Farewell to the Jacksonville Jewish Center

[danno]

DIdn't have a good look as I was unable to get out of the car but I didn't see them.  Either they were broken up or they are gone.

[Timkin]

Drove by it about an hour ago.. there is nothing left to save, except maybe the Wrought Iron gate to the left of the building. Was hoping to see some piece we could rescue. No such luck.. Even the Lamp posts near the walkways are being destroyed.  Just dumb.

[iloveionia]

Go to the source, right? 

Over the weekend I called SPAR, left a message, and received a return response via email as I requested.  I got nothing, but the same old regurgatated SPAR weekly email crap.  The fire was 2 weeks ago for Christ's sake.

Today I called Burkhalter's, the company (or one of them) demolitioning.  Technically, once the building, house, whatever, is in the contractor's hands, the property (building) is property of the company to do what they want.  i.e. they basically own it to a certain degree, meaning if they chose to salvage, it is theirs to do with what they wish.  The owner was not available to speak and I have not received a return call (today anyway,) but the person who answered said some items were saved, some on the cornerstones she said, but she did not have a complete inventory.  When I receive a return call, I will post.  I was told that in some cases when the "picked up" the pieces they were trying to save, they crumbled. 

Once is happenstance.  Twice is coincidence.  Three times is enemy action.  Catch my drift?
I believe the Springfield fires are predominately intentional.  Arson.  A way to weed out the "bad." 

[Timkin]

Well I did notice that the cornerstone is still intact on the building (lower RH corner of what was the front) .. STILL  there was plenty of the building's features that could and should have been saved.  Since Burkhalters does sell salvaged items it seems they could have taken greater care to save pieces.. If some were saved , great, but the Pics up on this thread do not depict much being saved. Seems more like they were paid mega bucks to get the building down, and FAST...  I wonder how long before the 2 buildings beside it, and the Castle house on the corner go?   BTW today was the first time I ever actually saw the Castle house up close.. that is a crying shame that it is being left to decay like it is..  I would be willing to bet within a year ,the house , and the 2 adjacent buildings will be gone.. It is just what Jacksonville does.   

Was never in the Jewish Center building, but it could not have been in too bad of shape , prior to being torched ( I presume this must be what happened) .

[iloveionia]

I'm with ya Timkin.
In speaking with another demolition contractor, it does cost $$ to salavage (got to pay your crew to go in and salvage,) and I was told that with demoliton bids coming in at rock bottom, AND salvage not selling like it used to, it just is not financially worth it.
That said, there should be an option for the neighborhood, the former Jewish Center, current Jewish community, etc. to pay for the salvage.  Leaving behind pieces is not acceptable.  I read in the SPAR weekly email that they had been contacted by adults who enjoyed the Jewish Center as kids and were very concerned and interested in salvage.  Clearly that didn't mean shit.
I know it has happened (it has to have,) but I hope pieces taken will be put to good use and not discarded in a landfill.
The whole thing really pisses me off.  Sure wish I was in Jax right now.
Kudos to all those guerrilla salvagers. 

[AbelH]

There have been numerous vehicles - cargo vans, work trucks, even the trunk of a luxury sedan last night - that have been spotted loading up on various evenings and weekends when workers were not present. So there are a number of pieces floating around. Most seemed to be focused on walking away with free bricks - the religious symbols and other facade pieces were rather heavy and I can't imagine anyone being able to move them without some equipment.

[Timkin]

Abel ..some of the facade pieces that I saw were broken so badly , nobody would probably want them.. good to know some collected some bricks..  I would have picked something , but there was a worker present there , and I did not want to chance getting in trouble.  A trim piece of the top of a column was fairly intact and in front of one of the front doors, but again , did not want to take a chance.  Glad someone scalped some pieces of it.. Most of it ended up most likely at a dump somewhere.

[iloveionia]

FYI, I never got a return call from Burkhalter's in regards to the salvage.  No new information from SPAR either. 

[Timkin]

Not shocking at all

[RMidd]

How can we stand living here?