The Gulf Life Building Is Worth Saving

[Bativac]

bl8jaxnative:  I'm confused about your comment which sounds like a complaint about Jax trying to save too many of these  buildings. Speaking for myself, one can never save "too many" of these buildings b/c there aren't too many of them left to be saved.  On another thread posted today re: possibly demolishing the FBC Singles' Building, someone else suggested that one has an entire month to enter a plea for it to be saved.  On yet another thread, the majority of people on this forum seemed hurt and outraged that The Landing was demolished.  It is confusing to me as now it sounds as if we are talking out of both sides of our mouths - which is it, do we want to save what's left of Jax's historic buildings or just mow the rest of them down and get it all over with and forget we ever had a history?  This is maddening.

Most rational people don't want any more of downtown's historic building stock to be destroyed. Furthermore, most rational people would (I believe) prefer an actual building contract to be in place before a non-historic building is to be torn down.

It seems like every time I go back to Jax, downtown is looking more and more desolate. Unless there are definite (actual definite, not Jacksonville definite) plans to build, I think most rational people would prefer buildings to stop coming down downtown.

But I guess some people prefer a vacant lot to a vacant building. More of that "potential" people are always talking about regarding downtown Jax.

[vicupstate]

Was this building ever demolished?  I take it that it was approved, but has it for whatever reason still standing?

[bl8jaxnative]

Most rational people don't want any more of downtown's historic building stock to be destroyed. Furthermore, most rational people would (I believe) prefer an actual building contract to be in place before a non-historic building is to be torn down.

It's irrational to imply that there's only one rational take.

Alanis M., note, this is what is ironic.

[acme54321]

Was this building ever demolished?  I take it that it was approved, but has it for whatever reason still standing?

Still standing

[thelakelander]

Was this building ever demolished?  I take it that it was approved, but has it for whatever reason still standing?

Still standing. The JFRD ended up not purchasing the property. Another developer did. By the luck of the draw, the developer prefers historic properties and has proposed reusing the two building and adding +200 apartments on the site. It's a great example of developing a downtown with no coordinated plan or vision with teeth. We're left to the whims of a property buyer. Want a gas station, you can tear down a historic building and build one. Want to adaptively reuse a building? Great! We'll try to work with you on that too.