Downtown's Most Endangered Historic Buildings

[Metro Jacksonville]

Downtown's Most Endangered Historic Buildings



It has been two years since the Jacksonville Historic Society released their list of significant endangered local historical structures. In the meantime, historic buildings continue to fall like dominoes from the Jacksonville urban landscape. The Council has even threatened to eliminate the city's historic preservation commission.  

Despite the lip service to the goal of creating a vibrant urban core, these demolitions continue to prove otherwise and are an indication of ignorance on how historic preservation relates to a vibrant city.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-sep-downtowns-most-endangered-historic-buildings

[aaapolito]

That's would be sad to lose all that history.  I hope that people just have some patience and wait out the recession.  To an extent, I cannot fault the vacancy of some of these buildings because I honestly believe that there are not many people who have the capital/ or can get the finances to do something with these buildings.  Furthermore, with the great excess of available commercial space, the options for these buildings is likely limited.

[jeh1980]

I don't believe that the Friendship Fountain will ever get torn down anytime soon.

[thelakelander]

Let's hope not, jeh1980.  One of the best ways to preserve it is to make sure people don't forget about the situation that it is currently in.  Which is the reason, its on this list.

[civil42806]

Very sad, but I doubt that there is any hope of saving any of these other than the firehouse and friendship fountain

[Steve]

I think we dodged a bullt with the Woolworth building office space.  While I would love to see a more active use, office is better than vacant.  Right now, that corner is so depressing, especially considering that 90 years ago it was one of jacksonville's busiest pedestrian intersections

[archiphreak]

Friendship fountain WILL be torn down soon.  It's already in the works and has been for quite some time.  They'll pull typical bait and switch of politics: while we're concerned about some other problem they'll quietly get crews out there to tear it down and pave over it.
With regards to our future as a city and as a vibrant urban core: I think it will take a small group of concerned, like-minded investors to buy these properties, shore them up and soon develop them to avoid the wrecking ball.  The city WILL NOT preserve these buildings, as can plainly be seen.  It will take private enterprise to save them.  We can do all the screaming at city hall we want, but in the end it's going to be up to a brave few investors to put their stake on Downtown to save it.  If the money were there, you'd see my face on the front page tomorrow to buy up these buildings and convert them back to storefronts and apartments and lofts and furniture stores and grocers and all the things that a functioning core needs.  Unfortunately I'm not independently wealthy.  Anyone want to loan me the money, call.  ;-)

[buckethead]

I'd like to share your optimism, Stephen.

Demonstrating is not something I have done before, but I would certainly lend my carcass to bolster a head count of a vocal and visible protest/demonstration campaign to save and restore some of our heritage and identity. When and where? How can we get in the news? Every channel, and the TU as well as the indie rags. Multiple times. Let us be the squeaky wheel that gets the oil.

[buckethead]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0yucFw3qCQ

Tried to find the "Now lead dammit.... Teamsmanship" scene to no avail. This will have to do.

[reednavy]

archiphreak, you got a source or something to back up those claims?

[jbroadglide]

Friendship fountain WILL be torn down soon.  It's already in the works and has been for quite some time. 

I have a call in to the Deputy Director of Parks and Rec for COJ and will let you all know what he or she tells me.

[jbroadglide]

Okay I have talked with the Deputy Director for Parks and Councilman Warren Jones office and neither one knows anything about bulldozing of Friendship Fountain and paving it over. And Councilman Jones office stressed that they certainly would be aware of this if it were true. They did say there have been discussions about repairs and maintenance of the pumps and the fountain and I had heard that same thing several years ago myself.
So unless someone has better info or has seen the project plans, I hope this rumor is put to rest.

[Lunican]

This is from 2006, so the plan might be dead now.



http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2006-sep-friendship-fountain-the-truth-beneath-the-lies

[coredumped]

Stephendare is on to something. I think we can all raise awareness by telling people about MJ.

How about some bumper stickers with all proceeds going to the historic society?



Or something simple:

[thelakelander]

Cool. BTW, what ever happened with the T-shirt idea Ock had a while back?