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The Julia Street corridor is highlighted in red. It is a corridor that remains quiet despite being blessed with significant urban building fabric still in place.
Despite the current scene today, Julia Street was not always this way. Fifty years ago, Julia Street was a bustling corridor anchored by large hotels and office buildings.
Robert Meyer Hotel
The 563 room, 24 floor Robert Meyer Hotel opened in 1959, as Florida's largest commercial hotel. It featured a block long glass faced marble lobby facing Julia Street, featuring several restaurants and a jewelry store.
Although it would open with great fanfare, the hotel went bankrupt and closed in 1977. A investment team, that included Preston Haskell, would reopen the tower as the Holiday Inn CityCenter in 1980. However, like the Robert Meyer, it would shut down in 1982, due to a lack of business.
In 1997, The 215 foot defunct Hotel, along with the former JCPenney and FW Woolworth Buildings, was imploded to make way for a new $80 million federal courthouse.
Source: Meyer Hotel was once the talk of Jacksonville - Florida Times-Union - Sunday, February 15, 1998 (Jacksonville Public Library online archives)
George Washington Hotel
Located on the corner of Adams and Julia Streets, the 15-story George Washington Hotel opened on Nov. 11, 1925. For the next 44 years the 350 room hotel was known as the true hub of the city. It was the city's premier site for conventions and also included a steak house, auditorium, cocktail lounge, coffee shop and drug store.
Famous guests included Charles Lindbergh and the Beatles. The hotel would begin to decline as Jacksonville discovered sprawl and close its doors around 1970. It did not get a chance to stay vacant long because it would be torn down for a parking lot in 1973.
Source: George Washington hotel was grand and didn't need subsidy - The Florida Times-Union - Saturday, November 14, 1998 (Jacksonville Public Library online archives)
Mayflower Hotel
Mayflower originally opened as The Mason in 1912. It was purchased by Robert Kloeppel, the owner of the George Washington Hotel, and renamed the Mayflower. It featured a rooftop lounge called Cavalettes. The Mayflower Hotel and other buildings on this block were demolished in 1978 to make way for the Southern Bell Tower.
The block of buildings to the left of the photograph were replaced by the Southern Bell Tower (image below, now AT&T).
Ambassador Hotel
The 310 West Church Street Apartment building was completed in 1923. It was the first large apartment building constructed in downtown. At some point, it became a hotel called 'The Ambassador'. In its later years, the Ambassador became an $80-a-week rooming house with 110 residents and a target of code inspections and drug raids.
The Ambassador closed and has been vacant since 1998. In 2000, the hotel's owner mentioned that he would like to see the building become a hotel again one day. While the Ambassador still sits vacant nearly a decade later, unlike its predecessors, at least it is still standing.
Source: 110 must find new housing Ambassador Hotel closing to remodel - Florida Times-Union - Friday, January 16, 1998 (Jacksonville Public Library online archives)
Old JEA Tower
This 260ft tower was completed in 1955 to serve as the headquarters for Independent Life and Accident Insurance Company. After Independent Square was completed in 1974, it became the headquarters of JEA. Since then, JEA has taken over the old Universal Marion Building and this structure is vacant. Through the years there have been redevelopment proposals but it is remains vacant and now owned by Chris Hionedes.
United States Post Office and Courthouse
The former US Post Office and Federal Courthouse was completed in 1933. The Art Deco style structure consumes a full city block and features a central "light court" to provide additional natural light and ventilation.
The building was vacated when it was replaced by the Federal Courthouse building across the street. Metro Jacksonville rumor has it that the city offered the building to Florida Coastal for a new law school a few years ago. However, Florida Coastal elected to purchase an office building in the Baymeadows area due to high renovation costs. This building will be preserved and renovated as a part of the Duval County Courthouse project.
Projects to keep an eye on:
Despite Julia Street's inability to take advantage of the recent development boom, the Duval County Courthouse project may make it the epicenter of downtown redevelopment and infill in the upcoming decade.
Duval County Courthouse
The long delayed Duval County Courthouse directly impacts two blocks of Julia Street. It is also the one major downtown infill project that will be under construction this Summer. To ensure that redevelopment spreads to areas like Julia Street, the way this project integrates into the surrounding urban environment should become a top city priority.
323 Duval
323 Duval was proposed to be a 100,000-square foot, twelve-floor office building across the street from the proposed courthouse. 30,000 square feet of the project would serve as the new headquarters of Farah & Farah. This $28 million project also includes a 331-car parking garage and 15,000 square feet of retail.
2 groups seek economic incentives for downtown sites - Florida Times-Union - Thursday, January 15, 2004 (Jacksonville Public Library online archives)
Ambassador Hotel
As a part of the 323 Duval project, the Ambassador Hotel would be converted to 52 apartment units. It was anticipated that this conversion would cost about $50 million. According to the owner, these projects are on ice until it becomes clear that the new courthouse becomes reality.
