Jacobs Jewelers clock - back in six months?

[Timkin]

Its like the City has a grudge against anything Historic ANYWHERE in the City.

[BackinJax05]

A fundraiser is a good idea. If we all chip in as little as $20 each, we could do wonders. I got $20 right here.

[Timkin]

so the question is, where is our Clock? 

[jcjohnpaint]

Why start donating money if the thing was melted down to pay for the rebuilding of Monroe St or something. 

[simms3]

Why start fundraising when the city should have the money?  Sounds like a little misappropriation happened...like mentioned above the money the Jacobs Jeweler guy set aside was probably used to pay for City Council member parking in that one bill.

It's the little details like this that make Jacksonville a complete and utter embarassment/failure.  What's even more indicative of how sad the city is is that this clock has been missing for a long time and a) there hasn't been a news story about it since just that one in April in a small publication, and b) the most downtown passionate people site has just gotten around to posting about it months later, let alone any historic preservation society or general citizenry raise hell (hell will freeze over the day people in Jacksonville know anything or care about anything going on downtown or with the city's history).

99.999999% of people in Jax probably don't know the history of the clock and its relevance to the city, and certainly don't care.  Probably 90% have no idea that it was even there.  This is one of those small little landmarks that can help to give the city an identity and unique mark.

[Timkin]

Proof again that we have the wrong management and government in place.   Wonder who in the city could tell us what became of the Clock.

I certainly remember it.

[Ralph W]

Taking the clock away didn't even leave enough room for one parking space. Somebody slipped up. There must be a parking space created if anything is removed in this city!

[Bativac]

I sent Don Redman an email on this since it's his district. I'll post here if I hear anything back. I'd like to know if anyone knows where the clock is. I'm sure there isn't money anywhere to fix it but if the thing is still in one piece, money can be found. If it's $4k we're talking about, surely that can be scraped together. We'll hold a bake sale or something.

Hopefully it's in a shed someplace and the city is claiming lack of funds. As long as it hasn't been sold or dumped in the trash. Both of those sound like absurd scenarios but this is Jacksonville we're talking about.

[Noone]

so the question is, where is our Clock? 

Excellent question. I want to visit it. We want to tell everyone to VISIT JACKSONVILLE!

VISIT the CLOCK.

Get your picture taken by the clock for a buck so it can be returned to its rightful place in Downtown Jacksonville history. Again set up an account for a specific purpose like what was done with 2009-442 as an example. Go to a city council meeting and during Public Comment you can then hand this weeks project donations to Kirk Sherman and it will be deposited into the appropriate account. That's it. Then see who crushes the Public Trustby taking it and using it for free parking for city council members.

You have just hit a single and you are on base. Springfield seems to have been hitting a lot of singles lately. Riverside and Avondale have been popping out with some deep shots to left. San Marco always in the playoffs.

Downtown has just never been in the game


FIND out where the clock is and I'll treat you to Robert's Eatery.

[Tacachale]

I sent Don Redman an email on this since it's his district. I'll post here if I hear anything back. I'd like to know if anyone knows where the clock is. I'm sure there isn't money anywhere to fix it but if the thing is still in one piece, money can be found. If it's $4k we're talking about, surely that can be scraped together. We'll hold a bake sale or something.

Hopefully it's in a shed someplace and the city is claiming lack of funds. As long as it hasn't been sold or dumped in the trash. Both of those sound like absurd scenarios but this is Jacksonville we're talking about.

Great Bativac, please let us know if you hear anything.

[Bativac]

Good news, everyone! (in my best Hubert Farnsworth voice)

Don Redman's assistant Scott Wilson forwarded my email to Paul Crawford, who sent the following response:

Since the completion of the Laura Street project almost a year ago, I have been keenly engaged in ensuring the restoration and replacement of the Jacobs Jewelers clock. At the time this portion of the project was being completed, Public Works dedicated funding and went through the Procurement process to rehab and replace it. I recently inquired about its status. I was told that the complete restoration was 60 to 70 percent complete. I would expect its replacement in approximately 6 months. Should you have any additional questions or need additional detail, I have included Lloyd Fountain, Public Works Division Chief responsible for this project. He is very helpful.

Paul R. Crawford
Acting Executive Director
City of Jacksonville - Office of Economic Development

Looks like it should be back by the end of the year or beginning of next. Kudos for the quick response from all parties. Sometimes the city government acts like a city government.

[fsujax]

Glad to see some in City Council respond. Thanks for following up on this.

[Tacachale]

aww yeah!

[jcjohnpaint]

Very nice!  Thanks!

[blizz01]

Whew - glad I didn't mail my check yet....

This reminded me of a Saturday Night Live skit (?) where they parodied the movie "Alive" & started eating each other 5 minutes after the plane crashed......