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Riverside's first growth spurt came in 1887, when the streetcar system was expanded to connect the newly annexed rural suburb with downtown. Following the Great Fire of 1901, the community became a popular place for aspiring architects and their competing residential architectural designs. Today, Riverside remains a crown jewel amongst Jacksonville's urban neighborhoods.
1. College Street
2. Oak Street
3. Riverside Square (Riverside and Margaret)
4. Riverside Park
5. Five Points - Park Street
6. Five Points - Park Street
7. Church of the Good Shepherd
8. West Riverside Elementary School
9. Residential
10. Stockton Street
11. Cherry Street
12. St. Vincent's Medical Center
13. Studio 16 - College Street
14. Copeland Street
15. Oak Street
16. Herschel Street
17. Riverside Memorial Park
18. Five Points - Park Street
19. Kickback's - King Street
20. Fenimore Apartments - Riverside Avenue
21. Five Points - Margaret Street
22. Delgado Building - Oak Street
23. Osceola Street
24. Five Points - Corner of Margaret and Park Streets
25. Riverside Park
26. Riverside Memorial Park
27. St. Johns River, looking east towards San Marco
28. James Street
29. Green Street
30. Margaret Street looking east
31. College Street, near Cherry Street.
32. The Row - Riverside Avenue
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copperfiend
December 04, 2007, 08:11:20 AMWhen do the protests occur?
RiversideGator
December 04, 2007, 10:32:13 AMNice set of photos of the old hood. I always enjoy seeing things from someone else's perspective. You left out all of the bungalows north of College though. Also, there is the whole issue of North Riverside which was cut off from Riverside years ago by I-10. Anyway., great thread.
thelakelander
December 04, 2007, 10:48:59 AMI felt Riverside was to big to showcase in one photo thread. North Riverside and Avondale will be eventually covered separately.
fsujax
December 04, 2007, 10:56:21 AMOne thing we can be proud of here in Jacksonville is our historic neighborhoods. No one in the state compares to the size and character of our historic neighborhoods. With Springfield on the rise, soon Downtown will be surronded by vibrant historic districts. I really think the City should showcase our historic neighborhoods more so than we do.
thelakelander
December 04, 2007, 11:05:06 AMI think they should too. Downtown will be just fine if we can find a way to promote it with our inner city urban neighborhoods, as opposed to isolating it by itself. From a demographics standpoint, it would look much better. Because if you really think about it, what we consider as the Southside is an area larger then our entire urban core combined.
Ocklawaha
December 04, 2007, 11:25:57 AMThe size of Riverside - Avondale - Ortega is amazing, I hope we continue to build on what we already have until these as well as Springfield - San Marco look as livable as Winter Park. Another place that comes to mind with these neighborhoods is Coral Gables... now if I could just find a good Cuban restaurant in Jacksonville!
Ocklawaha
konstantconsumer
December 04, 2007, 11:33:08 AMi spy my apartment!
thelakelander
December 04, 2007, 11:37:01 AMLet me know when you discover one. I've been searching for four years now.
RiversideGator
December 04, 2007, 12:48:05 PMAgreed. I have always thought that downtown will only be as successful as are the inner suburbs surrounding it. As the office and hopefully one day entertainment and retail hub for this area, it would be quite successful. Then, tie it all together with rail transit and you have quite a city. This is my goal.
BTW, as for the historic core, you can include the areas north of Springfield all the way up the the Trout River. Those areas are ripe for revitalization IMO.
RiversideGator
December 04, 2007, 12:53:38 PMBased on this website, there are 4 choices now:
I havent tried any, but they sound interesting.
vicupstate
December 04, 2007, 02:27:48 PMI couldn't agree more. These neighborhoods give Jax a very different look and feel from the rest of FL. That's something that should be EMPHASIZED instead of ignored. Jax could be the perfect 'best of both worlds' combo of tropically FL and the more traditional 'Deep South' image of Live Oaks and historic architecture.
Unfortunately, the mindset seems to be 'lets plant so many Palms that Jax looks like Tampa and Miami'.
hooplady
December 04, 2007, 05:55:50 PMHave you tried Sol Cuban Cafe at 1440 Dunn Ave? Off the beaten path, tiny place, pretty darn good to me but I'm not an expert.
Galois
December 04, 2007, 07:42:24 PMIs the row a good place to eat?
raheem942
December 06, 2007, 11:40:58 AMit looks clasie
NJ to JAX WHAT DID I DO?
December 06, 2007, 01:17:46 PMI have been to Madrid. I like the place.....in fact I had picadillo there and also at La Carreta...the cuban chain in Miami. And surprisingly I thought the food at Madrid was better.