Source: Mixed-use concept gets DRC OK A proposed apartment, retail and office condo project would go up near new courthouse. - Florida Times-Union - Friday, May 27, 2005 (Jacksonville Public Library online archives)
Old JEA Tower
This 148,230-square foot, 19-story tower was occupied until 2000. The building was the original Independent Life headquarters in 1955 before the insurance company built, what is now known as the Modis Tower. JEA purchased the building from Independent Life in 1975. Since 2003, offers have been made to convert the building into apartments, offices for law firms and doctors. Although redevelopment has been unsuccessful, partially due to courthouse delay, the structure's location will become prime when the courthouse moves forward.
Source: Contract on former JEA headquarters in dispute. Two Jacksonville developers say they have the contract to buy the downtown office building. - The Florida Times-Union - Saturday, January 24, 2004 (Jacksonville Public Library online archives)
Julia Street may be desolate today, but it is positioned to bloom once again if the city can get the county courthouse out of the ground and focus on how it can stimulate foot traffic along adjacent corridors.
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heights unknown
April 30, 2009, 06:49:17 AMWell, from what I have been reading, the Courthouse project appears to be coming "out of the ground" for sure, effective immediately and very very soon. If that is the case, then hopefully it will spur development, growth, and activity once again around the western edge (both north and south) of downtown bordering Lavilla and even into LaVilla.
Of note, it brought back memories looking at the old Ambassador Hotel. As a younger man in the late 70's and into the 80's (and very early 90's), during my "off the chain," liquor slinging days, I used to quite often frequent the bar in the basement of the Ambassador Hotel (though I was in the Navy and well to do, I loved to flirt with the gutter from time to time). It was full of blue collar, low income, and a few homeless and alcoholics but we had a ball. And yes, the weekly rent was very very low for some of the residents who lived there.
Ahh the memories (we do stupid things when we're young).
Heights Unknown
Heights Unknown
Karl_Pilkington
April 30, 2009, 09:27:17 AMthere are some cool buildings on Julia including the hq of the Fire dept (the old federal reserve bldg), KBJ architects in that awesome old house and the old post office which is an amazing building which I really hope gets renovated and used when the new courthouse is built. It is eerily empty though.
stephenc
April 30, 2009, 10:03:51 AMso building the new coourthouse should help revitalize Julia St. Has anyone discussed what it will do to Bay St and the adjacent streets when the courthouse moves? Will there still be enough people in that area to keep those shops and restraunts going?
fsu813
April 30, 2009, 10:20:11 AMhopefully Bay Street will turn into the downtown nightlife center , even more so than today.
thelakelander
April 30, 2009, 10:33:58 AMGetting it out of there will help Bay if something compatible with the "entertainment district" (like a convention center) replaces it.
Ocklawaha
April 30, 2009, 10:41:08 AMNEWS FLASH - OCK GETS POSITIVE!
Bay Street is safe by virtue of it's corridor status. Any street that can chalk up that many vehicles and transit plus Skyway, is going to remain a focal point.
Add to that the fact that when the Courthouse and Annex moves out of Bay Street, it will open property that should be as valuable to developers as Worth Avenue in Palm Beach.
Since development begats development the new Courthouse is apparently going to spur at least 3 or 4 more signature projects. It would be just like Jacksonville (Knowing the history) to suddenly be dealing with a building boom when the rest of the nation is ready to fold their cards and go home.
I know I'm the resident transit monster and sound like a broken record but add Heritage Streetcars to this mix and jump out of the way, because I predict downtown will take off like Jack and his magic beanstalk.
This is just for Heights Unknown, About that bar and those wild times, I'll grow old, but I REFUSE to grow up... Let your "freak flag fly" man and never look back... Never Give Up - Never Surrender! Now where's my Sailor Jerry? Raise your sails 3 sheets to the wind... Solid Man!
"Now away in the near future
Southeast of disorder
You can shake the hand of the mango man
As he greats you at the border
And the lady she hails from Trinidad
Island of the spices
Salt for your meat, and cinnamon sweet
And the rum is for all your good vices
Haul the sheet in as we ride on the wind
That our forefathers harnessed before us
Hear the bells ring as the tight rigging sings
Its a son of a gun of a chorus"
OCKLAWAHA
JaxNative68
April 30, 2009, 02:20:41 PMHopefullly the original Independent Life building can remain as is and just be renovated/restored to its original glory. The rendering of the proposed conversion destroys the character of a great mid 50's design. This building as is, is one of my favorites in the city.
urbanlibertarian
April 30, 2009, 08:53:33 PMAs a resident of the Cathedral District, I'm wondering how long it will take for the law offices and bail bonds businesses to migrate to the other side of Main Street. It might get kinda lonely on the east side for a while. That said, the courthouse getting finally built will be a great thing.
stjr
April 30, 2009, 08:54:10 PMIt looks to me that Julia Street struggles, aside from all the vacant lots and store fronts, from a range of buildings facing it that have nothing to offer in the way of street appeal. We have parking garage vent holes, service entrances such as truck delivery and loading docks, solid sides of buildings fronting other streets, and a lot of long solid walls with an entry door poked in them. The old Federal Reserve and Courthouse buildings are great buildings, but not exactly street friendly. They share in common with the new Federal Courthouse, and it certainly looks like the new County Courthouse, that cold, "we mean business here" exteriors and approaches. I expect the "green space" in front of the new Courthouse will become a magnet for the homeless to rival Hemming Plaza, causing additional issues. There will be a lot more promise from the traffic and rich lawyers in and out of the Courthouse than from our loyal City servants at Hemming.
