If building the “NEW” Duval County Courthouse were as easy as putting up a colorful banner, then the job is complete. Over the last two weeks, more activity has occurred on the 20 million dollar plus property where the Courthouse will be erected than over the last nine years (excluding the power plant to be discussed in future reports). Until now, it has been mostly talk, investigations, inquiries and angry sentiments. Now, we are getting down to brass tacks. We should be proud!
Try to turn from North Broad Street onto West Monroe Street today, and you will quickly notice that something is happening. First, the one-way road itself (West Monroe Street) is blocked to traffic, probably for the next 3 1/2 years, maybe longer. Next, a fence has been erected around the entire project, well over four large city blocks. Now, giant holes several feet in diameter have been drilled and filled with concrete which will act as the support and counterbalance for two colossal multi-story construction cranes that will be assembled piece by piece very soon.
Several other activities which have occurred on the site include: the installation of green windscreens around the entire fenced area, the dumping of dozens of truckloads of heavy sand to cover the entire ground, the creation of runoff resistant small fences outside the fenced perimeter, the addition of a half dozen or more pieces of heavy equipment and smaller cranes, and finally those half dozen or so beautiful courthouse banners similar to the one pictured above so we can see just how overwhelmingly splendid the completed project will become. In 3 and a half years, the banners will fade but as our two Mayors, former Mayor John Delaney and current Mayor John Peyton have promised, IT WILL BE DONE!
Thank you Mayors for making Jacksonville a better place to live!
