Get down there and hug your downtown building

[thelakelander]

Bridgetroll, you're right.  $2 million for that building is a pretty crazy asking price.  No wonder it is still vacant.

TheProfessor, this is a Chris Hionides owned property.

An Absentee Downtown

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2007-mar-an-absentee-downtown

[jason_contentdg]

If this building is taken down then the City of Jacksonville should just close up shop at the Historic Preservation offices. Sure, this isn't in a historic district, but it's a historic building in Jacksonville.

Jacksonville: The Bold Demo'd New City of the South.

[vicupstate]

This building is the old American Heritage Life ANNEX.  11E was the old AHL headquarters.

Hoinides should have been fined and/or required to keep the building up to minimal code.  Demolition by neglect should not have been allowed.  

This case will be very illustrative of just how seriously this city takes preservation of what little remains of it's historic buildings. What say you Jacksonville??  

[TheProfessor]

well if it is condemed, what is the time frame on demolition??  It looks sound from the outside.

[downtownparks]

I agree with Mtrain. We can always use more parking lots downtown...

[hanjin1]

I say we make another park on main street, we can call it Main Street Bum Park

[copperfiend]

This actually makes me sick to my stomach.

[downtownparks]

Oh. Excellent Idea! Maybe we can put a hot dog cart on it! That would be REALLY urban. Get rid of all of those pesky building so people can REALLY enjoy downtown.

[hanjin1]

I like the hot dog cart idea. That is creative use for downtown. Let's throw in a kids fountain as well and get rid of that old crappy friendship fountain too. Who needs Springfield's parks, when we can have a chain of them in downtown.

[Cliffs_Daughter]

Are you guys talking about 5 W. Forsyth?

CARE Number: 2009 - 148019
It says the original complaint was by Atlantic Engineering that north wall of this building is cracked and bulging out.

As of this moment, it says that abstract work is complete, but nothing yet about a demolition order or recommendation.

[second_pancake]

Absolutely sickening.  I swear to Jebus, there isn't an effing person in power in Jax city government that gives a flip about preservation or the history of the city.  Let's just burn the whole damned city and build a new one on top of it.  At least that way we could be competitive with Atlanta.

[jeh1980]

Jacksonville: The Bold Demo'd New City of the South.

That's not how I see Jacksonville.

[jason_contentdg]

^ When I see aerial images of downtown Jacksonville today with surface parking and empty lots where buildings once stood, compared to the Jacksonville of the 20's with density and vibrancy at the core, that's how I see it.

[JaxNative68]

For many years there has been trouble getting tenants into that building.  Everyone thinks parking is to much of hassle in that area to rent office space for the price they have been asking (God forbid utilizing a nearby parking garage).  Of the few times I've been involved with projects that have this building as one of the leasing options, the tenant always opted for space in an office park building.  It’s pretty sad; the people of Jacksonville are so lazy and seem put out if they have to walk more than fifty feet from their car to their front door, that they don't realize the true abundance of parking in the downtown area; and how their laziness is killing our downtown fabric.  People have to realize where we live and that on-site parking isn't a necessity of life.  Get out and walk you fat f**cks!

[Kay]

If you are interested in stopping the demolision which is on track, email Councilman Don Redman at redman@coj.net and the mayor at jpeyton@coj.net.