Craft brewery headed to Springfield's Main Street

[chris farley]

The following lifted from Wikipedia  (I know it is not a great source!)
"Jacksonville was especially important to the African American film industry. One notable individual in this regard is the European American producer Richard Norman, who created a string of films starring black actors in the vein of Oscar Micheaux and the Lincoln Motion Picture Company. In contrast to the degrading parts offered in certain white films such as The Birth of a Nation, Norman and his contemporaries sought to create positive stories featuring African Americans in what he termed "splendidly assuming different roles."
Jacksonville's mostly conservative residents, however, objected to the hallmarks of the early movie industry, such as car chases in the streets, simulated bank robberies and fire alarms in public places, and even the occasional riot. In 1917, conservative Democrat John W. Martin was elected mayor on the platform of taming the city's movie industry. By that time, southern California was emerging as the major movie production center, thanks in large part to the move of film pioneers like William Selig and D.W. Griffith to the area. These factors quickly sealed the demise of Jacksonville as a major film destination."

Also some correspondence in the SIAA archives point to this kind of opposition.

[UNFurbanist]

Please take this survey to give input on what Springfield should be doing to develop its commercial corridors.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/survey-taken/?sm=ijn8UiLGZbS2ltdv336d7wZ2_2BYlLPYJqpqLT7wD_2FZg_2FPUmKm_2FWqN283UmOJmz9J8r0svVLdEsVOLnVZ8aQpbMg_3D_3D

[RattlerGator]

Go back and read it again, Ennis. I never took issue with African Americans moving North in the Great Migration nor did I take issue with the huge growth of Harlem. Please show me where you think I did. So it is exceedingly odd (and Stephen-like) to get this gratuitous attempted history lesson on Harlem. What I very clearly said was that it wasn't simply a migration north. Many liberals for some crazy reason can't seem to quite come to terms with this basic fact but it is nevertheless a fact. African Americans were migrating for jobs, not to get to the Great White North. They migrated in heavy numbers to cities all over the South, too. They migrated in large numbers to Florida and Texas, too. Hopefully that's not shocking news to you but maybe we'll have to call into question that FAMU edumacation of yours after all.

Also, Ennis, I highly doubt a city with a black population in 1910 of around 29,000 and around 42,000 in 1920 lost 16,000 black residents to the Great Migration in a mere 2-year span between 1916-17. Documentation please. Since you are seeking to teach, surely there's a reputable link you can share.

And how lovely of Stephen to contribute a strawman since he can't apparently do much else (you still holding firm, Stephen, on your assurance a merely procedural legal ruling on the Barnett Building was somehow incredibly important and substantively bad news for Shad Khan? Ha!). Nashville, did you say? Nashville ! ? ! WhatChuTalkinBoutWillis? My easily understood point was that a bunch of Southern cities had populations equal to or greater than Jacksonville and entertainment districts far, far more relevant to *any* claim of a supposed Harlem of the South. That you don't know how to concede the point is not surprising in the least. Any idiot capable of Googling "harlem of the south" will see Jax had no exclusive claim on this bogus and essentially meaningless title and, in fact, far less of a claim than others.

It is incredibly ignorant of Florida history, Southern history and African American history, along with the history of Harlem itself, to assert LaVilla was the Harlem of the South.

Back to the topic of the post: good luck to the craft brewery effort in Springfield.

[thelakelander]

Go back and read it again, Ennis. I never took issue with African Americans moving North in the Great Migration nor did I take issue with the huge growth of Harlem. Please show me where you think I did. So it is exceedingly odd (and Stephen-like) to get this gratuitous attempted history lesson on Harlem. What I very clearly said was that it wasn't simply a migration north. Many liberals for some crazy reason can't seem to quite come to terms with this basic fact but it is nevertheless a fact. African Americans were migrating for jobs, not to get to the Great White North. They migrated in heavy numbers to cities all over the South, too. They migrated in large numbers to Florida and Texas, too. Hopefully that's not shocking news to you but maybe we'll have to call into question that FAMU edumacation of yours after all.

Also, Ennis, I highly doubt a city with a black population in 1910 of around 29,000 and around 42,000 in 1920 lost 16,000 black residents to the Great Migration in a mere 2-year span between 1916-17. Documentation please. Since you are seeking to teach, surely there's a reputable link you can share.

