Does anyone know if their are any plans for the Park View Inn on the corner of Main and State?
Not as of last I heard. I would love to see something like that happen.
Who owns the property?
Isn't it a contaminated site?
It is owned by Robert Van Winkle, who was going to turn it into workforce housing. However, nothing ever got off the ground with it.
I've been in the building, and it actually has a lot of potential for something like this. It is a contaminated site, but my understanding is that if it remains sealed (not cracking the foundation, it can be renovated as is. If the foundation is cracked, then its a problem.
I've heard that its going to become a museum to blight. It'll remain in virtually the same condition, but will get a nice plaque, donated by the city, to show when the building became vacant and how its became the eyesore that it is. I've even heard that its been nominated for an award for Best Blighted Eyesore in Jacksonville and is to be registered on the National Register of Historic Blight. :-* So fans keep your fingers crossed.
Can't believe it was built in 1964. I remember it as "The Heart of Jax" a hotel that catered to the railroad. It was a bit dated and I thought it was older in the very early 80's, It did have a Restaurant that was open 24 hours though! Became "The Hacienda" I think) about 84-85. Maybe something else a bit after that. I remember being there for many (SPAR) Springfield events and believe I was there when we entered The Gulf War. The place had become serious neglected about 10 years ago.
walter, national register of historic blight -- LOL!
for blight museum, i think the park view would have a lot of competition. it could be one more thing for visitors downtown to get confused about:
"honey, let's stop at the museum of blight"
"ok, there it is"
"no, that's not it, that's it over there"
"are you sure? it could be that one over there"
"wait, there are 3 more blighted buildings in this block"
You cant miss this Blighted Museum.. its the only Blighted Museum on the street that takes up an entire city block =D
Downtown Parks and I are going to sneek to the site with wrecking balls in the still of the night. by 6 am it should look alot better. :D
That would be fine with me....that place just really looks terrible
It's no wonder we have a homeless problem in this city. With buildings like that one around, we're pretty much inviting them to stay.
While you all are joking, the "Museum of Blight" may be a good idea to look into. I'm not sure, such a thing exists.
Lake it's a great idea, why not a museum of blight? In fact why not a museum of failed projects, stupid ideas and really, backward thinking...
Could we start at the St. James Building and work out from there? Embed a giant fake crystal in the sidewalk out front and proclaim our selves the INTERGALATIC CENTER OF STUPID? I'm certain the crystal would communicate our message to the cosmos.
Back to the old hotel... Hell I didn't know it was out of business?!?! I was by there just a day or two ago and a couple of my streetwalker friends told me they had a room they rented by the hour!
Ocklawaha
Quote from: fightingosprey07 on March 03, 2008, 09:23:03 PM
It's no wonder we have a homeless problem in this city. With buildings like that one around, we're pretty much inviting them to stay.
ROFLMAO!!!!! dude for some damn reason this quote is really funny to me. My eyes are watering!!!
This building needs to be destroyed. They should have blown it up like they did the coliseum.
I think it would make a great test site for demolition. Maybe leave the foundation and put about 2 ft of topsoil on it and plant grass. Major improvement.
=D
Quote from: Ocklawaha on March 06, 2008, 07:58:12 PM
Back to the old hotel... Hell I didn't know it was out of business?!?! I was by there just a day or two ago and a couple of my streetwalker friends told me they had a room they rented by the hour!
Ocklawaha
oh I can assure you its not out of "business", it still functions much like it used to. I met a gentleman recently who lived there for about two months. He would take scrap metal from inside to the scrap dealer for cash during the day and sleep there at night. He told me there were a few people who did the same. Pretty funny.
hmm... theres a thought.. maybe theyll keep stripping it and selling the scrapmetal. That also explains why the metal pieces of the Facade are gone.. as well as lightfixtures :D I think its funny.
If someone will rent a wrecking ball , I ll GLADLY level it :D
I wouldn't have a problem with leveling the Parkview and building new, especially if it were something like the rendering that Lake's firm did.
However, because of the contamination, the 'demo and build new' startegy is not likely at all.
Therefore, let's realize that this building CAN be made into something attractive that would have a positive impact on both Downtown and Springfield. The outside can be remade in such a way that it would look nothing like what it does now. The savings from reusing the steel structure might allow a residential conversion that would be priced at the workforce level, which DT Jax sorely needs.
Don't throw out the baby with the bath water.
Would you tear this down, or would you renovate it ??
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2071/2329290735_3c1963fac9.jpg?v=0)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3134/2329290007_ae6bd67f98.jpg?v=0)
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2045/2329290813_3bc1580096.jpg?v=0)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3278/2330115028_d0ef3f0685.jpg?v=0)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3252/2329290535_f0dd1ca92b.jpg?v=0)
oh thats a classic representation of soviet style architecture. This would have to be saved as a landmark to to that style. Whats it called the monolithic box? They just don't make em like the used to.
Look, Its a whole city of Park View Inns.
(http://www.kiddofspeed.com/chernobyl-revisited/imag21.2.jpg)
For those not familiar with this photo, or this site, its actually pretty interesting. The girl who took this is Ukrainian, and she likes to take high speed rides through the dead zone of Chernobyl. That plant you see in the distance is Chernobyl.
