JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- For some, the new Duval County Courthouse can be difficult to navigate. First Coast News first reported the story of Attorney Robert Davis a month ago, and the obstacles he faced.
Now a month later, some things have changed. While some things are better, Davis, who is technically a quadriplegic, said there's still room for improvement.
On Friday, Davis showed First Coast News the changes. He said courthouse and city staff have made some temporary adjustments to some doors.
"They're blocking these open on the temporary basis," he said. Door stops keep both the entrance and exit doors open to the courthouse. "As well as to the clerks, as you can see on both sides," he added.
He told us if there's ever a time when these doors are not propped open, "It's like a concierge service in that they're going out of the way to help those of us that have issues going in and out of the building."
Davis explained another improvement. "They've staggered the benches to make it a lot more able to go up and down the halls without tripping on people like it was the last time we came down the hall."
Davis said they are also making the courtrooms more accessible. While he is appreciative for the temporary fix, he's looking forward to a permanent solution "so that they don't have it as a reoccurring problem," he said. "As far as the stairs going into chambers and stuff like that, I do know for a fact the judges are having meeting to learn how to address those issues."
First for you, we asked the City when it plans to make permanent changes. In a written statement, they told me that it is up to the contractor, Turner Construction to make sure the building is fully compliant. They said because of the potential of litigation, they cannot comment on specific items or conditions.
A spokesman from Turner Construction tells me the courthouse meets all code requirements, and they will move forward with any enhancements the City approves.
First Coast News