LaVilla School of the Arts

[Carolyn]

Hey there everybody!  I don't suppose any of you fine folks have a picture of what might have been where the school is.  My daughter(s) go to the school and my younger daughter has been sitting here with me while I'm on this board and she was wondering if there are any pictures of what was there before. TIA

[DDC]

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2006-aug-lavilla-jacksonvilles-first-incorporated-suburb

Here is a thread that features a lot of buildings that are still standing in LaVilla. I am sure there are others that show the old days. I am still looking.

Mr Dare, Lake and Ock and many others will probably find them before I do

Some of the comments in this thread are interesting. Some are from people who grew up in LaVilla. Good reading.

[Carolyn]

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2006-aug-lavilla-jacksonvilles-first-incorporated-suburb

Here is a thread that features a lot of buildings that are still standing in LaVilla. I am sure there are others that show the old days. I am still looking.

Mr Dare, Lake and Ock and many others will probably find them before I do

Some of the comments in this thread are interesting. Some are from people who grew up in LaVilla. Good reading.

Thank you I appreciate this.  I am excited when my daughter asks about something I like kwim.
I become more and more fascinated by Jacksonville's past the more I read.

[Cheshire Cat]

Carolyn, much of that property was homes.  Before long I have to meet with Ennis (Lakelander) and give him the originals of some photo's taken of the homes before destruction. I even have the old community plans that showed which structure were where.  Some of the homes were shotgun style, like the three needing rehab near the school.  Others were more elaborate and beautiful.  I hope you noticed the Brewster Hospital Building.  Ten years of my life were directed toward saving the structure and fighting to keep what remains of LaVilla, with the help of Councilwoman Glorious Johnson and several women of the Brewster Alumni Nurses, including Professor Vera Cruse who championed the structure and passed away before it was complete.  I plan to get tuned up again on this issue and see that the city completes the entrances of Brewster according to code so that the building can be occupied.  That's another story however. 

On another note, my son went to LaVilla and on to Douglas Anderson where he graduated some time back. He is not working on his second college degree in nursing.  The discipline of the education and arts programs went a long way to help my son develop a very healthy study and  work ethic.  The experiences and education your daughters will get is excellent.

[Carolyn]

That's where I have seen that building before. 

I don't ever drive past it, it is not on my coming or going route, but i have seen the back and glanced at it going past on Davis street. I recognized the picture but couldn't place where I'd seen it. 

We are planning on walking around downtown sometime soon to really look at the buildings. I am going to use this info here as a guide.  There is something about this city that I find fascinating and I grew up in Boston, and that city is all about old structures. lol

My husband and I were sort of half thinking about buying one of the beautiful homes in Springfield because they reminded me of the grand homes in Boston where I grew up. 

If any of you get a chance Google Melville Ave Dorchester, MA I will try to attach some pics here of the street where I grew up and you will see why I love Springfield.


Thank you so much to all of you.

Dag Nabbit I cant figure it out,  if you go to Facebook > OFD (Originally From Dorchester) > Photos > scroll waaaaaaaaay down you will see some pictures of the houses on the street where I grew up

[thelakelander]

A few images of what stood on the site of the LaVilla School of Arts in the early 20th century.


Sanborn map illustrating what was on the site of the school.  In this image, the two buildings highlighted in red are the only ones that remain standing today.


The Strand Theatre was located at the NW corner of Jefferson & Ashley Streets. 


Located a few doors west of the Strand, the Knights of Pythias Building was the tallest structure on the strip.  It contained a hotel, meeting rooms, and street level retail.  It was demolished in 1957.  In a scenario that plays out time and again, the project planned to replace it never made it off the drawing board.

[thelakelander]

Image "F" is a better shot of the Strand Theatre, which is now a part of the school's parking lot off Jefferson.  The buildings in this image were also located in LaVilla.



Image "I" was the Congregation B'nai Israel Synagogue.  Located at the NW corner of Jefferson and Duval Streets, this beautiful building was demolished in 1975.