(http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/ab165/sheclown/thirftstoregoingdown.jpg)
16th Street
We need a commercial mothball ordinance... something that would save the commercial buildings on Main Street and downtown. It could be designed differently than residential, but would help so much with the blight.
It wouldn't hurt. If there's one thing I've noticed about historic preservation in this town is that commercial and industrial buildings aren't as valued as residential historic stock. It's weird because thousands of people's lives are probably linked to many of these larger forgotten structures.
I'm in shock.
The total wipeout of a beautiful two story concrete duplex next to the banks of Hogans Creek at Washington and Beaver St. Perfectly legal.
The recent opening on McCoys Creek at Stonewall and Chelsea St. Has one MJ'er done a site inspection?
Right now go and look at Hogans Creek and the removal of that pedestrian overpass next to Bay St. I'm in shock about that. Whats the plan? Not in Waterways! Does anybody care?
Its a good thing they have two pieces of equipment there! Love the two tone paint job and I'm just looking at that one picture and just thinking of the potential of that structure. I'll try and go by today.
Sheclown would you like to go for a kayak paddle and I'll share with you why I feel I'll be telling the world
DON'T VISIT JACKSONVILLE
As a bonus if you have a fishing license and I do we can fish under the brand new no fishing signs DOWNTOWN!
(http://i43.tinypic.com/1zx42mp.jpg)
What is more concerning to me than the loss of this building, is what they might replace it with. Let's hope it isn't set back from the road with parking along the front, typical of most suburban strip centers.
I agree that some kind of commercial/industrical preservation effort needs to occur. But, looking at this building, would it necessarily qualify?
Yeah, what was wrong with that building?? It certainly didn't look like it was falling down or being eaten by termites. It was a sturdy brick shell after all.
Are all of the commercial corridors in the historic district? Can you write a mothballing ordinance on non-historic structures?
I am just glad they didn't tear down Fred Cotton's BBQ!
Quote from: dougskiles on February 10, 2012, 08:53:00 AM
What is more concerning to me than the loss of this building, is what they might replace it with. Let's hope it isn't set back from the road with parking along the front, typical of most suburban strip centers.
I agree that some kind of commercial/industrical preservation effort needs to occur. But, looking at this building, would it necessarily qualify?
It was constructed in 1947, so it's more than 50 years old. I own two undeveloped lots directly behind this building on the other side of the alley. This building's plot of land is only 100' x 100' and the parcels on either end, fronting Main, are owned by different entities. Without purchasing more property, anything on this site would have to be constructed in some sort of urban format.
Quote from: avs on February 10, 2012, 09:00:45 AM
Are all of the commercial corridors in the historic district?
No. The majority of the commerical corridor is excluded from the historic district and everything north of the railroad tracks is outside of the official historic district.
Quote from: fsujax on February 10, 2012, 09:02:22 AM
I am just glad they didn't tear down Fred Cotton's BBQ!
With that building gone, it probably makes it easier to package Cottons (they've been for sale off and own the past couple of years) with this parcel. Package the parcels and you could be looking at something similar to the Family Dollar across the street.
Cha Ching!
Quote from: fsujax on February 10, 2012, 09:02:22 AM
I am just glad they didn't tear down Fred Cotton's BBQ!
I went by today and the building is coming down fast. I went in to Cotton's and got some BBQ to go. They were sad to see it go. Didn't know what the plan was for the property.
Quote from: thelakelander on February 10, 2012, 06:40:11 AM
It wouldn't hurt. If there's one thing I've noticed about historic preservation in this town is that commercial and industrial buildings aren't as valued as residential historic stock. It's weird because thousands of people's lives are probably linked to many of these larger forgotten structures.
I believe historic commercial structures in the historic districts are covered by the mothball ordinance.
Quote from: Noone on February 10, 2012, 07:23:34 AM
I'm in shock.
The total wipeout of a beautiful two story concrete duplex next to the banks of Hogans Creek at Washington and Beaver St. Perfectly legal.
The recent opening on McCoys Creek at Stonewall and Chelsea St. Has one MJ'er done a site inspection?
Right now go and look at Hogans Creek and the removal of that pedestrian overpass next to Bay St. I'm in shock about that. Whats the plan? Not in Waterways! Does anybody care?
Its a good thing they have two pieces of equipment there! Love the two tone paint job and I'm just looking at that one picture and just thinking of the potential of that structure. I'll try and go by today.
Sheclown would you like to go for a kayak paddle and I'll share with you why I feel I'll be telling the world
DON'T VISIT JACKSONVILLE
As a bonus if you have a fishing license and I do we can fish under the brand new no fishing signs DOWNTOWN!
I'd love to. I'll bring my camera.
I already have the biggest smile on my face.
Do you have a bike?
I'll keep an eye on the tides and we'll Make a Scene Downtown and I'll take you to Ever bank to bank to bank to bank and we will be able to tell everyone that we are DOWNTOWN! This trip will rival a North Miami adventure.
I'll start the day with a Winn Dixie purchase that will give awareness to the administration of a Downtown Destination River Activity that we will share.
