JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – When a portion of the parking garage at Ascension St. Vincent’s collapsed this week in Riverside, it brought to light the lack of inspections required for garages across Jacksonville.
News4JAX went to garages owned by the city on Friday to see if the city is doing anything different because of what happened at the hospital.
In Riverside, it’s not clear if inspectors or others have been inside the partially collapsed garage and the hospital isn’t saying anything about the investigation and what will happen to the 100-plus cars stuck in the garage. But there was work happening in the adjacent medical complex on Friday.
Hospital employees who did not want to be identified said they were very nervous about parking in any of the remaining garages.
“Because have you seen the metal scaffolding holding up the other garages?” one said.
Patients have similar concerns.
The collapse sent shockwaves throughout Jacksonville.
People are now worried about parking in garages around the city so News4JAX has been checking with the mayor’s office to find out what’s being done to make sure the garages that are owned by the city are safe.
Work was happening at one garage the city is responsible for on Friday, the sports complex garage near the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.
Lori Boyer of the Downtown Investment Authority said her department is responsible for that parking garage, another one near the arena, and one near the courthouse. DIA said it spends millions on the maintenance of garages.
Crews that maintain city garages are constantly checking for water leaks because that seems to be one of the main concerns. When it comes to parking garages, it’s like your roof. If they leak, that could cause the structure to become unstable.
“So garages typically have, we learned, have a routine, upkeep maintenance schedule. So every five years, you should do X, every seven years, there’s something else you should do, so much like you have with a roof or anything else on your house, right? Periodically, you need to do things to keep it up. And so what we’re trying to do is stay on that regular maintenance schedule and ensure that they remain safe,” Boyer said.
At the Yates Building garage, another city garage downtown, News4JAX found what appeared to be issues that need addressing, like concrete that has basically come off a beam and a hole where it looks like something was taken out.
The city said the Yates garage work has been underway.
The city is now discussing if changes need to be made in how and when all garages are inspected, and city officials want to remind owners of private garages that they are responsible for making sure the structures are safe.