Public School Number 4 Is On Fire

[JHAT76]

Front page, Josh, then continued on A-4.

It's amazing how the road noise drops off when you get inside the building.  Thick masonry walls inside and out will do that even when the windows are missing.  With modern, double-paned windows, the noise inside would not be an issue for most uses.  Don't know about residences through.

The least expensive, most useful restoration of the school would be to turn it back into a school.  All of the private high schools are far out in Southside.  All of the kids who are currently in RPDS, St. Paul's, etc. have to start commuting there when they get past the sixth grade.Seems like an opportunity to me.

I wouldn't say they are that far out.  Episcopal isn't that much further than RPDS from Ortega/Avondale when you cut through San Marco or even zip across Hart Bridge.  Its a fairly easy drive.  7 miles from my house in Avondale area.  Plus any parents coming from Southside areas already are closer to Episcopal/Bolles than RPDS or St Marks.

[fsujax]

From the TU. Shocking!

http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2012-01-17/story/fire-marshals-office-arson-cause-fire-annie-lytle-school

[Timkin]

Would not surprise me one bit if the owner arranged to have it burned.

[Timkin]

School Board can't afford it, but the private schools can.  How do you think Bolles, Episcopal, Bishop Kenny, etc. got built?

Riverside Presbyterian Day School recently announced that it had paid off the debt it had from it's dramatic expansion.  They could now afford to renovate Annie Lytle and make it a Riverside Presbyterian High School.  They are a major feeder to Bolles and Episcopal right now.

Annie Lytle is just across the park from them, too.

Religion-oriented or not, I would be happy if Annie Lytle school would be a new home to students right now.

-Josh

As would I .  I don't know where to begin to express disappointment.  SO MANY PEOPLE have failed us and failed our History.  I made the mistake of voting some of them into office. Rest assured that won't happen again.

Small talk is cheap.  Myself and my volunteers put our efforts to this, tirelessly and with little thanks. I want to see the owners  HELD ACCOUNTABLE for this happening.  Probably wont happen as we have a lame City Government, but a homeowner would not get away with decades of neglect to a property.  The School still can be saved and it still should be saved.

Mayor Brown........ Do you ever listen to the people who voted for you?  How about you, CM Lumb or CM Jones??   Was the meeting a couple months ago just a joke? 

WAKE UP CITY !!!  You're asleep at the switch .

[tufsu1]

I would add the Florida Department of Transportation to the list of responsible parties.  The day they decided to build an interstate highway in the front yard of this facility pretty much sealed the building's fate (going back to the original highway construction, not the recent interchange ramp).  They took away any marketable use for the building.  Who seriously wants to live or work that close to a major highway?

I'm surprised they didn't tear it down along with every other building that stood in the way or within a few feet of the expressway when it was originally constructed.  Someone in the 1950s must have believed it was significant enough to preserve because a ton of buildings and parks were mowed over for the original expressway system.

that's much too difficult

if you want to see an even more egregious example, take a look on Google/Bing at the northeast corner of the I-4/I-275 interchange in Tampa

[acme54321]

if you want to see an even more egregious example, take a look on Google/Bing at the northeast corner of the I-4/I-275 interchange in Tampa

http://g.co/maps/8xxjn

What are we looking for?  A missing school?

[Timkin]

perhaps he is speaking of this intersection.....


   Google maps    27.964363,-82.449724

[thelakelander]

I would add the Florida Department of Transportation to the list of responsible parties.  The day they decided to build an interstate highway in the front yard of this facility pretty much sealed the building's fate (going back to the original highway construction, not the recent interchange ramp).  They took away any marketable use for the building.  Who seriously wants to live or work that close to a major highway?

I'm surprised they didn't tear it down along with every other building that stood in the way or within a few feet of the expressway when it was originally constructed.  Someone in the 1950s must have believed it was significant enough to preserve because a ton of buildings and parks were mowed over for the original expressway system.

that's much too difficult

if you want to see an even more egregious example, take a look on Google/Bing at the northeast corner of the I-4/I-275 interchange in Tampa

At least Washington (before FDOT purchased and tore it down in 2004) faced Columbus Drive.

