Savannah restored historic square

[samiam]

Now why cant Jacksonville do something like this

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap_travel/20100312/ap_tr_ge/us_travel_brief_savannah_restored_square

[fsu813]

Went there a few months ago....it was still a construction site. Didn't look like a park. That part was done quickly....but it took 4 years in totality? Jeez!

[hanjin1]

Went there a few months ago....it was still a construction site. Didn't look like a park. That part was done quickly....but it took 4 years in totality? Jeez!

Think about how long it would take Jacksonville to do something like that. It would probably take 4 times longer here.

[Miss Fixit]

Jacksonville could learn a lot from the city of Savannah.  Savannah is light years ahead of Jacksonville now in terms of historic preservation but that wasn't always the case.

In the 1950s and before, Savannah was travelling down the same path as Jacksonville, destroying significant historic buildings to create parking garages and allow other new development.  The demolition of the city market and destruction of Ellis Park, along with the threatened destruction of the landmark Isaiah Davenport house, led to creation of the Historic Savannah Foundation in 1955.  That foundation has funded a variety of urban renewal projects leading to preservation of hundreds of historic buildings.  One of their latest projects - that may hold great interest for some members of this board - is redevelopment of the Thomas Square Streetcar District.

You'll find HSF's website at www.historicsavannahfoundation.org

IMHO, we have a threshold problem of lack of public awareness regarding history and the benefits of historic preservation in Jacksonville.  Maybe something like this could be a good beginning:

www.wtoc.com/global/story.asp?s=12055643