Signs of Progress :)

The renovations for Friendship Fountain and Park are now showing visible signs...

1: Official Project sign in place.


2: Friendship Fountain Park is Closed.


I have been told that actual Demolition will begin Monday Aug 30, 2010 in the morning and the Official Ground breaking is scheduled for Wednesday Sep 1, 2010 at 9:00 AM ET. I plan on being at the Official ground Breaking to grab some pictures for the web site as well as pictures of any actual demo done to that point.

3: Friendship Fountain has been drained...


-Bob

Friendship Fountain Renovation Update

As a result of a couple of inquiries regarding access to Friendship Fountain and the Park for school trips during the school year I contacted Eric with the City Economic Development Commission and Richard with the Contractor AC General and while the renovation work will have some impact on access to the Park and Fountain, MOSH Administrators and the Contractor have met and arranged to provide picnic areas for the Jacksonville School Children's Field trips to MOSH during this school year.

I have always maintained that one of the most important aspects of ensuring that Friendship Fountain be maintained and kept as a Downtown center piece was for the simple reason that for almost 40 years Jacksonville School Children have taken field trips to The MOSH and were exposed to the Fountain as part of those trips and I am ecstatic that steps are being taken to ensure an uninterrupted continuation of this staple of our children's growing...

Thank you City of Jacksonville, The MOSH and AC General for working together to see that our children can continue this tradition during these much needed renovations and once completed will make these field trips even more enjoyable and memorable for our children.

-Bob

2010 Renovation Picture Tracking

We have added a new Picture Album with pictures just taken on Friday August 13, 2010 of the Fountain and surrounding park.

Hopefully as the renovations get started we will be adding pictures of the work and progress until completion.

http://jaxfountain.com/Gallery/2010

-Bob

BIG News! Friendship Fountain/Park Renovations!

Just got an email from Eric Lindstrom, Redevelopment Manager for the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission, with an update....

Drum roll please...

The contract on the above project is still going through the execution process. The selected contractor is AC General, Inc. We hope to begin demolition in the next 2-3 weeks. Thank you for your inquiry.

He followed up that email with contact information for AC General Inc, Richard McInturff, PM, who I have already been in contact with who has indicated they will try to keep JaxFountain.com updated with progress...

I also found the following links referring to the project:
http://www.ldiline.com/home.cfm?id=16451

The below link contains .pdf drawings of the project for those so inclined...
http://ldiline.com/select_files.cfm?proj=16451

I plan on getting some current photos of the Fountain and Surrounding Park this week and hope to be able to obtain groundbreaking as well as incremental images of the renovations as they proceed and post them to the JaxFountain.com web site...

Stay tuned we will post any updates as they arrive... Finally some action ;)

-Bob