From the monthly archives:
Workers are applying the finishing exterior touches to the New Duval County Courthouse.
Large cranes are lifting exterior skin and windows into place. Yesterday, they had to deal with torrential rains for half a day but by evening the sky was beautiful and everyone was busy working.
BLUE SKY - WEST END OF COURTHOUSE
The windows are made of very high quality glass. When the sky is clear blue it presents a kind of Microsoft Blue Sky reflection.
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(L) June 15th Image with both cranes (R) June 22 both cranes gone
In the last three days, the skyline of Jacksonville has changed dramatically. Previously, two giant stationary cranes stood as sentries over the city. Now, they are both gone. Never to be seen again.
One can only imagine how many times that those cranes lifted, positioned and then dropped a load of supplies, cement, glass or other needed equipment to construct the courthouse. All of those movements were made with precision accuracy and could actually have been put to music.
Each crane was installed in less than 8 hours and dismantled in the same amount of time.
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THE CENTER CRANE IS COMPLETELY GONE = NEW DUVAL COUNTY COURTHOUSE
It is amazing to me that something so tall and large could just disappeer but that is what has happened to the center crane. After just 11 months and 14 days, the center crane at the New Duval County Courthouse site is gone.
IT TAKES A CRANE
What is interesting is that it takes a crane to assemble or disassemble a crane. It is a dead giveaway when a large yellow crane appears on the construction site. Its sole purpose is to assemble, move or disassemble the large stationary cranes.
Since construction began, the base of the center crane was one of the first visible signs of progress. Then the building began upward motion.
Again, good job!
FIRST PIECE OF CRANE ON CONSTRUCTION SITE.
Beginning with a tiny base on August 4, 2009, the stationary crane was assembled and used to construct over 50 percent of the Duval County Courthouse.
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NOW YOU SEE IT - NOW YOU DON'T
Click on the photograph above to enlarge it.
As a child, I was always impressed by giant machinery. Large Iron Ore haulers, Army Tank Movers and even Nasa’s Moving Rocket Launch platform made me smile.
But, gazing at the true artistry of this crane operator tops it all. Without skipping a beat, they drop their cable to the men below, a whistle signals that the item is attached and up and away it goes. Seconds later the item is deposited on target two, three even four stories above the ground.
Approximately 10 months ago I witnessed the assembly of the center giant crane. Ten months later I witnessed it being dismantled. It had assisted the workers in lifting and positioning tons of steel and other materials. And, best of all, no one was hurt.
One of my last memories will be of the crane operator quickly exiting the crane during a lightening storm Wednesday night. He bolted down the eight stories of staircase in less than one minute.
JOB WELL DONE!
Our photographer, Reinhardt spliced a Wednesday photo with a Thursday photo to illustrate the disassembly of the crane. As you will notice, the entire horizontal section of crane has been removed and a ten foot section of upright is gone. By Friday evening, no sign of the crane’s existence will remain.
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VIEW OF NEW DUVAL COUNTY COURTHOUSE FROM RIVERSIDE AVE.
The New Duval County Courthouse will be visible from almost every point in the city. Above is a view from Riverside Avenue.
The best view may be at the bottom of the Acosta Bridge as you turn onto Riverside Avenue.
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ARROW POINTS TO NEW DUVAL COUNTY COURTHOUSE (CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE)
As the steel work is completed on the top of the New Duval County Courthouse its affect on the city’s skyline is obvious.
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Wide View of New Duval County Courthouse
Here is a wide view of the courthouse as the exterior construction comes to a close.
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Workers install new columns of the New Duval County Courthouse
Our Epicurean Street Corner Chef, Brian Baldwin, reports that the last of the concrete pours is being completed. “I’ve had customers talking to each other.” They asked each other questions like, “Have you seen, Bill or David?” The other guy will respond, “He’s gone home … his work is done.” “That has been happening a lot lately.”
It seems that as the major construction is coming to a close more of the skilled workers are being sent home. “I’m sure they new this day would come,” Brian said.
Today, Reinhardt captured photographs of new columns being installed on the front east side of the new courthouse. He said that it is obvious that the cleanup is beginning. Also, forty sheets of glass were delivered. They should be installed Thursday and Friday of this week.
Brian finished his report saying, “Twenty-eight days from now, all of the concrete will be dried and cured. Then the courthouse will look like a flurry of activity.”
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Our photographer, Reinhardt, took a photograph of a hole in top floor of the New Duval County Courthouse. The hole is centered perfectly and will probably provide light into a Rotunda below.
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Our stealth photographer, Reinhardt, was busy photographing the final steel beam on top of the New Duval County Courthouse when he noticed something strange. “All of the workers were heading to the eastern side of the courthouse. I could see tables and lots of workers.”
Reinhardt had stumbled onto the Turner Company celebration for the completion of the major portion of the courthouse construction. As Brian had mentioned the day before, there were several prizes awarded to lucky raffle ticket holders.
“I saw someone win a boat,” Reinhardt said. “I took a picture of it.”
Reinhardt also brought to our attention a large circular hole in the center at the top of the courthouse. “It looks like a large skylight. I guess sun will shine the the glass at the top of the building and down through this hole to the next floor.”
Since we do not have the building plans, we can only guess that the light might travel all the way to a ground floor rotunda.
Congratulations to the winner of the Turner Co. prizes. Job well done men – and women.
AND THE WINNER OF THE BOAT IS . . .
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