- News code: 16281
The Islamic Center of Northeast Florida has tentative city approval to add buildings to better serve its community at its campus near St. Johns Bluff Road and Florida 9A .Although its plans are on a fairly grand scale - including additions to the existing Islamic Center, a school and community center building, a sports arena and five-level parking garage that can accommodate nearly 600 vehicles - that doesn't mean everything will be built at once .We have to raise money as we go along. We started this building in the mid-'80s, and it has been a continuous work in progress," said Ashraf Shaikh, spokesman and co-founder of the Islamic Center of Northeast Florida. "The primary thing that's driving it is the funding. We are not permitted to borrow, so we have to raise money. For that reason, it just takes us a little longer ." Shaikh said the first addition would likely be to the existing center itself, since it's gotten a bit cramped. According to the center's website, the two two-story additions will double the center's size to 30,000 square feet, allowing 2,000 people to pray at the same time. The additions would also include break rooms, a bookstore, offices, children's room and a funeral preparation unit . We need a larger place of worship. The community is getting larger," Shaikh said. "The school building and the garage may have to wait another three or four years, maybe five ." According to the center's website, the school building is to be four stories high, with 28,800 square feet per floor. It is designed to accommodate as many as 1,000 students in grades K-12 and is to include 52 classrooms. Its cafeteria area is to provide facilities for community gatherings and meal preparation that can accommodate 1,500 people. Its library is to be open to the public and is to offer the largest collection of Muslim literature in Northeast Florida .
Jacksonville
