A.G. Gancarski
On Wednesday morning, the Jacksonville City Council Finance Committee considered the Capital Improvement Projects Budget. As these things go, it was not a spectator sport.
The big story: the Liberty Street issue, described as “unsightly” and the consequences of “deferred maintenance” by Council President Greg Anderson.
The Liberty Street Collapse was a big talking point for Lenny Curry during the mayoral campaign. Action on it was a top priority for his administration. Wednesday, the delivery.
“Today we will present a solution for your consideration,” said Anderson of the recommendation supported by Anderson and the administration to turn a “showplace for blight into a showpiece for our city.”
“The solution creates an exciting new waterfront addition to our downtown, and will last 50 to 60 years into the future,” Anderson said.
Even with the additional borrowing, the project will not affect debt ratios.
The project would take two fiscal years to complete.
Sam Mousa, from the Curry administration, spoke next of the “$37 million capital improvement project” that would remove and replace the afflicted sections of Liberty Street and Coastline Drive, and demolish the section of Coastline between Market Street and Liberty, and the courthouse parking deck.
The recommendations:
- Replacing Coastline between Newnan and Market.
- Replacing and extending the Liberty Street Bridge to the St. Johns River
- Removing the section of Coastline between Market and Liberty
- Removing the Courthouse Parking Deck.
- Providing streetscape improvements to rerouted sections of the Northbank Riverwalk.
The time is now to act: “Contractors are not quite as hungry as they were, so they are able to jack up their prices a little.”
Mousa described it as a “final fix for the area,” committed to after concluding that repairs weren’t possible.
About $5 million of pay/go is already in the CIP for repairs; the administration concluded that is a “waste of money,” and the balance of $32 million would be borrowed funds, added Mousa.
“There’s no better infrastructure project” for borrowing, Mousa said of this “big-time” project.
This would be a “design/build” project, allowing work to proceed while design is happening on other components.
Mike Weinstein, the city’s finance officer, chimed in to discuss the repayment schedule, which would be 25 years, and not requiring an adjustment of debt service until next year.
“We’re borrowing about $70 million, and coming down on debt obligation by about $140 million. This adjusts our debt $12 million more next year,” Weinstein said. “We still go down on debt obligation … even with the $20 million borrowed next year.”
“It is going to be done through debt service, and it is going to be something we’ll all be very proud of.”
Matt Schellenberg indicated his support of this, before saying that the $5 million pay/go may be needed for other projects, suggesting that the $5 million be borrowed.
“Without that $5 million, we need to borrow $5 million to design,” Mousa said.
“We do want to borrow as little as possible,” added Weinstein.
John Crescimbeni joined the discussion, saying that the project has to be done, yet he had questions regarding concrete disposal and the possible creation of a river access point.
“These two bridges will receive $3.75 million each under the federal bridge replacement program,” said Mousa, but the money will not be reimbursed until Fiscal Year 2020-21.
Aaron Bowman had questions about the future of the old courthouse.
“The parking deck would be a heck of a liability,” said Mousa, and removing the deck would increase the viability of courthouse development.
Lori Boyer spoke next, lauding “the leadership for taking the bull by the horns and doing in,” describing this as “a life safety hazard” and a top infrastructural priority.
“I’m totally supportive of it in general,” Boyer added.
Mousa: “We’re hoping to get more aggressive as an administration in [tackling] infrastructure projects.”
Gulliford mentioned that the trend, previously, was “not in the right direction” and lauded Mousa for righting the course.
Mousa added that there may be some action on Berkman 2; There are “informal talks” under way.
