Rural Jacksonville: Bayard

[Metro Jacksonville]

Rural Jacksonville: Bayard



Located at the intersection of Philips Highway and Old St. Augustine Road, Bayard is an historic rural community in danger of being overtaken by suburban sprawl.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-sep-rural-jacksonville-bayard

[Miss Fixit]

So sad that parts of this unique community have been destroyed by recent development.  Particularly tragic that a mostly empty shopping center sits on the site of the Wing Hotel. I have great memories of stopping in that antique shop on the way to St. Augustine.

Anyone know exactly where the Dixie Highway can be seen in Hastings?  There is a long, well preserved stretch in Flagler County and I know there is a preservation group working to ensure its survival.

[billy]

Didn't realise the Inn was gone.

[acme54321]

What's up with the Bayard Community Plan?  Are they going to raze or work in the historic buildings?  I think owning one of the historic bungalows out there would be cool, they have the old florida feel.  But the development seems to have destroyed the community.

[Coolyfett]

 i used to date a girl that live off old st augustine rd. i used to pass that white old antique shop that used to be a whore house. Didnt know it was that old.

[vicupstate]

Are they going to raze or work in the historic buildings?

 



Of course  they are going to raze the history.  This is Jacksonville after all.  The Hotel and the School are already in the landfill.

[billy]

Is this near the infamous old road camp?

[acme54321]

Are they going to raze or work in the historic buildings?

 



Of course  they are going to raze the history.  This is Jacksonville after all.  The Hotel and the School are already in the landfill.

I should have said it differently.... I mainly meant the homes, and really just the few that are "interesting".  I figured that any old commercial buildings will be torn down, and any houses that have nothing special about them. 

[St. Auggie]

I believe the owner of the antiques area is an older lady in her 80's.  I have been told that her next of kin want nothing to do with the shop, and would love to see a developer take over the land some day.  I was last told this in 2007, so obviously things can/do change.  That is how that "Bayard Community Plan" comes about.  That antique store sits on A LOT of land.

[copperfiend]

I drive by Bayard every day. Those empty strip malls are embrassing. On one corner of St Aug Rd/US1 sits a 2/3 empty strip mall with a hair dresser, dry cleaner and insurance agent. The other corner sits a 2/3 empty strip mall with an Italian restaurant (the third different tenant in three years), a Mexican restaurant (the third different tenant in three years), a daycare and a Goodwill.

Welcome to Jacksonville.

[north miami]

What's up with the Bayard Community Plan?  Are they going to raze or work in the historic buildings?  I think owning one of the historic bungalows out there would be cool, they have the old florida feel.  But the development seems to have destroyed the community.

In classic Planner & Consultant fashion:
"...maintain the character of the original community while still allowing growth."

Run,fast and don't look back

[Jason]

I do hate saying that the Bayard area will be one of the better connected suburban areas in the region.  With I95, I295/9A, 9B, US1, Old St. Augustine, Nocatee Ext., and the FEC rail line there is gobs of potential for smart growth.  If don'e properly it can blossom into a nice walkable neighborhood. 

The sad part is that it will likely end up consisting of more gated communities and strip malls.

[Bike Jax]

I grew up there and it truly hurts my soul to see what is going to happen to Bayard. Most people only know what they see from Phillips Hwy.. If you take the time to slow down and turn off US1 and see the real Bayard, you'll find something that is getting more and more and rare, Old florida.

The house in the top picture belongs to the J.R. Williams family. J.R. along with his brother J.W. purchased just about all the undeveloped land along US1 from Greenland Rd. to Racetrack Rd. around the end WWII. I think I remember being told they paid something like $50 an acre. They both used the land for timber (select cut) and cattle until the prices offered from developers were
getting so outrageous they could no longer ignore them and started selling parcels along Greenland Rd in the 80's. All that is now known as Bartram Park and Flagler Center was purchased from the Williams family.

The hotel for many of us was out first step towards independence as our first apartments and thru most of the 70's & 80's the hotel store front was a fabric & drapery outlet. Later morphing into an antique store. Where those hideous concrete statues now sit along Phillips Hwy. was our post office and community store. The Roster was the feed store.

The Horne's shop was never in Bayard proper. It was located in was called Durbin Hill closer to State Rd. 210 West that is now better known as Nease. Boy did we enjoy some goodies from that shop as kids.

Picture 7 is the original Bayard Baptist Church and literally the place I lost my religion. Picture 8 was where Bayard Baptist Church relocated on Genovar St.. As a teen I would sneak away from "our church" and walk down to the "black church" at end of Rosco Rd. and sit on their steps and just listen the music. The sound that came out of that little wooden structure was as close to a religious experience as I've ever had.

[north miami]

Breaking news flash:

Vowing to maintain the rural character of original community and environs while still allowing "inevitable" growth in the face of Planner & Consultant projections,with much fanfare in conjunction with the city of Jacksonville's River Summit Plummet the Northeast Florida Regional Planning Council announced a sweeping new land use designation- RURAL URBAN.

An unusually inquisitive press person and seven public interest conservation and land use attorneys (the state's entire force) present during workshops and at the press conference were ushered out of the audience by authorities.
RPC Director Jerry Mallot stated that the participants would be sequestered in a remote rural area committed to "Sector Plan"to reflect on what is really important to them".

Tongue lightly in cheek.....
N.M.

[Overstreet]

Bayard pretty well self destructed in the 80s and 90s before the developers got there. Most businesses had reduced to almost nothing following the interstate. Most of the youth that grew up there moved away. There wasn't the US 1 or the St Augustine road business developement.  It was getting smaller.


That hotel, brothel, antique store y'all are missing looked to be more a fire trap than anything. I guess the antique business wasn't good enough to keep it maintained.