JEDC OKs historic preservation

[fieldafm]

From Daily Record

http://jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=532715

only quoting half the story that's relating to preservation(St Lukes and Florida Theatre):

The commission also approved a $250,000 grant from the Historical Preservation Trust Fund that will be used by the Jacksonville Historical Society to raise funds for the purchase of Old St. Luke’s Hospital and the former Florida Casket Company building.

The adjoining properties are at the corner of Duval and Palmetto streets near the Sports and Entertainment Complex.

The grant will be used by the society as dollar-for-dollar matching funds. Society President Jerry Spinks said the purchase price for the two properties is $575,000 and the grant would allow the society to raise the balance from sources in the community.

“This grant would enable us to pursue several large grants that are very close. This grant would say, ‘it’s legit, let’s get going,’” said Spinks.

The Jacksonville Historical Society restored Old St. Andrew’s, the former Episcopal church near the Baseball Grounds that serves as the society’s headquarters, and received a City grant to purchase and restore Merrill House, the museum next door to the former church.

JEDC Executive Director Ron Barton said the society has an excellent track record when it comes to working with City grants to preserve historic buildings. “If you don’t own it, you can’t save it. The historical society has proven they can do it,” he said.

One of the provisions of the grant is if the society ever chooses to sell the two buildings (which is not likely, said Spinks), the City’s investment would be reimbursed in full.

The commission’s third agenda item was the issuance of a request for proposals for the lease of 29,230 square feet of office space on four floors of the Florida Theatre Building previously occupied by the City’s Planning Department.

Barton said the City functions moved to the Ed Ball Building and the empty space is “in need of investment.”

Lisa Rinaman from the mayor’s office said several groups have expressed interest in leasing part of the space. The Florida Theatre’s board of directors has presented a business plan to lease the space to artists and arts-related businesses.

“This is not Class A. It’s not Class B. It’s not even Class C office space. If we don’t do something like this, it will sit vacant,” said Barton. “The arts community has the ability to be a catalyst for change in revitalizing Downtown. This is a natural thing for us to test.”

The next meeting of the JEDC is scheduled for at 9 a.m. Feb. 10 in the mayor’s office conference room at City Hall.

Also, how hard would it be to have a dedicated forum on here for 'Preservation'?

[Timkin]

I love that idea.