JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville City Council voted Tuesday 15 to 1 to approve $1.2 million in city funds to demolish the Berkman Plaza II, citing safety concerns.
Demolition of the 14-year eyesore was delayed several times over the past six months. The latest demolition date was set for Jan. 8, but was again delayed.
According to documents obtained by Action News Jax, there was a financial dispute between the building’s owner and the demolition company.
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Pece of Mind Environmental Inc. was contracted to demolish the empty building. The owner, Park Beeler, owes about $1.5 million according to the city.
The demo company threatened to remove all the protective barriers surrounding the building, making it “an immediate threat to life around the structure.”
A letter from Pece of Mind to the city stated: “The weakened state of the building is only meant to be temporary, and I can’t predict nor guarantee the structural integrity of the building in the event of a significant weather event. I operated under a good faith belief, patience and hoped that the owner would resolve things, but this has not occurred.”
Brian Hughes, the City of Jacksonville’s Chief Administrative Officer, said they were made aware of the unpaid balance just before the new year.
“The uncertainty about the integrity of the structure has allowed us to do an emergency procurement,” he explained. “A number of dates have come and gone that [the owner] hasn’t been able to meet. So now is the time for the city to come in and [demolish].”
But Beeler said the delays are a result of Pece of Mind’s work.
“The legal dispute between us and them is over the amount of money they charged us for the procedure that was totally inappropriate,” he said.
Pece of Mind originally planned to take down the Berkman floor-by-floor, a three-month process they started in July.
Now the city will pay Pece of Mind to demolish the rest of the building with an implosion sometime in February.
“The next time a date is announced, it’s announced by the City of Jacksonville. That will be the date,” Hughes said.
After demolition, the property will still belong to Beeler. He said he will still finish the job, but is now looking at taking legal action against the city.
Council Member Reggie Gaffney said the building offers a chance for downtown development.
“They’ve got some plans that I think we’re all going to be pleased with. The question becomes how quick they will move,” Gaffney said.
He told Action News Jax’s Robert Grant that he expects crews to break ground on a new development by late 2022 to early 2023.
There will be a $1.2 million lien placed on the property that the owner will be expected to pay back to the city if the legislation is passed.
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Earlier this month, Action News Jax’s Ben Becker obtained a memo from the ownership group, citing the latest scheduled implosion date of Jan. 8 as “too optimistic” because of the “complexity” of the job and “financial risks” as the ownership group seeks to expand insurance coverage.
Construction of the Berkman II stopped in 2007 after worker Willie Edwards was killed in a partial collapse.