Thank you Sheclown.
We Khan Make It Happen.
The bulldozers were busy over there lately...I noticed last week that another house came down at 16th or 17th and Hubbard.
With the exception of Detroit, name me another city that champions and funds demolition after demolition after demolition. There are other solutions for abandonment and blight.
No wait, just take a few dozen excavators, line 'em up on first and move north and plow down everything between the I95 and the MLK. That'll wipe out the problem: Springfield. Tell me what other area of Jacksonville besides 32206 Code Enforcement is harassing?
Ionia, I have been seeing them sneaking around all parts of town and the outskirts.
I was recently repainting and window re-screening by St Luke's and the same code guy drove by several times a day on several days.
Ha-Ha I got that pre-primed siding in fast! ;)
I think you were the one that has also noticed they are like circling raptors....they see work or motion and target it.
(in that case..your father was the field mouse!)
Never mind that there are home made barn/shed structures falling down and rotting nearby.
And this is where I have difficulty. Problem: code enforcement harassment. Solution: ?????
This is where I am at a complete loss.
I mean I have my ideas, but none of which would be appropriate to do.
Mothballing is an intervention that has helped protect our homes, but we need more.
We need council support.
They are indeed circling raptors.
They seem to get high off of telling people what they can and cannot do and making it nearly impossible to do anything.
Code is a cancer. Ugh.
Quote from: iloveionia on February 11, 2012, 05:09:59 PM
With the exception of Detroit, name me another city that champions and funds demolition after demolition after demolition. There are other solutions for abandonment and blight.
I had heard about this some time ago and now that some of the older neighborhoods are resurging, this has become a classic case of the excrement hitting the mechanical ventilating device. I believe the program is still in place, maybe not in Strawberry Mansion but in other older, historic, and partly abandoned neighborhoods. Perhaps 'Springfielder' can update us on this tragedy.
QuoteOne evening in June of 2002, several hundred residents filed into the auditorium of Strawberry Mansion High School in Philadelphia. Most were old, many were poor, and almost all were black. Many of them were tired, but they had not given up hope and were not done fighting.
Strawberry Mansion has one of the highest vacancy rates in the city, but it also retains a rich architectural and cultural heritage. In addition to its namesake, the 1789 Strawberry Mansion, the neighborhood includes a remarkable collection of Victorian houses, some designed by the firm of renowned architect Frank Furness. Jazz legend John Coltrane lived in Strawberry Mansion.
An array of planners and other city officials greeted the residents. They hoped to help these residents create a new, blight-free future. The Mayor’s proposed plan included the demolition of 84 houses in the area, as part of the first round of over 1000 demolitions citywide. As the meeting began, it became clear that the residents were not ready to plan a new beginning; instead they were there to fight the demolitions with all their might.
One planner explained, “All properties have been inspected and are deemed as health and safety hazards.†A resident replied, “We would like a second opinion on certain properties. We have done our homework.†Hours later the debate on demolitions continued. One resident asked, “Why don’t we acquire the houses and fix them up instead of demolishing them?†Another added, “I think a lot of architecturally important buildings here are marketable.†When debate became particularly contentious, Councilman Darrell Clark took the podium in an attempt to quiet the angry crowd.
A year later, during the second round of condemnations, the community continued to fight the demolition of housing. A Philadelphia Inquirer headline from June 12, 2003, reads, “More Protests To Accompany Anti-Blight Effort’s 2nd Phase: North Philadelphia Residents Say Their Properties Are Being Unfairly Taken For the City’s Neighborhood Initiative.†Such was the kickoff of Philadelphia’s long-awaited, highly ambitious, very expensive, often misunderstood, and always contentious program: NTIâ€"the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative.
Dealing with Abandonment
In April 2001, following his first election, Mayor John Street launched NTI to deal with the city’s declining neighborhoods. Thousands of abandoned houses pepper the city. Some are safety hazards; others are in rough neighborhoods where, arguably, the cost of restoring them cannot be justified. Maxine Griffith, Executive Director of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, explains that abandonment is natural in a city that has dropped from a peak population of 2.5 million to 1.4 million today.
The premise of NTI is to accept this population loss as a fact and plan for a smaller city while providing new opportunities for redevelopment of the large, multi-block parcels that big developers crave. Through NTI, the city acquires abandoned properties and lots, demolishes the houses, and builds up a land bank of empty tracts. Then it waits for private developers to demonstrate interest in developing these tracts. Hopes for development depend on a burst of private interest in a community. NTI targets 34 neighborhoods, based on a $1.6 billion budget for its first five years.
SOURCE: http://americancity.org/magazine/article/housing-we-want-a-victory-for-philadelphia-heller/
"The city should focus on helping neighborhoods defeat the tipping point."
"Abandoned houses are not the cause of blight; they are its physical evidence. The causes run much deeper."
"Commercial development is the key to revitalization. Aside from creating jobs, commercial development, like rehabilitated housing, gives the appearance of success and attracts people to visit the neighborhood. You create a lot of energy and excitement and bring people in when you have great restaurants and retail shops."
^^^ great article. Very inspiring.