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When the S.H. Kress Company opened its new store on the corner of Main and Adams Streets in 1912, it claimed that this was the largest of all of the Kress stores and was probably the third largest "five, ten and twenty-five cent store" in the world at that time. The store featured an internal telephone system, a lunch counterm an information booth, and a tea room (on the mezzanine). Like many other downtown commercial structures, the first-floor facade of this building was severely altered in later years. In 1980, the Wilson Financial Corporation acquired the Kress Building and renovated it for office space. Although the original storefront could not be replaced, the brick and ornamental stone of the upper story were matched to create an entirely new but harmonious first-story facade.
Source: Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage, page 74
Farah & Farah is located at the intersection of Adams and Main Streets.
The adjacent site of the former Lerner Shop building will become an enclosed outdoor courtyard for Farah & Farah.
Renderings
Proposed Site Plan
North Elevation (Adams Street)
East Elevation (Main Street)
South Elevation (courtyard)
Proposed entrances
Proposed entrance to courtyard
Development Update by Ennis Davis
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Hurricane
March 05, 2010, 07:47:47 AMCool!
Miss Fixit
March 05, 2010, 08:15:49 AMLooks like a good plan, although I'm still sad about the loss of the Lerner building. I'm confused by this headline - was Kress a predecessor of Woolworth?
thelakelander
March 05, 2010, 09:11:21 AM^No. That was a mistake on our part. Thanks for noticing that.
fsujax
March 05, 2010, 09:49:22 AMNice project.
archiphreak
March 05, 2010, 10:25:29 AMwho's the architect of record? does anyone know?
hightowerlover
March 05, 2010, 10:26:12 AMAt least they didnt tear down the building without any intention of doing something with it. Not really sure why a Law office needs a courtyard, but I guess that's why I am not a lawyer
Doctor_K
March 05, 2010, 10:53:41 AM..."I'm not a lawyer, I'm a spokesman!"
Agree on the need for a courtyard. Refurbing the Lerner building would've been more worthwhile, for both economic and aesthetic reasons. In the moon-cratered downtown core, who needs more craters?
Lunican
March 05, 2010, 11:01:47 AMIt would have been cool if they left the facade of the Lerner Shops as the front door to the garden.
finehoe
March 05, 2010, 11:53:54 AMThe old lunch counter looks really cool. I wish we had preserved more of that kind of thing in this country.
choosing2disappear
March 05, 2010, 01:04:05 PMA patio? Swap a 101 year old building for a ......patio.
Anyone who doesn't feel slightly enraged by the failiure of our community (us) to preserve the lerner building, probably hasn't any soul. This wasn't some distant event in the 1970's when our parents watched 60-70 % of our historic stock downtown turn to dust, this was 2009. This community is magnificantly effective at making empty gestures and talking a good talk, but when the time comes for tough decisions and bold vision, we have none of that (anymore). At this point could we all agree that everything downtown should just be torn down. In for a penny in for a pound. Only a fool (or someone with vested interest and no alternatives) would think the situation will do anything but get worse. People get what they deserve I guess.
hanjin1
March 05, 2010, 01:46:22 PMI don't see how this is cool, since us regular people probably won't be able to use it. But what would we use it for anyways. Another waste of a demolished building. I do agree with Lunican though, would have been better if they could have at least saved the facade.
Overstreet
March 05, 2010, 02:27:19 PMThe window washer will have a time with those glass entry canopies and the glass above them.
choosing2disappear
March 05, 2010, 04:51:41 PMLand of the absurd.
JaxNative68
March 05, 2010, 05:13:51 PMi'm glad they are renovating the woolworth building, but very disappointed that the lerner building was removed for a courtyard.
deathstar
March 05, 2010, 07:18:28 PMWhat will Jacksonville look like in 2020? 1 building per block?
choosing2disappear
March 05, 2010, 07:33:52 PMThat's far too optimistic. This place is cursed with stupidity.
stjr
March 05, 2010, 07:55:25 PMCourtyards, pocket parks, parking lots, vacant lots .... and less and less historic structures. It's a sad version of musical chairs. Which will be the last one standing?
My guess is the courtyard is for smokers in the building. So, while they sue the tobacco companies, their clients can smoke it up in this courtyard.
