DVI being bullish about tearing down old court for convention center

[duvaldude08]

I, for one, am all for a new convention center. But I think tearing the buildings down "immedeately" is not a good idea. Lets wait until there is a definte plan in place before we bring out the wreacking ball. OF course, this isnt coming from the mayors office, but even the idea to me is premature. . I feel they are putting the horse before the buggie. If anyone knows some insider information on this please share.

DVI board supports demolition

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The Downtown Vision Inc. board of directors is advocating for the demolition of the Duval County Courthouse and the former City Hall, now the City Hall Annex, along East Bay Street as soon as possible after the buildings are vacated this spring.
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Downtown Ambassador Mike Ryan.Downtown Vision Inc.’s board of directors unanimously decided Wednesday that the Duval County Courthouse and the City Hall Annex along East Bay Street should be demolished as soon as the new courthouse is occupied.
Building a new convention center on the 8.5 acres of City-owned riverfront property emerged as the most favorable use for the site.

The more than 50-year-old government buildings were the topic of discussion Wednesday at the monthly meeting of the DVI board.

What to do with the property has been a question since construction of the Duval County Unified Courthouse Facility in LaVilla was approved.

Board member Dan King, general manager of the Hyatt Downtown, said the Hyatt’s ownership had engaged architects related to a convention center and that a plan was presented to former Mayor John Peyton and to the Jacksonville Civic Council.

The Hyatt is next to the buildings.

The civic council published a report supporting a convention center adjacent to the Hyatt.

“There’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work that has gone on,” said King.

City Council member Don Redman, an ex-officio member of the DVI board, said that allowing the government buildings to remain in place after they are vacated in May would create an ongoing expense.

He said demolition would have to be proposed by Mayor Alvin Brown and approved by the Council.

DVI board member John Welch said the property represents a valuable development opportunity that must not be squandered.

“There will be a lot of hungry eyes on that property,” said Welch, a former chair of the Urban Land Institute North Florida group.

King said he thinks the board would “clearly want to advocate for dropping those buildings.” The cleared property could be used as a park until a public-private partnership could be formed for development.

DVI Executive Director Terry Lorince said she met with Jerry Mallot and Don Shea concerning DVI’s role in the proposed Downtown development authority proposed by the Brown administration.

Mallot is president of JAXUSA Partnership of the JAX Chamber. Shea is executive director of the civic council. Both are executives on loan to Brown’s administration.

Lorince said she also has met with Brown to discuss the topic and described both meetings as “cordial” but without commitments from the administration.

Welch said that since Brown took office seven months ago, “we haven’t seen anything specific.”

“We don’t want to wait for an announcement. We should be part of the planning,” he said.

“He’s very secretive,” Redman said of Brown, based on Council’s experience with the administration.

“When he’s ready for approval, he tells us what his plans are,” Redman said.

Board member Chris Flagg described the development of the proposed Downtown development agency “like forming a planet.”

“Right now, it’s a lot of circulating gas that hasn’t begun to coagulate,” he said.

The board also congratulated Downtown Ambassador Mike Ryan, who received the “Recognition of Service Excellence” award this week in the Customer Service-Tourism Ambassador category from the North Florida Hotel & Lodging Association.

Ryan has been an ambassador for nearly four years.

“It’s a great job. I love every minute of it,” he said.

King, a past president of the association, said there are more than 50,000 people employed in the hospitality industry in North Florida and 156 were nominated this year for a ROSE Award.

Twenty-six people accepted their awards Wednesday.

“To be nominated is a career accomplishment. To win is a career milestone,” he said.


mmarbut@baileypub.com

[thelakelander]

Hmmm.  I'm on board with you Duvaldude08.  Can we at least actually figure out what will happen on both sites and how before bringing out the dynamite?  For all we know, both parcels may not be needed for a convention center and the tower could be a reusable product (ex. hotel, apartments, etc.).  This is exactly why downtown resembles a war zone now.

[duvaldude08]

Hmmm.  I'm on board with you Duvaldude08.  Can we at least actually figure out what will happen on both sites and how before bringing out the dynamite?  For all we know, both parcels may not be needed for a convention center and the tower could be a reusable product (ex. hotel, apartments, etc.).  This is exactly why downtown resembles a war zone now.

Right. And with the shipyards already being leveled, that would be HUGE eyesore, coupled with the unfinished Berkman building, Bay street would look a mess. Yuck!

[RiversideLoki]

My inner a-hole says "It's ugly! Tear that mother down!" but common sense (and past experience) says that the property will sit empty for years before anything is rebuilt on the land.

[Rumblefish]

Hmmm.  I'm on board with you Duvaldude08.  Can we at least actually figure out what will happen on both sites and how before bringing out the dynamite?  For all we know, both parcels may not be needed for a convention center and the tower could be a reusable product (ex. hotel, apartments, etc.).  This is exactly why downtown resembles a war zone now.

The current courthouse is possibly the most hellish occupied building in downtown Jax.  It has extensive asbestos and rodent problems.  I say tear it down.  It is not going to be reused.

[thelakelander]

What +50 year old building doesn't have asbestos and rodents before renovation?  Who pays the millions for demolition without a plan?  Is that really the best use of limited public dollars right now? 

I'm not crazy about the building but this literally sounds insane and more of the same type of planning that's turned downtown into a smoldering heap of failure over the last 60 years.

[JeffreyS]

If something needs to be demoed lets start with the skelitol remains of the Berkman.

[Rumblefish]

What +50 year old building doesn't have asbestos and rodents before renovation?  Who pays the millions for demolition without a plan?  Is that really the best use of limited public dollars right now? 

I'm not crazy about the building but this literally sounds insane and more of the same type of planning that's turned downtown into a smoldering heap of failure over the last 60 years.

So, you are advocating spending money on maintaining an empty shell downtown?

[thelakelander]

No, I'm advocating something that may be considered revolutionary around here.

1. Commit to a plan and quick redevelopment time line for the future of the site.

2. If that plan determines that demolition isn't necessary, immediately issue an RFP for what's not needed and let the private sector deal with it.

Under no circumstances is it prudent to have two huge additional downtown blocks looking like LaVilla for the next decade plus.

[tufsu1]

I agree with lake...several of us have been working on plans for a convention center down there as well as what to do with the surrounding area.

the reality is the courthouse building is pretty worthless, but the taller annex building could be repurposed into a hotel (possible Hyatt expansion) or apartments/condos....with retail on the ground floor.

the other option is to tear that building down as well and utilize that land for additional convention center space or a parking garage (also with ground floor retail) and air rights above for additional development.

but these are decisions that need to be made BEFORE any demolition occurs!

[mtraininjax]

OMG, you folks are advocating the tear down of a building, in DOWNTOWN?? Have you lost all your marbles?

Sorry, just could not resist.

I'm all for massive amounts of TNT and debris field, bring the mother down!

[thelakelander]

Not so much about the tear down.  Moreso, the reason, replacement costs, demolition costs and impact on the pedestrian scale environment of the downtown core.

[climber]

yeah, the courthouse is disgusting, both inside and out. id rather see an open lot that that garbage. at least bay street would then have a view of the water

[mtraininjax]

Not so much about the tear down.  Moreso, the reason, replacement costs, demolition costs and impact on the pedestrian scale environment of the downtown core.

The courthouse will be a tricky demolition, since part of it sits on pilings the same structure that the townhomes of Berkman sit on. I am sure it will not be a simple throw of a switch either, City Hall backs right up against the Hyatt, so probably have to drop the courthouse, then City Hall onto the old courthouse location. Should be fun to watch!

[02roadking]

Cool, a river view from Mark's & the Dive Bar.