I'm glad you asked. Here's a link to a pretty good read on Jax's black history and contribution to the blues, jazz, etc:

http://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/islandora/object/fsu:168486/datastream/PDF/view

On page 98, you'll find the answer you're looking for:

Despite a few bright moments, including the high profile opening of the new multi-story black Masonic Building at 410 Broad Street and the rebuilding of a new three-story brick Stanton School on the site of the inferior post-fire wooden structure, there were visible changes in LaVilla. Large numbers of working class African-Americans, who had prospered during the rebuilding of Jacksonville after the 1901 fire, were beginning to leave the region. As the construction boom cooled, the number of good paying jobs declined steadily. A recession in 1914 hit many black businesses hard and local opportunities began to disappear. By 1916 recruiters from two northern railroads, the Pennsylvania and the New York Central were successfully drawing black workers away from Jacksonville. The urgent situation of many families was seen in letters responding to employment advertisements in the Chicago Defender.

One writer requested, "I would like for you to help me locate myself & family some where up there for work I can furnish reference to thirteen years of service at one place I am anxious to come right away." Another observed, "There is a storm of our people toward the North and especially to your city." By this time, white police officers and even white citizens in Jacksonville were judged to be acting within the law when they killed African-Americans who transgressed racial boundaries. There were numerous episodes during the ensuing decade that demonstrated this. The negative social effects of "Jim Crow" laws and increasing white militancy (starkly evident in Jacksonville's first lynchings and emboldened marches by the Stonewall Jackson Klan Number One) combined with declining economic circumstances and resulted in sixteen thousand African-Americans leaving the city between 1916 and 1917.

and those are the facts....

[Bativac]

RG seriously re read the posts. You sound idiotic.  No one on this site is claiming that La Villa is the Harlem of the South. 

Let me repeat that: No one is claiming that La Villa was the Harlem of the South.

Regardless of what you doubt, there is a history there. If you cannot be bothered to read it, then you cant be bothered with

You may believe whatever old thing you wish.  You may also doubt any old thing you like. 

Facts dont need to fill that pretty head of yours.  You have opinions instead.

Stephen, hate to say it, but the only reason I know the phrase "Harlem Of The South" is from an article on this very site, about Ashley Street, written by Ennis Davis. I read it years ago while wasting away in a cubicle. It's a good article. Here's a link. http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-may-ashley-street-the-harlem-of-the-south

[thelakelander]

Go to Google and type in LaVilla and Harlem of the South and several hits will pop up. Do that same for every other southern black neighborhood on the chitlin circuit and you'll get the same. That 2009 article illustrates my own evolution and change. Additional study, understanding and exposure of Jax's long ignored black history led to my own follow up articles on the subject. Here's a link to one from 2015:

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2015-apr-lavilla-of-the-north-harlem

What I've learned is that what took place in Jax, basically the things that Harlem became internationally known for, took place in cities like Jax, Atlanta, New Orleans, etc. before the Great Migration. Thus, these places should not be calling themselves Harlem of the Souths. In essence, their residents took the Renaissance to Harlem.

[icarus]

Is there active opposition to the rezoning and if so which groups/churches?

[UNFurbanist]

SPAR will be hosting a Main Street clean up this Saturday Jan. 7th at 9am (1321 N Main St) to kick off a year of focusing on commercial corridor redevelopment! We will provide morning coffee from Social Grounds, who plan to open a Springfield location this year, and Hyperion brewing will provide mimosas along with a tour of their new location after. This is a great opportunity to actually get involved with the change happening in Springfield! Hope to see some of you out there!

[MusicMan]

How much longer will the clusterf@ck on Main Street be going on?  What a freakin' disaster that has morphed into.

[UNFurbanist]

There is a lot in the works for Springfield this upcoming year. Some businesses moving in on Main St. include:
Hyperion Brewing
Main and Sixth Brewing
VyStar CU
The Block Skate Supply
Crispys (Restaurant)
A new salon (can't remember the name)
1st and Main Space is being renovated
and Petra is ready to get innovative with some of their vacant properties so I think there is a lot to be excited about!

[remc86007]

There is a lot in the works for Springfield this upcoming year. Some businesses moving in on Main St. include:
Hyperion Brewing
Main and Sixth Brewing
VyStar CU
The Block Skate Supply
Crispys (Restaurant)
A new salon (can't remember the name)
and Petra is ready to get innovative with some of their vacant properties so I think there is a lot to be excited about!

If all of those get going this year, it will undoubtedly send the signal to other businesses that Main Street is viable again. As someone who is moving to Springfield this year, this is really exciting to see.

[Bill Hoff]

A new coffee shop and The Cook Book Restaurant have also announced plans to open, the former on Main, the later on Pearl.

Good to see.

Now, just need to ensure the density to support all these new ventures.

[thelakelander]

Walgreens just pulled their permit for 8th & Main as well:

• Walgreens Community Pharmacy, 1801 N. Main St., contractor is Horizon Retail Construction, interior renovations of 1,452 square feet, $214,267.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=549063

[Bill Hoff]

Hyperion Brewing has begun renovations on their space, branded kegs have arrived and furnishings are being selected.