The Underappreciated Side of Riverside

[Metro Jacksonville]

The Underappreciated Side of Riverside



The Riverside/Avondale Historic District is well known for its diverse mix of architecture and urban parks. However, it can be argued that the dense integration of non single family building fabric is what gives the district its true unique charm and vibrancy.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-dec-the-underappreciated-side-of-riverside

[mtraininjax]

I like the stories done on MJ about the neighborhoods, but I believe that Riverside is bigger than the geographic lines you identify. Some people view the divider to be Cherry Street or others McDuff, still others believe that Seminole is the divider. One thing for sure is that European Street on Park is not considered to be in Avondale, and for pete's sake, West Riverside's elementary school is not in Avondale.

I think the western boundary is out further west than King Street. Kickbacks is not Avondale, this I am sure of.

[thelakelander]

You are correct.  A decision was made to break it down to a couple of articles:

From the article

* Due to the geographic size of the Riverside/Avondale Historic District, this article only focuses on the area north of King Street.  The rest of the historic district will be featured in future "Underappreciated" series articles in 2010.

[fsu813]

Really stunning the sheer volume of interesting buildings....

[Hurricane]

There is a LOT of character in that area.  Good stuff.

[vicupstate]

The building once featured a rooftop smokestack for the building's boiler, shaped in the form of a rocket.

Anyone have a picture of this?  It probably looked cool or ridiculous, I can't imagine it being anything in between.


If the thousands (millions?) of people that travel through Jax on the way to Orlando, South Florida, etc., knew that Jax had neighborhoods like this, many more of them would consider Jax as a place to live, and would have a much more positive opinion of it.     

South Florida has the most monotonous, boring housing stock, such that Jax blows it away on that score.  If only the city's tremendous POTENTIAL would start being realized, Jax would take it's rightful place as Florida's best city to live in.     

[thelakelander]

http://www.agilitynut.com/08/2/whitebldg.jpg

[vicupstate]

Thanks.  It doesn't look that much like a rocket to me, but it does add something I think.

[archiphreak]

Dang, man, you couldn't get my house into the spread?  You were right there!  Ugh...oh well.  :-P

[rvrsdediva]

Nice to see my old apartment building (corner of Forbes and Goodwin) made the cut.  I miss it now that I'm out in the 'burbs.

[Bewler]

Same here, only mine was the Park Manor Apartments.

[Wacca Pilatka]

It goes without saying that the photography in this post is brilliant, because it always is, but this photo essay is particularly great even by Ennis' very high standards.  Makes me feel like I'm in my favorite Jacksonville neighborhood as I miss the city from 600 miles away for the next several months.  I'm very impressed with the particular Prairie school buildings that were chosen for this essay--they're not necessarily the ones one sees most frequently in a Jax Prairie compilation, but add so much to the fabric of the neighborhood.  I especially like the 2036 building toward the end (I think that's on Forbes?).

Bonus in the above shot of the Hardwick building: the yellow and black US 17 shield.  I miss the color-coded Florida U.S. highway shields.

[Wacca Pilatka]

Where is this building located?  I've never seen it before.  Thanks in advance.

http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/gallery/10697079_f3Bcf#744877316_SMARD-A-LB

[billy]

I think it's in the Jax architectural history book....

[thelakelander]

Where is this building located?  I've never seen it before.  Thanks in advance.

http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/gallery/10697079_f3Bcf#744877316_SMARD-A-LB

2320 College Street (the block between Stockton and Osceola Streets).