'Eyesore' hotel in downtown Jacksonville heading for demolition

[downtownjag]

should have been rehabbed into a jail

[Traveller]

Does the new Florida State College need a dormitory?

[Cliffs_Daughter]

Does the new Florida State College need a dormitory?

That's actually a very decent idea!

[ChriswUfGator]

This crapbox was already a total turd when I got to town 10 years ago. Except it was EVEN WORSE when it was actually open, if you can imagine that. All sorts of interesting characters hanging out around there, especially in and around that seedy bar they used to have on the first floor. It sure hasn't gotten any better with age, either.

This thing won't be missed. At least not by me, anyway.

[BridgeTroll]

They all got scuppered, however.

What happened to them?  Who killed the deals?  The owner?  The city?

[BridgeTroll]

  I was gonna come this week but there is an event for Tom at Shanty at the same time.  Will you be at Waffa and Mikes?

[Wacca Pilatka]

This crapbox was already a total turd when I got to town 10 years ago. Except it was EVEN WORSE when it was actually open, if you can imagine that. All sorts of interesting characters hanging out around there, especially in and around that seedy bar they used to have on the first floor. It sure hasn't gotten any better with age, either.

This thing won't be missed. At least not by me, anyway.

I remember reading a story in the T-U around 1997 in which the then-owner or manager said the hotel and its restaurant/lounge had been substantially renovated and he was seeking to get an affiliation with a national chain, most likely Days Inn.  Was the hotel actually in better shape at the time, or was the person quoted in the article overstating matters?

[heights unknown]

Finally Parkview Inn (Heart of Jacksonville) will be destroyed and rightfully so; no one wanted it, so it has to be killed; just an eyesore and a piece of decaying ugly hulk in downtown.  Anyone know what might go there?

Heights Unknown

[Doctor_K]

Mkay.  I'm confused.  When other buildings get the axe throughout downtown, everyone's in an uproar.  Urban fabric preservation and the like.

But now all of a sudden, a building is being demolished like all the others and it's ok?  Way to pic and choose!   

What am I missing?

[jason_contentdg]

Mkay.  I'm confused.  When other buildings get the axe throughout downtown, everyone's in an uproar.  Urban fabric preservation and the like.

But now all of a sudden, a building is being demolished like all the others and it's ok?  Way to pic and choose!   

What am I missing?

Well, I think something could have been done with the building.  It will certainly be quite a bit cheaper to start over and build new with the environmental issues that came with this building, however.

That being said, I think most people for demolition would argue that this isn't exactly a historically contributing structure and has no real redeeming architectural qualities worth preserving it.

[Doctor_K]

Thanks for straightening me out!

[heights unknown]

Thanks for straightening me out!

Upset?  Sour grapes?  Bitter Bananas? WOW!

Just kidding

Heights Unknown

[ChriswUfGator]

This crapbox was already a total turd when I got to town 10 years ago. Except it was EVEN WORSE when it was actually open, if you can imagine that. All sorts of interesting characters hanging out around there, especially in and around that seedy bar they used to have on the first floor. It sure hasn't gotten any better with age, either.

This thing won't be missed. At least not by me, anyway.

I remember reading a story in the T-U around 1997 in which the then-owner or manager said the hotel and its restaurant/lounge had been substantially renovated and he was seeking to get an affiliation with a national chain, most likely Days Inn.  Was the hotel actually in better shape at the time, or was the person quoted in the article overstating matters?

They renovated it about 2 or 3 different times, and it was re-trashed within weeks following each refurbishment. Because of their location, I think the only clientele they were attracting was the pay-by-the-week crowd. Nobody in their right mind would ever check in there, seeing what was wandering around outside. I can't imagine the clientele inside was much better.

Renovations weren't the place's problem, its location was.

[ChriswUfGator]

Mkay.  I'm confused.  When other buildings get the axe throughout downtown, everyone's in an uproar.  Urban fabric preservation and the like.

But now all of a sudden, a building is being demolished like all the others and it's ok?  Way to pic and choose!   

What am I missing?

It's an ugly 1960's motel with 6' ceilings and no worthwhile architectural detail. What's worse, is it continues acting as a magnet for the homeless, drug addicts, etc., etc.

Honestly, what is there to be upset about?

[strider]

While the Park View may not have any redeeming architectural value, it has been my experience that it is far less expensive to rehab a building sitting on a contaminated site than doing a remediation on a superfund site so you can then build a new building on that site.  So we will have a parking lot for...well... decades more than likely.  And this great new empty space in the downtown skyline will be courteously of our tax dollars. Of course, since we, the tax payers, are sort of tearing down the building, will that mean that we, the tax payers, will eventually have to pay for the remediation? That does somehow seem like something to be upset about.

Sort of makes me think of "watch what you wish for...."