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In 1927 the building was constructed as a furniture store.
From 1940 to 1999 the building was home to South Side Hardware Co.
Then, in 2001 the space opened as the Spiller/Vincenty Art Gallery. Finally, in 2005 Burdette Ketchum converted the space for use as their offices and studios.
Today, the building serves as a shining example of how the adaptive reuse of a historic building can help create a unique neighborhood and attract quality jobs.
Although this building may not meet the Jacksonville City Council's standards to be considered a significantly contributing historic structure, its presence allowed a company to relocate to a custom space downtown without having to fund the construction of a new building.
Interior Photo Tour
Features such as original windows and exposed wood and brick were left in place to ensure that the building remain unique.
The former hardware store loading bay has been converted into a conference room.
The front bay now serves as a small conference room as well.
The Kings Ave side of the ground floor features an open floor plan, but also manages to incorporate private offices.
Upstairs Studios
The workspaces upstairs are different than the polished look and feel of the ground floor. These studios have a more unfinished loft design to them.
The upstairs loft offices overlook the conference room.
The building also features a view of all three of the Southbank's newest condo towers.
In 2007, this stretch of renovated historic buildings was targeted by JTA and their consultants to determine the feasibility of purchasing and demolishing these structures to make way for their planned Bus Rapid Transit system.
JTA's Kings Ave Skyway station is adjacent to this row of renovated buildings.
Burdette Ketchum, along with many other property owners on the street, informed JTA that they would not be interested in selling. At this time, JTA has not announced any further plans to pursue these properties.
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Jason
April 21, 2008, 07:36:40 AMGreat article and a fantastic example of adaptive reuse. Many would have thought that building was useless but just look at what a little creativity can produce.
BTW, what kind of company is Burdette Ketchum? Architectural?
JeffreyS
April 21, 2008, 07:58:34 AMI was just there with my wife and son admiring those buildings. My wife is going to flip when she learns the JTA wanted to destroy them. It is great area to walk and shop. We have got to get past this BRT nonsense.
Mr. Miller I hate to keep telling you the same thing but use the rail right of way already built into Jacksonville and forget the purchase and destroy plan for BRT paths.
Steve
April 21, 2008, 08:41:13 AMI love how they wanted to use this for part of the BRT Station. This si part of the reason that busses don't work - since the busses don't have dedicated trackage (and most of the time doors are only on one side), their use as a method of transit is restricted, and going through these urban areas is tight.
Steve
April 21, 2008, 08:53:04 AMGetting back to the building - what an awesome redo. I like the way they made it modern but was able to keep the building architecturally true to the period when it was built
thelakelander
April 21, 2008, 09:45:25 AMGreat article and tour. This is one of the main reasons I'm totally against ripping down older buildings for surface lots or hopes of building something new years down the line. Little places like this are essential to the creation of a vibrant urban community because they allow those with limited budgets to use their creativity to be apart of the community. Eliminating these small buildings erases this opportunity and makes the core rely on hard-to-pull off one trick ponies by major developers in an atmosphere where its hard to justify financing large projects.
Lunican
April 21, 2008, 09:48:04 AMBurdette Ketchum is a marketing/advertising consulting firm.
http://burdetteketchum.com
avonjax
April 21, 2008, 02:04:34 PMIn the mid-eighties I used to work for a friend who had an export business in a small building, now gone, a few doors down from Southside Hardware...
I think everyone did an amazing job with these old buildings....
I agree this great looking little piece of the Southbank is a shining example of what can be done with existing buildings.
raheem942
April 24, 2008, 03:01:50 PMprogress ...hum thats new