Farewell to the Jacksonville Jewish Center

[Metro Jacksonville]

Farewell to the Jacksonville Jewish Center



Metro Jacksonville bids farewell to yet another significant, historic, urban Jacksonville property to fall victim to the wrecking ball: Springfield's former Jacksonville Jewish Center.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2011-may-farewell-to-the-jacksonville-jewish-center

[billy]

depressing

[Noone]

Look at the thickness of the facade. I just can't understand for the accelerated demolition. Compare this to Annie Lytle PS4 and tell me the difference.

Not picking on you Timkin but just look at the shell of both structures.

[TheProfessor]

Why such a quick demolition?? I thought the shell was still intact?

[johnnyroadglide]

The walls were bowing due to loosing the inside structure. The city was concerned they could fall.

[TheProfessor]

The city could have just spent the money to brace the walls from the outside instead of demo.

[johnnyroadglide]

Possibly...but its pretty much a moot point now isn't it?

[jcjohnpaint]

depressing photos- really hard to watch.  You know I am curious about the decor.  There is a place in Brooklyn NY that buys facades from fallen skyscrapers.  Looks like they are just going to throw that away. 

[Captain Zissou]

I think this is the fastest the city has ever acted on anything.  They tore it down less than 10 days after it burned??  Who owns the property now, the city?  If so, they need to clean up their mess and get the site ready for an RFP for development.  That's a great location with a lot of potential.

[Lunican]

I believe they started to tear it down the day it burned. They were working late into the night. Then it sat for a few days partially demolished.

[johnnyroadglide]

I think this is the fastest the city has ever acted on anything.  They tore it down less than 10 days after it burned??  Who owns the property now, the city?  If so, they need to clean up their mess and get the site ready for an RFP for development.  That's a great location with a lot of potential.

The city does not own this property. It is owned by a private company. With a huge lien on the property now..

[finehoe]

Sickening.

[fieldafm]

I drove by after work right when they started the demo.  It was bowing in something fierce.  I'm not sure it would have been practical or even beneficial to properly secure the structure in the condition the fire left the building in.

The real issue is, how did the fire happen and what can we do to ensure historic structures do not continue to be burned down in the historic district?

[Bike Jax]

Other city's have used buildings like this one and the others we have throughout urban core as basis for revitalization. City leaders gave owners a very small time period (3-6 months?) to begin rehab and demanded a strong completion date from the owners when the building/s would be ready to be occupied.

If the owners didn't act or respond the building/s would then taken by a very swift legal action and the city would sell for very little ($100) or give the buildings to developers that were willing to complete the tasks above bringing much needed vibrancy to their city core. Just off the top my head I know that NY, Baltimore, and DC have used this method in the past.

Where the hell are our leaders?

[TheProfessor]

how did the fire occur??