Artists' Walk at Northbank Riverfront Park

[Metro Jacksonville]

Artists' Walk at Northbank Riverfront Park



The Riverside Artist Market Extension is a linear park linking the existing Riverside Artist Market on the river and riverwalk with Riverside Park on Park Street.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-jul-artists-walk-at-northbank-riverfront-park

[heights unknown]

I think it is a brilliant idea to improve, modify and extend this thing because it's obvious from the crowds that now accumulate that it will only continue to grow and get bigger, and, I just love the cultural aspect and potential of this thing relative to the image of Jacksonville.  This could become a tourist attraction for Northeast Florida and a small tourist attraction for Visitors from the outside.

Heights Unknown

[lindab]

What potential for reuse  of Annie Lytle Public School #4 to fit into the scheme of this grand vision. It's location on the edge of the park is first rate.

[archiphreak]

Oh they'll just bulldoze Annie Lytle.  The city will never allow someone to develop that property.  I drive by it every morning on my way to work and I can't help but get angry at what that site COULD be with even the smallest bit of imagination.  But oh well. 

[Jason]

Finally, the city is working to connect the urban neighborhoods to the core.  This is a great start!

[5PointsGuy]

Unfortunately that building has a alot of structural problems now due to that lack of maintenance. The price would probably be extremely high to buy the building and rehab it...

[hightowerlover]

that water doesnt look safe for people to be walking near - looks like a cestpool of disease.  and i <3 all that surface parking.  just think how many more people could park there once that old school is knocked out of the way.

[RiversideLoki]

It's a great idea and a very good use of the space under the bridge. I like the tie-in to Riverside park. I hope RAM numbers remain stable and can support the project. I know numbers fluctuate wildly with the weather. More parking will definitely be appreciated.

I wonder how they're going to address the issue of people crossing Riverside Ave right there. I know it's a sticky spot even on bike.

[TheProfessor]

Maybe someone can turn the Annie Lytle building into an art museum space.  I was at P.S.1 in NYC over the weekend and MOMA turned an old school into a contemporary art space with weekend outdoor parties amongst the sculptures.

[hightowerlover]

you would think the coj could afford to get a photo of the downtown skyline that actually shows the hyatt, or at least the adam's mark.  the wachovia building still says first union lol

[Dog Walker]

The Annie Lytle School is structurally very sound.  The interior has been trashed by a couple of generations of graffiti vandals and the roof over the auditorium fell because the owner neglected to fix a roof leak that he was warned about when he bought the place.  He left the leak unrepaired for twenty years so the huge roof beams rotted and dropped the roof in one place.

The building is solid masonry.  The floors are poured concrete even on the second floor.  Parts of the second floor roof are also concrete.  There have been a couple of fires started inside the building, but since all of the interior walls are masonry, nothing was there to burn.

The building just looks like heck because the owner will not keep the building secured or maintained.  It would make a fabulous art and music education and performance center or a transportation hub.  There is plenty of room on the school property for other buildings or surface level parking.

Someone with vision could have done something with this great building a long time ago.

[5PointsGuy]

That's good to hear DW, I was definitely referencing the roof cave in and thought there might be a heavy dose of water damage. Something can still be done with it, its just going to cost a good amount to obtain the rights to the building and then repair the defects.

[Ocklawaha]

Just add streetcar on or in Park as an element and to tie the entire community to the site.

OCKLAWAHA

[Dog Walker]

Oh they'll just bulldoze Annie Lytle.  The city will never allow someone to develop that property. 

The City has put NO barriers in the way of redeveloping/renovating the school other than the Historic Preservation Commission denying the owner's request to demolish it.

The owners have now received more money from the FDOT for the sliver of land taken from the front of the property for the interchange expansion than they paid for it twenty odd years ago.  The ownership is a strange mixture of profit and non-profit LLC's.  He should just donate the school and land to someone since he hasn't been able to do anything with it in two decades.

[Deuce]

With the expanding art market under the bridge, it seems like a commonsense use to turn the old school into a place for artists. This would be a great opportunity to do something like the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, Va. This would fit well with the Cummer nearby.