10 of Jax's Most Endangered Historic Places

1. Fire Station # 5
347 Riverside Avenue



In 2011, The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation added Fire Station #5 to its Most Endangered Historic Sites list. Here's what they had to say:

"Fire Station #5 is the oldest and most recognized historic building on Riverside Avenue in downtown Jacksonville’s Brooklyn neighborhood. It was designed by Robert Lee Sevil in 1910. The land on which the building stands was sold by the city to Fidelity National Financial, Inc. in 2009. The building is currently vacant, unmaintained, and has been the target of repeated vandalism. Some city officials are in support of the preservation of the building but are concerned over costs for relocation and rehabilitation. The site is added to the 2011 list due to the potential for demolition caused by redevelopment pressure."

4 years have passed and nothing has changed. Enough said.



2. Annie Lytle Elementary School
1011 Peninsular Place



When it opened as Public School No. 4 in 1917, the Annie Lytle School anchored Riverside Park.  During the 1950s, I-95 was constructed within a few feet of the building, totally isolating it from the park it anchored.  One can only assume that highway construction in the urban core can have a negative impact on its surroundings, considering this iconic structure has been vacant since 1960.  While several redevelopment plans have come and gone, now without a roof in some areas, the Annie Lytle's future remains in doubt.