As such, I think Julia is destined for years to come, to be a secondary street in Jax. Don't feel bad, unfortunately, there are plenty of other Downtown streets to share this misery with. We need to change our design standards Downtown to require street friendly facades on the majority of EACH of the FOUR SIDES of a city block, subject only to security and service adjustments. And, while making Bay Street an entertainment zone is fine, we need to spread shopping, restaurants, and other escapes throughout Downtown if we want it all to succeed. Until then, we can expect to have all those "dead zones" the Verizon guy is trying to eliminate
P.S. I remember in the 1960's and 70's when Sunshine Stamps and Coins was in the downstairs of the Ambassador too. As a pediatric philatelist, I was a regular visitor there!
urbanlibertarian
April 30, 2009, 09:08:42 PMstjr wrote:
" We need to change our design standards Downtown to require street friendly facades on the majority of EACH of the FOUR SIDES of a city block, subject only to security and service adjustments. And, while making Bay Street an entertainment zone is fine, we need to spread shopping, restaurants, and other escapes throughout Downtown if we want it all to succeed."
stjr,
I don't think increasing regulation of new development downtown is going to help it happen. Let's let property owners have the freedom to create what they believe will work.
stjr
April 30, 2009, 09:16:19 PMUrban, I understand your rebellion against regulation. But, just as we have historic districts that thrive due to a symbiotic relationship, it sometimes takes regulation to give assurances to the private sector that investments made will be honored with an assured environment that fosters their success. Having a master plan that is enforced helps to produce such results. Not all regulation is bad. Most of it IS poorly conceived because it's passed in the middle of the night by special interests (can you say "oil rigs coming to a beach near you?").
thelakelander
April 30, 2009, 09:22:36 PMIt is true that not all regulation is bad. The benefits of making all new construction downtown embrace the sidewalks on portions of all blocks outweigh the negatives. Allowing property owners to do what they want in any circumstance will only lead to what is there now. That's surface parking, asphalt, dirt lots, blank walls at street level, garages and continued demolition of valuable building stock.
civil42806
April 30, 2009, 10:25:56 PMAs such, I think Julia is destined for years to come, to be a secondary street in Jax. Don't feel bad, unfortunately, there are plenty of other Downtown streets to share this misery with. We need to change our design standards Downtown to require street friendly facades on the majority of EACH of the FOUR SIDES of a city block, subject only to security and service adjustments. And, while making Bay Street an entertainment zone is fine, we need to spread shopping, restaurants, and other escapes throughout Downtown if we want it all to succeed. Until then, we can expect to have all those "dead zones" the Verizon guy is trying to eliminate
P.S. I remember in the 1960's and 70's when Sunshine Stamps and Coins was in the downstairs of the Ambassador too. As a pediatric philatelist, I was a regular visitor there!
A fellow philatelist!!! nice to meet you. Had an uncle that rented a room at the ambassador for years we finally got him out of there and into cathedral towers. Used to work in the old Independence life/Old Jea building for a few years. Upper conference room is pretty sweet. Seems like that street could be developed, though when I read about the owners of the ambassador hotel talking about condo conversion, couldn't stop laughing. Building is in terrible shape inside, that was in the mid 90's can't imagine its got any better. There used to be a great place for lunch at If I remember correctly at julia and forsyth, "blue boy cafe"? Some of the best fried chicken.
stjr
May 01, 2009, 01:14:17 AMA fellow philatelist!!! nice to meet you.
What was your specialty?
I specialized in US Mints from early 1900's to the mid-1970's. Singles, some FDC's, plate blocks, a few coil line pairs - used Scott's National Album. Bought lot's of issues from the PO when released. Also have a good set of mint UN to mid-70's including FDC's, inscription blocks, mint singles, souvenir cards, stationary. And a global collection of assorted issues from over 175 extinct and current nations and territories from late 1800's to mid-70's. Started collecting at 7 years old - second grade and still have the collection sitting on the shelf and in drawers. Learned much about global culture, history, geography, commerce, etc. A great hobby likely practiced by very few kids today. Fun and educational at the same time. I still have an urge to save stamps from the PO rather than use them. But, just too many issues today and in larger quantities. I'd rather return to collecting the older stuff and filling in the holes in my collection.
My other hobbies: HO model railroad on a 4' x 8' wood table my grandfather made for me in the garage, collecting Matchbox cars (when they were still made in England in the 1960's - still have all those in Matchbox plastic display cases sitting on the shelf) and snapping pictures with my Kodak Instamatic 100.
Today, all I have time for is snapping pictures. But I wouldn't mind picking up the others when life slows down.