[tufsu1]

correct....the school used to be right up to the interstate....when FDOT did the downtown interchange improvements, they got even closer...

what's odd is the website says the school was bought by FDOT in 2001 and demolished in 2004...yet the picture from the website is dated 2006....I'm pretty sure the building didn't come down until after the interstate expansion project was finished (around 2007).

[thelakelander]

Google Earth history aerials indicate it came down between 12/30/04 and 1/5/05.

[Timkin]

I would add the Florida Department of Transportation to the list of responsible parties.  The day they decided to build an interstate highway in the front yard of this facility pretty much sealed the building's fate (going back to the original highway construction, not the recent interchange ramp).  They took away any marketable use for the building.  Who seriously wants to live or work that close to a major highway?

I'm surprised they didn't tear it down along with every other building that stood in the way or within a few feet of the expressway when it was originally constructed.  Someone in the 1950s must have believed it was significant enough to preserve because a ton of buildings and parks were mowed over for the original expressway system.

If FDOT wanted it out they would have taken it out. Period. 

    There is something called a 20 year plan and  its interesting that a Foundation bought it  supposedly intending to make a senior facility , that never materialized, they did , however sell off more of its front yard to FDOT.  Instead of bailing and trying to make money on it , they chose to keep it, let it deteriorate and get totally destroyed inside, keep spending TONS of money boarding up, claiming they were keeping within code, and claiming always to be the victim . BULL SHIT !! . Code turned their head, the City turned their heads and LET THIS HAPPEN!!!!!.  4 fires within 2 decades, none of which arrests were made.  Interesting... one week ago an attempt was made to burn it then, and a bunch of people pulled out of there.  I'm sure there cannot be any connection, right?   Bull shit ! Back in 2010 the initial purchaser somehow was allowed to illegally cut up a historic property and let the building and a little land go because they wanted to be free of the burden and not pay the taxes on it.  It goes then to an owner who owns multiple properties  in Duval , some , like this one , which mysteriously burn.    This is far more than a passing coincidence.  Yet the City takes no action.  Nice going Mayor.  Nice going Council.  Boy do we have a great team running this City now.

It is so obvious that so many want to see the building go but none of them want the blood on their hands.  Or maybe they do , just for spite.  Hard to tell.

Except for MJ, the immediate group of supporters and volunteers who joined me and busted our asses to make the place look better, I am disappointed in this community , the City, The Mayor, The Council , Doug Milne,  Tarpon Holdings, and the list is endless.  Words are cheap.   Your intent is obvious.  And to think I actually voted and supported some of you. Stupid me.

I feel reasonably sure that all of you will eventually get what you are looking for.  All of you are cowards and two-faced.  Selfish ,self-centered, and all about yourselves.


It is difficult to tell at this late date who is real.. but its very easy to pick out the phonys. 

Peace out.

[sheclown]

I have avoided this thread because I'm so sad about this.

I can't read it. 

It isn't about just losing the past.  It is about losing craftsmanship, grandpa's skillled hands, attention to detail, quality and sustainability of components.  It's about losing pride in our work, our buildings, and a time when structures reflected the honor and worth of a place.

It is replaced with poor substitute, prefab and built in pieces, shipped in from an unknown spot and glued together to last until the warranty expires.

I'm so sad for this.  And sad we don't honor history in Jacksonville.

[Dog Walker]

That roof was going to come down soon anyway.  This just speeded up the process.  The old girl took another punch, but is still standing.

Perhaps this outrage will bring needed attention to what has been going on an spur new ideas and action.  Channel the anger and ignore the talkers.

It isn't about just losing the past.  It is about losing craftsmanship, grandpa's skillled hands, attention to detail, quality and sustainability of components.  It's about losing pride in our work, our buildings, and a time when structures reflected the honor and worth of a place.

We should engrave this someplace.  Beautifully said!

[Timkin]

+1  that is well-put.

It also about the generation (NOW) that has no regard.. It is about the majority of a city that has NO regard.  A Mayor with no regard.. An owner for 40 plus years with no regard..  A current owner who does business by ...?  No answering of phones, no response to letter... so  no regard.

Not enough people care.

[Rumblefish]

Its time to tear PS4 down.  Actually, its well past time.  You can't save everything.