JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Plans for a 150-foot "Jax" sculpture -- on Jacksonville's Northbank are heading back to the drawing board before anything gets set in stone, or steel in this case.
Renderings of the sculpture saw mixed reviews, with some opponents saying it appeared to read as "Lerp" or "Derp" as opposed to Jax.
Construction on the new Riverfront Plaza started Monday, however, the proposed sculpture is not a part of that work at this point.
The Jessie Ball duPont Fund addressed the sculpture in a statement:
“While art is subjective, we understand this project is a reflection of our Jacksonville community. Sculpture artist Jefre is working to refine his design following feedback from Jaxsons during a community conversation at the Jax RiverJams concert on April 20, which the duPont Fund helped facilitate. Our role was to help support community input into the artistic process.”
While the sculpture will have to wait, Jacksonville city crews are carrying out the vision for the rest of the new Riverfront Plaza.
It will replace The Landing, which was demolished three years ago.
"When we would go downtown for a restaurant or whatever, on the way out, we would go into the toy store and get something and go home," said Jacksonville City Councilman Joe Carlucci while reminiscing about The Landing.
Carlucci says he still sets up a train set every Christmas that he got at the old toy store in the Landing.
He has years of fond memories as a kid at the Landing, and he's excited for making new memories with his kids at Riverfront Plaza.
"This is going to be something that I think is going to be an amazing place just to go hang out with family or friends, grab some food, grab a drink, let your kids play for a little bit," said Carlucci.
Development on the park will work its way from the Acosta side down to the Main Street bridge side.
Phase 1 will start with a café facing Independent Drive, with a playground on top and splash pad next to it.
There'll be a large lawn space, before hitting some civic steps leading to a reflective pool.
Phase 2 shows a beer garden, with a path working its way up to the Main Street Bridge.
Carlucci is hoping the view of the new plaza coming into downtown will help stimulate all the businesses around it.
"Hopefully it'll flow people further into downtown," said Carlucci. "It's going to be a great centerpiece I think for that space."
A sign shows Independent Drive in front of the plaza will be closed until about Christmas time.
There are also road closures at Hogan and Water streets lasting until the middle of December.
To complicate downtown driving further, part of Bay Street between Liberty and A Philip Randolph will be closed through Wednesday for a sewer tie in at an unrelated project.