Lost Jacksonville: The Theater District

[Metro Jacksonville]

Lost Jacksonville: The Theater District



"It's not anything we need to get too upset about or cry over.  It's just a function of the marketplace. If there's no demand for it, it won't survive. It's the same everywhere."

-Jim Gilmore, executive director of the Jacksonville Downtown Development Authority, regarding the closing of the Center Theater - 1/06/83

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-sep-lost-jacksonville-the-theater-district

[aaapolito]

Such a shame to lose all of those buildings.

[Lucasjj]

It must make it easier to compose these stories, that at the end of every picture the caption says the same thing...

"Demolished (Insert Year) for a parking garage."

[Bativac]

Jacksonville seems to have had a strong commitment to the idea of parking garages over the years.

[buckethead]

At least we have ample downtown parking.

"Welcome to Downtown Jacksonville. Enjoy the parking lots!"

[Doctor_K]

Absolutely, positively infuriating and depressing.  The short-sightedness of the civic leaders who presided over all of this destruction did nothing but inspire a new generation of short-sighted civic leaders.  Y'know, the ones who are elected by a naive, misinformed electorate.

Maddening.  Such a loss.

[DavidWilliams]

Sad indeed

[copperfiend]

This continues today. The city leadership has lacked vision for a long, long time.

[Deuce]

"Demolished (Insert Year) for a parking garage."

Took the words right out of my mouth!

Here's a revised promotional slogan for JAX:

Jacksonville, where Florida's parking garages begin!

It's truly unfortunate that underground parking garages are difficult to build here. I think that hurts all the major metropolitan areas of Florida.

[EvenStillLeader]

These are a few of my favorite things. I can't it take it anymore.

[mtraininjax]

What's all this crying over the past? Its over, gone and done. Be thankful that the Florida Theatre is here, use it, explore it, enjoy it. Same with the 5 points and San Marco theatres.

We could lament over the loss of the old US Post Office on Adams, or the lack of a real post office anywhere since Mayor Peyton shut down access to the old post office in the old Federal Building, but what's the point? Its over, done, and let's move on.

With all the empty lots downtown, whats to say that someone would not build a new theatre downtown as well? With droves of people moving into downtown, Riverside and Springfield, surely an entreprenuer on the board has the vision to open a new AMC Theatre downtown?

Where was all the fuss when the Kent Theatres were torn down for a Ham's or shopping malls at the beach and along US 17? Or Jones College taking over the Theatre at Edgewood and 17? At least the Murray Hill Theatre is still standing and functioning.

[mtraininjax]

Its ok to 'cry about the past'.   It should be remembered.

And it IS remembered on the 3rd floor of the Main Library in the FLORIDA room. Anyone ever been there? There are numerous books written on the downtown as well as the famous Architectural History book of Jax.

Progress is the word to describe downtown. You can cry over what was (was there any reason to tear down the old Southern Bell building for the new courthouse -no), but what good does it do? Rhodes building be damned, we needed to put the new library where it went to provide urinals for the homeless.

You see only the crying over the theatres, but who really went to the Nickelodians in the last 10-20 years? Blame the automobile, blame Arlington and the Matthews Bridge, blame progress.

As for remembering them, I can read a book and remember just fine.

[mtraininjax]

If we have much more 'progress' like we have had downtown, we could advertise for the apollo program to fake their next moon landing on Forsythe street.

Good idea, but where is the bleeding heart over the Kent Theatres? Forget them?

[Captain Zissou]

Other than the convenience factor, nobody missed those theaters they destroyed for Hams and La Nop (which will cause everyone to forget the theaters ever existed).  Those were some of the dirtiest and most poorly run theaters in the city.

Stephen Dare is right, you really don't get it. I was getting choked up looking at the history that was destroyed.  At art walk tomorrow I'll look at all the parking garages and try to imagine what it would be like if they were still vibrant public destinations (don't have to be theaters still, could be stores restaurants, anything!)

[Lunican]

I have to commend Mtrain for epitomizing, in just a few short posts, the attitude and mindset that caused all of this wreckage in Jacksonville over the past 100 years.