As for Havana Jax I think their prices are a little too steep. It is fancy cuban. I think we are all looking for homestyle cuban. But, I do like Cuba Libre right next door!
Las Congas looks cool. I am glad to learn of this place...looks like a good menu and good prices.
second_pancake
December 20, 2007, 12:27:19 PMJust to get the food out of the way...Havana Jax is pretty good, I like it anyway. But, there was this really great authentic Spanish restaurant in Murray Hill that was fantastic! Alas, they went out of business shortly after they opened (they were right next to the Italian place next to Martini's). It was by far the best ceviche and braised ox tail EVER! Anywho...
Ok, so why all the pics of 5-points that seem to depict all but the newer shops that are really trying to bring money into the neighborhood? Oh, excuse me, you have Starbuck's, lol. What about (and this is a shameless plug) City Cycle?? I mean, he-e-elloo. It's businesses like that, that bring in a whole new set of people into the area that otherwise didn't know it existed! Of course, being a cyclist, having a fiance that's a bike racer, and being a bicycle commuter, I'm a little bias and if those were my pics, you'd probably only see shots of City Cycle and The Cool Moose, so I guess I'll give you a few kudos;-) We do need to see more of King and Park though...great little part of town.
thelakelander
December 20, 2007, 12:42:38 PMWe have images of the places you mentioned. Check out these photo tours.
Historic Five Points: Jacksonville's Bohemian District
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/248/117/
Park & King Shopping District: Photo Tour
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/342/117/
second_pancake
December 20, 2007, 03:11:35 PMWell, open mouth, insert foot. You certainly do have pictures. Thanks!
duster1
December 23, 2007, 04:04:01 AMI was born in the Riverside hospital where the Publix is now. Across from there used to be the All Saints Nursing Home. Before both were torn down for the new area, we used to fish on the wall behind All Saints. There was always this really nice Northern lady with a giant black dog that would...within seconds of us walking up to the spot...threaten to call the police because of our fishing and that this whole area is not only private property..but her area of patrol (?). The general feeling I have of this area, to this day, was formed by that. Unfriendly, exclusive of all but the "select beautiful people" and carpetbaggin' interlopers. Look out 5 points, your gentirifcation is at hand.
second_pancake
December 24, 2007, 10:18:08 AMOMG!!! I don't have that impression at all...unless I'm one of THOSE that you're talking about
Ocklawaha
December 24, 2007, 11:09:01 AMOh my God! Duster you missed the best parts of the hood man. I grew up in Ortega (Pirates All) and loved 5-Points and Riverside. The theater at 5-points was a high point in the week for us. The Worlds most cool store had to be PETERSONS 5 and 10, it was an amazing place for young boys and girls. Hell, where else could you buy toy soldiers by the one at a time? I don't know who their buyer was, but he or she was super-in-touch! And that yellow flashing light, NEVER EVER EVER touch that! Classic Jacksonville survives!
Ocklawaha
Charles Hunter
December 24, 2007, 11:35:01 AMWow, Ock - I had forgotten all about Peterson's - it was great!
You must remember the grocery down near the 5-Points Beacon - was it an A&P?
Ocklawaha
December 24, 2007, 12:15:25 PMCan't remember which it was, I know we had Food-Fair, Setzers, A&P and some others, of course Winn-Dixie. You might be right about A&P. Charles, did you or anyone else ever eat at TADS? A little coffee shop - restaurant over on Park(?) Looks like they took it out for another empty lot, unless I have my directions messed up. It was once THE place to eat in the area. I recall one time asking the "old man" what TADS was? He pointed to himself and his name tag. ME! T. A. Davis! I'm TAD!
Ocklawaha
Charles Hunter
December 24, 2007, 09:44:14 PMYes, I've eaten at Tad's. And yes, it was taken out for the Forest Avenue widening, to connect Riverside Avenue with the new on and off ramps at I-95 when that big interchange is finished.
Oh, and Tad's has http://maps.yahoo.com/map?q1=1921%20Lane%20Ave%20S%20Jacksonville%20FL%2032210&mag=5&ard=1#mvt=m&lat=30.283896&lon=-81.755116&mag=3&q1=1921%20Lane%20Ave%20S%20Jacksonville%20FL%2032210
moved to South Lane - in front of a Sonny's Bar-b-que. Haven't been in the new location, so I don't know if they were able to move the wall size photos of old downtown with them.
PS - how do you make a string of text into a URL link? does this software allow that?
