Save This Historic Home!

[iloveionia]

1626 Ionia.

The owner is willing to sell for what he has in it, somewhere under $40k.
This home is on the endangered list for demolition.
Become a part of the revitalization of Historic Springfield! 

[sheclown]

Here is a whole thread about this house:

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,9227.0.html

It is truly one of the more majestic homes in the neighborhood.  A full three story with a carriage house.

[peestandingup]

Around $40k is gonna be a hard sell right now, esp for something that is up for demo. You can get finished homes for not much more than that through foreclosures & short sales.

IMO asking regular individuals to swoop in & take these over is going about this wrong & will ultimately lose the battle. Yeah, that might have worked before all hell broke lose in the economy & housing market, but it's a different ballgame now.

I think to keep hammering on the city officials & getting them to make special considerations to these historic homes is probably the only way you're gonna get through this. Just my opinion. 

[CS Foltz]

peestandingup........I think your on to something! City needs to change the way Historic homes are looked at! If I had that kind of money, would be on it in a heart beat...........but it is not to be! Sounds like a job for SOS sheclown! I don't think you can save them all but you guys can atleast give it a shot............get rid of Gaffeny and start over with someone who understands the issue!

[Bativac]

Around $40k is gonna be a hard sell right now, esp for something that is up for demo. You can get finished homes for not much more than that through foreclosures & short sales.

IMO asking regular individuals to swoop in & take these over is going about this wrong & will ultimately lose the battle. Yeah, that might have worked before all hell broke lose in the economy & housing market, but it's a different ballgame now.

I think to keep hammering on the city officials & getting them to make special considerations to these historic homes is probably the only way you're gonna get through this. Just my opinion. 

Yeah - I could probably swing buying the place, though I'd have to talk the wife into it, but then we'd have to worry about the cost of renovating the structure. We'd have to drag that process out for awhile to be able to afford it, piece by piece, and meantime we'd have the city breathing down our necks with the threat of demolition. I would only want to take on a project like that as a labor of love - not a labor borne of urgency and desperation.

The city needs to ease up and worry about some of the other numerous issues Jacksonville is dealing with. There must be something else for code enforcement officials to do.

[peestandingup]

Yeah - I could probably swing buying the place, though I'd have to talk the wife into it, but then we'd have to worry about the cost of renovating the structure. We'd have to drag that process out for awhile to be able to afford it, piece by piece, and meantime we'd have the city breathing down our necks with the threat of demolition. I would only want to take on a project like that as a labor of love - not a labor borne of urgency and desperation.

The city needs to ease up and worry about some of the other numerous issues Jacksonville is dealing with. There must be something else for code enforcement officials to do.

Yep, and thats a lot for a person to put on their plate right now. And it will be for some time to come I'm afraid. I'm certainly not an expert on this, but I do know that you need the city to be fighting for you, not against you (as they are now) or else you'll never win this with things the way they are currently.

It's just unfortunate that Springfield has arrived at this moment in time in this shape surrounding these circumstances. You'd think the city would be more understanding & just leave it alone for now, seeing that they've basically left it alone for decades now. But thats Jax for you, who isnt exactly known for taking care of their core. But then again, the people in general didn't help much either with "white flight" & such.

Like I said, unfortunate that it's at this sort of crossroad with the city, economy, etc. My advice would be to forget the private sector for now (they're tapped out). Only way you can win this is to get the city on your side & to come up with good solutions (and yes, compromises) to get that done.

[Debbie Thompson]

I disagree.  I would have to see the house first to see what must be done, but houses in need of renovation are still selling for $50K if they are grand enough, and this one is. 

[peestandingup]

I disagree.  I would have to see the house first to see what must be done, but houses in need of renovation are still selling for $50K if they are grand enough, and this one is.

I don't doubt some are indeed selling (probably the best of the best). But I bet not at the rate you need them to to avoid demolition.

That's great for the handful that are changing owners, but what about the rest? Good luck to them?? No, I'd say you guys need some deals worked out with the city before a good chunk of these homes go bye bye. Not every demo home is this nice & we all know it. 

[iloveionia]

No, I'd say you guys need some deals worked out with the city before a good chunk of these homes go bye bye. 

Yup.  Definitely agreed.  There won't be enough willing and financially able buyers to scoop up available rehab homes.  Not in today's economy.  Justifies the reason to mothball and monitor these homes.

[sheclown]

The house will be Preservation SOS's first all-out artistic "mothballing" adventure.  We have the owner's permission and, hopefully, we'll be starting on it in about a week.

[Timkin]

Cool. Will see if I can get some plywood over there.  Also would like to know who is doing the Artistry work

[sheclown]

So far we have three artists signed up for the mothball projects:  Lost Art. 

We have plenty of condemned houses/blank canvases should anyone else want to get involved.

[Timkin]

I would think that , god forbid, demolition , would come at quite a hefty price tag.  If that money has to be spent anyway, why not spend it taking measures to preserve the home rather than destroying it.

Case in point: My Grandparents home in Ortega.  25k at the time to demo it, not counting permits and all the other BS.  To see it spared, I located a Contractor who also happened to be involved in real estate.  He got the property for basicly the land value, but  pledged to do everything in his power to spare the home.  They did an amazing job on it and Metrojacksonville had it listed in a pictorial of showcase of homes in Ortega.   My Grandmother would be elated to see it today because she wanted so badly to restore it,but did not have the means.  I did what I could to repair it,but  it had extensive termite and water damage and some of the foundation and walls were buckling at the time she passed away.  By comparison , 1626 is in in perfect shape.  If an inspector had ever seen my Grandparents house, there would, no question have been a fast-track demolition,even though the home was the first in the area.   If the city has to take action , it should be by doing something to improve, not destroy it.

[KuroiKetsunoHana]

We have plenty of condemned houses/blank canvases should anyone else want to get involved.

would that weren't the case.

but since it is, i'm glad we can at least pretty things up.

[iloveionia]

Exactly what Preservation SOS is aiming for; channeling "demolition" resources differently. Makes much more sense in these tough economic and employment times to board, secure, and monitor rather than run a bulldozer through our historic homes.  The formal track for demolition policy needs to be laid to rest.