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After delays, Berkman II implosion set for Sunday morning

Abandoned building set to be demolished at 10 a.m. Sunday

Berkman II implosion date set after months of delays

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The building known as downtown Jacksonville’s eyesore is set to come down Sunday.

The Berkman Plaza II building has been an abandoned structure on East Bay Street for several years.

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Sunday’s $1.2 million demolition comes after years of back and forth. Jacksonville officials said this process has been frustrating with all the delays.

The implosion was already delayed once this year. The Jan. 8 date was said to be “too optimistic.”

The partially completed building has been sitting since the construction stopped in 2007.

Last year, there was a permit to demolish the building from the top-down. But then contractors found problems with the structure and required an emergency stop to all demolition activities.

Now, a developer wants to replace the Berkman II with the city’s tallest skyscraper.

But before we get there, lots of steps are in place Sunday to make the demolition safe. Bay Street will be closed from 7 a.m. and reopens after noon once any potential debris gets cleared from the road.

The abandoned building is set to be demolished at 10 a.m. Sunday.

NEWS4JAX INSIDERS: Choose Your View: Berkman Plaza II Implosion


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