Courthouse Construction Draws Businesses to Downtown

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Construction is moving along on the new Duval County courthouse, and that means plenty of businesses are looking for a place nearby to set up.

Sikes & Stowe has been in the auto body repair business 85 years. Buddy Sikes says he likes his spot downtown right by the new courthouse. "It's going up pretty quick. I'm surprised it's going up so fast," he says.

But while most eyes are on the courthouse site, a few eyes are looking Sikes & Stowe's way, too.

"Yeah, we've had a couple law firms come down here and look at the property, and we've had one parking garage," says Sikes.

Businesses are interested in buying up property around the new courthouse.

"The minute we started construction, I must have seen 10 for sale signs go up on existing buildings and vacant property over there. Because now the market sees the end game to that side of downtown," says Ron Barton of the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission.

For sale and for lease signs are still everywhere. "On our budget, on time, we are right where we are supposed to be right now," says project manager, David Schneider.

Right now, crews are paving the deck for the second floor of the courthouse.

And Sikes is watching and waiting. "This has been a good location for us."

But he also knows the three rules of real estate are: location, location, location. And he is willing to move for the right price.

The courthouse is expected to open in the summer of 2012.

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