Lunican
December 24, 2007, 11:10:32 PM[url]http://website/[/url]or[url=http://website/]Site Name[/url]gatorback
December 26, 2007, 08:45:54 PMI lived here. Loved it.
Here's more info. Most people feel the new owner really messed the house up. I'm not a fan of the new gig either. There was a time when it was actually a 3 bedroom 1 bath. Three ladies lived there for 50 year. Helen, lLouise, and Lucille (I think) all three sisters were the originial owners. I bought it from Dr. Masters. He lived there 25 years. Over 3.5 times my investment in just 7 years. Thanks market! Sold to Ms. Hoover--best appreciating house in Florida I tell you. Now, the house just isn't right.
http://www.trulia.com/property/1030033082-1309-Challen-Ave-Jacksonville-FL-32205
duster1
December 27, 2007, 01:44:05 AMOh I remember all of those things too. I went to 5 Points theater weekly when I visited friends on Cherry St and have had more meals a Spaghetti Italian than I care to remember. I grew up in Cedar Hills near Jammes so my perspective of Riverside/Avondale/Ortega was always that of being an outsider, which come on, you know those areas never liked being lumped in with the rest of the blue collar, everyday westside.
gatorback
December 27, 2007, 02:44:40 AMThere's always been that other side of the track mentality but only on That side of the track. I love Murry Hill...lots of the same type homes. Less stuffy on that side too.
billy
January 21, 2008, 05:51:36 PMWhat's the story on the tiny newstand at Five Points next to the restaurant patio?
deathstar
February 23, 2008, 07:51:57 PMMy first Elementary School, West Riverside! I always loved that school, and hated moving from Riverside to Lakeshore Area & going to Bayview lol. From a beautiful 2 story school, to an ugly brick 1 level school (mumbles). But, I lived lol.
Charles Hunter
February 23, 2008, 10:02:18 PMIt has been there forever. A wide variety of magazines and out of town newspapers. And it is bigger than it looks, extending back a pretty good distance.
Back in the day, I think it had a 'special room' in the back for 'special' publications.
Charles Hunter
February 23, 2008, 10:05:52 PMBut if you went on to Lake Shore Junior High (Middle), it had 2 floors.
Very strange -
Bayview Elementary is on Lake Shore Blvd.
Lake Shore Middle is on Bayview Road
and their sports fields back up to each other
seems they got it backwards
deathstar
February 26, 2008, 01:23:22 AMSteve
February 26, 2008, 09:40:25 AMWhy am I not surprised...
billy
February 26, 2008, 10:09:35 AMAll true, and as I remember from decades ago.
The selection of magazines, books and probably what lay behind the beaded curtain
was much better back then.
It is some sort of optical illusion, architectural space-time phenomena that the interior is somehow bigger than it should be.
HerschelStRes
July 16, 2008, 04:50:32 PMSOMEHOW they managed to not get a single corner of my buidling in the shot..but have pictures all around it! Does anyone have old school pics or know where i could find some of the huge gray complex across from Mossfire? It was built in 1912 and is a monstrosity...i know there has to be pics of it somewhere!
jbroadglide
March 26, 2009, 11:13:06 AMI use to belong to a model railroad club located above Owens Pharmacy at Park and Margaret. For fun each Friday night we'ed grab some chairs and sit out in front and watch the numerous near collisions by drivers trying to negotiate that 5 way intersection. Those on Park would stop and didn't have to and some on Margaret would not stop and should have. But just people watching was a blast. It is such an eclectic area. I sure do miss those Friday nights.
John
Jason
March 26, 2009, 01:04:22 PMWelcome John!
Coolyfett
March 26, 2009, 02:26:51 PMThat intersection can very tricky if you do not live there.
mtraininjax
March 28, 2009, 01:56:45 AMCars on Park have the right of way and if the idiots on Margaret get in the way, well, they have less car for their errors!
sandyshoes
October 17, 2009, 04:22:49 PMPetersons - what was up with that smell, in the place, even before they closed it had a putrid smell of, like, rancid mothballs maybe? But it was a blast to shop in, especially for Halloween stuff. On to better smells, anyone remember Goode's Bakery in 5 Points?
Dog Walker
October 18, 2009, 02:30:14 PMGoode's? You bet! All of the family birthday cakes came from there and Mrs. Goode was always a soft touch for the kids who would come in a wheedle her for a "spoiled" cinnamon bun.
Now that the weather has cooled off, you can sit on the patio at Hovan's and watch that intersection. You can get bruised by the forehead slaps you give yourself when you watch some of the clueless try to decide what to do there. Great fun.