Sam Mousa's Courthouse Presentation to Finance Committee

[stephendare]

In a few minutes Sam Mousa will be presenting his report to Finance Committee, containing his recommendations and figures. 

The proposal will be quite surprising to many.

Metrojacksonville has obtained an advance copy of the presentation and will be posting them shortly.

[Ocklawaha]

Since Courthouses should reflect their communities I have real dred over this building. I can envision our "Jacksonville school of advanced urban living," coming to grips and using the moonscape downtown for 654 Double-Wide office trailers! What's the old saying, "if the shoe fits..."

Ocklawaha

[thelakelander]

[thelakelander]

Mousa believes it will cost $350 million to build a new criminal/civil courthouse, renovate the old federal courthouse for the State Attorney’s Office and use some space in the Ed Ball building for the Public Defender’s Office.  The $64.3 million spent to date is also included.  Peyton asked for $395 million last year.

http://news.jacksonville.com/justin/2008/03/31/council-being-asked-to-ok-new-350-million-courthouse-budget/

[thelakelander]

This is a rendering of the last proposed courthouse.  I still believe the cost could be reduced more by going vertical and taking advantage of nearby vacant buildings (like the old JEA Tower) that are available.

[Hippodamus]

Lake, how did you get that great information if the presentation was today? did you go to the meeting? 

[thelakelander]

Stephendare forwarded me a power point presentation he received from City Hall.  All I did was convert the power point into a jpg and upload the images to the site.

[fsujax]

It doesnt look like we are going to get a verticle courthouse.  But, thank God Mousa is on this team! he is so right....I only hope the City Council listens to him.

[thelakelander]

I hope the council listens, but balks on the price.  There's still some trimming to do on this turkey.

[copperfiend]

Good to see some movement but the image above is no where near ideal to me.

[thelakelander]

If the rendering shown is the plan moving forward:

1. The amount of land taken up.

I still believe, if this structure is already 7 stories, taking it up 14 and reducing the footprint by half, allows for more land that could be used to attract private complementing development.  The money made from the sale or subsidy (if it can be used to convince Fl Coastal to move downtown, for example), will come in the form of property taxes from vibrant uses attracted to vacant and underutilized properties in the area.


2. The Design

I believe costs can be reduced by constructing a utilitarian structure, as opposed to attempt to recreate a design style from the past using modern building materials.  I also believe with a good design team, its possible to develop an attractive structure with a limited budget.



3. The use of existing buildings

It would be good to take advantage of the old JEA Building, if feasible.  Its use could cut down the size needed for our complex.


4. The size

I'm not sold on the fact that we need a courthouse this big.  Counties that are larger than Duval and growing faster than us, are constructing smaller buildings for a fraction of what ours is coming in at.

[tufsu1]

btw, I would like to stand by my original post from an earlier thread predicting that the costs would be found to be 70 million cheaper, if not more.  http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,1612.msg13007.html#msg13007

Would you still stand by your even earlier post that the courthouse project was dead?

[Driven1]

btw, I would like to stand by my original post from an earlier thread predicting that the costs would be found to be 70 million cheaper, if not more.  http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,1612.msg13007.html#msg13007

Would you still stand by your even earlier post that the courthouse project was dead?

i was wondering the same thing.  i think it was that the "courthouse is as good as dead" according to "Blockbuster new revelations from City Council Insiders"...

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/709/114/
--reportossiper

[RiversideGator]

I am happy to see some progress on this and hope we can get started soon.  Mousa clearly has a way of cutting the Gordian Knot.  It is a manly talent which alas Peyton will never possess.  Too bad the design of the building is terrible though, if the rendering above is accurate.

[jeh1980]

I am happy to see some progress on this and hope we can get started soon.  Mousa clearly has a way of cutting the Gordian Knot.  It is a manly talent which alas Peyton will never possess.  Too bad the design of the building is terrible though, if the rendering above is accurate.

You know what, I'm happy about this too. Mousa is cool . However, I really don't care how they design the new courthouse. Just let it get built. And we all due respect, I'm not against Mayor Peyton. I'm willing to forgive his mistakes. He's not perfect...neither are we!