JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville City Council Vice President Kevin Carrico wants to explore the options of preserving a historic trio of buildings downtown, known as the 'Laura Street Trio.'
Bringing the trio back to life has been a project in the works for nearly a decade. This, after the city stopped negotiations between themselves and a developer.
Carrico said it is crucial city leaders should be decisive and prevent unnecessary decline.
"This lack of responsiveness shows a troubling commitment to preserving our city's historic sites. By refusing to set aside the looming threat of a lawsuit, the administration is jeopardizing the project and leaving out historic buildings at risk of further deterioration," a statement from Carrico on the matter reads.
Mayor Donna Deegan's office wanted the developer to pay more than $800,000 in code violations for allowing the trio to be riddled with graffiti and become dilapidated. Carrico said that optimism turned into frustration because the mayor's office is unwilling to provide constructive feedback or counterpoints.
The councilman said a lawsuit should not be weaponized to undermine efforts. Restoring the Laura Street Trio would have created apartments, hotel and retail stores. However, Mayor Deegan recently said it is time to move on.
"We created a 10-point-plan for the agreement that we all agreed to," Deegan said. "And those things were walked back from. I can't continue to be part of a process where I can't count on those things to be followed."
The Special Committee on the future of Downtown is scheduled to meet Monday at 10 a.m.