The architectural firm involved in enhancing The Landing, Wakefield Beasley & Associates, also has its sights set on the Duval County jail.
Emails to Mayor Lenny Curry show the Georgia-based firm, with offices in Ponte Vedra, has ideas it would like to share with the city for the potential relocation.
Karen Sicner, the firm’s justice studio director, wrote to the mayor offering her expertise.
“Nobody really wants a jail in their backyard and downtown probably isn’t the appropriate location either,” said Sicner.
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Sicner, who specializes in criminal justice design, said she encountered a similar issue in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
“They could not ever make the financial work, so they actually never did anything. They still have the issue they’re just trying to work around the jail being downtown in prime real estate,” said Sicner.
She said it starts with strong financial planning and most importantly buy-in from the community.
The mayor replied to Sicner saying they’ll need to go through the city’s procurement process. Sicner said she plans to do so and hopes to be considered for the future project.
Cox Media Group
