, the year it opened, is equivalent to $50.3 million in today's dollars.  Based on this website: https://www.saving.org/inflation/

Exactly. That's why repurposing it is more sensible.  A $6 million dollar investment in the building, $8 million to demolish it, and now we have a pile of rubble and are $58+ million into it.  (In today's dollars) 

[billy]

Historically this will prove to be as bad a  decision as much of what happened in LaVilla or Brooklyn.

[downtownbrown]

totally disagree.  A 1960s asbestos filled monolith with no redeeming architectural qualities is gone.  Green grass will be a great improvement.

[thelakelander]

^The Barnett, Laura Trio and St. James also had asbestos and it was more architecturally compelling than Berkman and Hyatt. So I take it you're not a fan of mid century modern?

[vicupstate]

I think EVENTUALLY, the courthouse site will be filled with something as large or larger, but it is hard to see a denser building going up at the annex site. Someone should have taken a good look at re purposing it. It seems like a residential conversion was a legitimate possibility.  More residents is what DT needs the most too. The ground level had potential for a restaurant or other retail as well. 

[Snaketoz]

totally disagree.  A 1960s asbestos filled monolith with no redeeming architectural qualities is gone.  Green grass will be a great improvement.

I'm glad you didn't live in St. Augustine in the 17th century.  Surely, Castillo de San Marcos should have been torn down due to it's ugly architecture.

[billy]

Perhaps the real question now is what other structures could be on the chopping block....

[downtownbrown]

^^yeah.  the Annex and the Fort.  Great comparison of style.  Excellent point.

[thelakelander]

Perhaps the real question now is what other structures could be on the chopping block....

This one is easy......the JEA Building, just as soon as JEA abandons it.

[Adam White]

Was it the courthouse that was imploded or the City Hall Annex?

[Steve]

Annex was imploded. Courthouse came down through old fashioned demo.