The Lerner building was a perfect opportunity for a small shop or food establishment to rent. Hardly any such spaces left downtown anymore.
strider
March 06, 2010, 11:56:10 AMDo we know that Farrah owns the old lerner location? I can't tell from the data base, but as some seem to be saying they took the building for a courtyard, it would be nice to know.
stjr
March 06, 2010, 01:46:52 PMYes, he owns it. Here is the proof:
Owner per property appraiser records:
10 W ADAMS ST 3RD FLOOR
JACKSONVILLE, FL 32202
Corporate records per Secretary of State:
118 MAIN STREET, L.L.C.
Filing Information
Document Number L05000007709
FEI/EIN Number 204988298
Date Filed 01/25/2005
State FL
Status ACTIVE
Principal Address
10 W. ADAMS STREET, 3RD FLOOR
JACKSONVILLE FL 32202
Mailing Address
10 W. ADAMS STREET, 3RD FLOOR
JACKSONVILLE FL 32202
Registered Agent Name & Address
DUSS, JOHN S IV
DUSS KENNEY SAFER HAMPTON & JOOS, PA
4348 SOUTHPOINT BLVD - STE 101
JACKSONVILLE FL 32216 US
Address Changed: 02/19/2010
Manager/Member Detail
Name & Address
Title MGRM
FARAH, EDDIE
10 W. ADAMS STREET, 3RD FLOOR
JACKSONVILLE FL 32202
Title MGRM
FARAH, REEM
10 W. ADAMS STREET, 3RD FLOOR
JACKSONVILLE FL 32202
strider
March 06, 2010, 05:58:45 PMThank's, I guess I was just to lazy to go to the state database to see who owned the LLC. Too bad they didn't talk to the right people first. It could have been a deal where the facade of the lerner building was saved at least and they could have still had a courtyard.
mtraininjax
March 09, 2010, 12:20:55 AMUntil you have walked in another man's shoes.....Chuck and Eddie decided to say in their 10 W Adams location. They nixed the idea of moving and building spaces near the new courthouse. So they stayed and are working to improve the space they are in. They will be the only tenant in the new building, from what I hear, all subject to change of course. They were looking to fix the courtyard last year, but with the economy and changes to their businesses, they decided to hold off.
All of the so called building experts here, where are your bleeding hearts for every parking lot downtown? Every one of them had a building on them AT ONE POINT IN TIME, yet they are now gone, forever, paved over with cars every day. Chuck and Eddie plan to enhance the space in the back of their building for their firm's needs. Good for them, it will be done in good taste. Meanwhile, 1 block from them the old library sits empty, rotting, decaying, where are the liberal bleeding hearts to get that property up and operational? Bostwick building is still empty, been so for over 10 years, no one here cares.
Lunican
March 09, 2010, 09:34:04 AMYou can't be serious.
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/history/
Captain Zissou
March 09, 2010, 10:41:30 AM^ Mtrain, did you read the thread at all? It appears that "Chuck and Eddie" bought the Lerner building, let it rot until the city gave them the OK to demolish it, and are now building a private courtyard. Most on this site are in favor of developing what are currently parking lots, or even underused parcels. Not sure where you're coming from with those comments.
mtraininjax
March 11, 2010, 02:19:54 AMZiss - Is that any different than what is happening to the Bostwick building at the corner of Ocean and Bay? Where is the bleeding heart for it? What about the Barnett building or Laura trio, just sitting rotting at their core? What is new with the old Furchgott's building? Anyone in these spaces these days? Any improvement to the property?
Chuck and Eddie had planned to move closer to the courthouse, but with that fiasco, THEY and many other lawyers who also purchased property in La Villa, have backed away and now have their properties for sale or have sold them. What would you have had them do with the old decrepid building that someone else won't do to the Bostwick building, who's roof is collapsing and is need of total rehab or gut?
Captain Zissou
March 11, 2010, 10:42:31 AMmtrain- WE all do care about the Bostwick building and the Laura trio. If anyone were to threaten those buildings, we would be up in arms. Short of us remodeling them ourselves, there is little more that we can do for them other than advocate for their preservation. The bostwick building is on its last legs and needs to be saved, but as of right now at least still standing.
JeffreyS
March 11, 2010, 10:57:14 AMDid you bump your head Mtrain? You feel those buildings and parking lots have been ignored on this site? Really? No really? I mean really?
BTW I would have liked to see the Learner building saved but I like what is happening with the rehab of the space.
hanjin1
March 11, 2010, 11:03:13 AMyea, i was going to say the same thing. there are posts on the forum about those buildings, maybe not too recent. but those buildings are still standing. I believe we were told that the lerner building facade was at least planned to be saved by the Farrah's, but instead it was just bulldozed over.
downtownjag
March 11, 2010, 11:06:48 AMThe Bostwick will probably need a monstrosity of a historic grant to be brought back up to speed, it's too dilapidated to make any sense to revitalize :-(
downtownjag
March 11, 2010, 11:13:11 AM^^^^ I like stating the obvious, it's kinda my thing.
TheProfessor
March 11, 2010, 11:15:16 AMWish Farah had kept the facade and cleaned it up instead of some cheap wooden boards. How creative!
mtraininjax
March 12, 2010, 12:07:47 AMPurchase the Bostwick building and show them how to do it.