Downtown 1904 Building to be Demolished

[jaxlongtimer]

Another historic building to bite the dust. 

While admirable the City wants to try and save the façade, without guarantees, it is shameful that the City has owned the building since 1994 allowing it to incur decades of neglect.  The cost of maintaining the roof which has led to this decision would have been likely less expensive and would have saved the building.

You would think in 30 years they could have found a buyer, too.  Interestingly, Gateway owns one of the buildings connected to it.

City seeks demolition at 324 N. Broad St. Downtown

.....Duval County property records show owners deeded the 0.084-acre property to the city in 1994.

Records show the building, listed at 4,084 square feet, was developed in 1904.

The structure is flanked by two privately owned buildings.

The Downtown Investment Authority approved a resolution Sept. 1, 2024, transferring $195,000 for a capital project called “324 North Broad Street Facade Stabilization and Building Demolition.”....

....Steve Kelley, DIA director of Downtown real estate and development, said April 1 that the city hopes to preserve the facade, but that doesn’t guarantee it can be saved...

....“The entire roof has collapsed,” Kelley said. “It is unsafe.”...

...The property to the south, at 318 N. Broad St., is owned by The New LaVilla LLC, led by Valecia Dunbar, who also leads The Center for Confidence LLC. That two-story, 6,288-square-foot building was built in 1909.

The property to the north, at 326 N. Broad St., is owned by Broadal LLC, which Kelley said is affiliated with Gateway Jax. That 7,010-square-foot, two-story building was built in 1939. NAI Hallmark is marketing it for lease as the Broad Street Professional Center.

Kelley said DIA does not have a disposition of the property but said the neighboring owners would be the potential acquirers of the site....

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/apr/01/city-seeks-demolition-at-324-n-broad-st-downtown/

[thelakelander]

The roof collapsed on this one over a decade ago. Can't get back the past but good for trying to keep the facade.

[thelakelander]

It's not the only COJ-owned building in LaVilla with this demolition by neglect problem. 905 W Forsyth, one of two red light district era buildings left, also had its roof collapse a few months ago.

[heights unknown]

Sad for me, very sad; why? Back in the late 80's and early 90's the middle building (or it could have been the first building on the left), is where my Barber was (LOL when I had a full head of hair in my 30's). I guess that property/lot will sit vacant long after we're all gone.

[thelakelander]

The property does not have access in the rear. It's boxed in by the Gateway property on the north and west and the old Progress Furniture building on the south. A mixed use project that will include a juice bar and office space is planned for the Progress Furniture building. Gateway has no plans to raze the other building. However, they've been big supporters of seeing Broad Street rehabilitated back into a walkable commercial district. The highest and best use for this space, given the current constraints, is for it to be an added component to the redevelopment of the surrounding properties.