Check out her story at http://www.kiddofspeed.com/chernobyl-revisited/chapter1.html
cool site dtp!
I'm very familiar with this area.... I fight in it almost every day in "Call of Duty 4"
An option for the Park View could be.....
Tear it down to one wall... pick a wall .. any wall will do and remodel it. This would save on the impact fee of totally destroying it and going new-build.
The problem I see with that is.. My understanding is there is contamination in the soil beneath it , from the former coal gassification plant. If it is NOT causing a problem elsewhere (which I doubt) then by all means remodel it... take it to one wall and rebuild..
If the alleged contamination IS in fact causing contamination elsewhere , it needs remediation.. and I know of only one way to get to it.
As for the building in the next statement.. No it isnt unsightly and rundown and blighted like Parkview. Also, it isnt hideous as the Parkview most definitely is. Adding Blight, disrepair and trash all over the place isnt helping. Do something with it. Remodel it , tear it down, Pick it up with housemoving equipment, take it to a Barge to take out to the Atlantic and make an artificial reef out of.. anything would be an improvement.
As for DTPs "City of Parkview Inns" *getting Nauseated..... DTP... where IS that wrecking ball you were gonna fight me over? :D
This is what that building (five posts back) looks like today....
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3117/2330137026_0161d1acb7.jpg?v=0)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3278/2330137554_e0a375e1c3.jpg?v=0)
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3140/2329314163_011ae168cc.jpg?v=0)
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2350/2330138794_4a7840154f.jpg?v=0)
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2268/2330134276_d2cc853bfe.jpg?v=0)
that's why I don't believe the Parkview can't be ade into something nice.
SWEET!
Im impressed. I cant ( I mean i can ,but its just amazing..) belive its the same building
AND AGAIN I SAY... If contamination isnt affecting anything other than the site its on, go for it! Remodel it !
I've seen that Greenville building in person. It turned out to be a great project.
Its impecible. Id stand totally corrected on the Parkview if it ended up looking even half as good.
Im sure its possible... But I see alot of empty buildings around.
I wish I had the time and resources to rehab these places. Alot of cities recognize these blighted buildings, historic or not , and rehab them to do something nice to them, rather than tear them down and/or leave them sitting there decaying. . This revitilization effort seems to bring people back to their downtowns.. Make them Flourish again..
Someone mentioned a Movie Theatre.. I dont know if the Parkview's location would be a fit there, but perhaps a modern Theatre inside with a yesteryear decor on the outside, like many of the Black and White Photos on the site , depict of the streets of downtown from many years ago. Housing would be a fit for it , if there wasnt so much availiable on the market now.
Maybe the Parkview should go on the endangered list. and surely, theres some reuse for it.
Quote from: thelakelander on March 13, 2008, 08:47:48 PM
I've seen that Greenville building in person. It turned out to be a great project.
Eventually, the grassy area in front of the parking lot with be phase 2 & 3. At least that is the plan. Each of those phases consists of a building built up to the street. Where the two buildings meet, there will be a small plaza area with a fountain and such, which would be on the street corner. Each of these buildings will have a level of below grade parking. The street level will be retail/restaurant with either apartments or condos on two levels above.
All of that is predicated on the city completing a planned streetscaping project.
I hope all of that happens, since I live in the pictured building. I'd love to be able to just walk to a reatuarant or coffee shop.
BTW, this building is just a little beyond the far outskirts of Downtown Greenville.
I saw a story on the news last night on Fox 30 about the Park View Inn. Apparently the City is getting fed up with it and has been issuing many citations to the owner. The story highlighted the fact, that the City could have the building condemed and torn down in the next few months.
http://www.fox30online.com/content/topstories/story.aspx?content_id=13f20b80-f0a0-459e-8e2e-4874fd6cea11
I predict, if the city forces the issue, it will end up in their hands. Unless, they help this guy out with some type of incentive package or a deal with someone like FCCJ to use it for additional campus space, I don't see the private sector stepping up to renovate this structure with all the environmental issues this site carries. On the other hand, it is a brownfield site. There is grant money available for problem sites like this.
That's probably a pretty accurate prediction. Another city owned surface parking lot may be on the way.
It will be one of the most expensive surface lots, if they have to clean the crap laying under the building's foundation. I don't know if the city is willing to write that kind of check.
Well, if they decide to tear down the building, they are responsible for cleaning the site, right?
I believe so.
Maybe not if they leave the foundation in place.
Then it will still be an eyesore. I believe the foundation is lower than street level, which means the exposed pit would become a nasty artifical lake filled with rainwater. If the foundation does stay in place, I guess they could dump more dirt on it and make it an extension of Cofederate Park.
Quote from: thelakelander on March 14, 2008, 10:57:48 AM
Then it will still be an eyesore. I believe the foundation is lower than street level, which means the exposed pit would become a nasty artifical lake filled with rainwater. If the foundation does stay in place, I guess they could dump more dirt on it and make it an extension of Cofederate Park.
Sounds like a homeless camp waiting to happen... Awesome!
It already houses them, and along the embankments of the creek that runs along side it.
Perhaps infilling the foundation with Topsoil and grassing it in. It would then be a small vacant lot.. Just a thought. Less of an expensive check to write and perhaps in the future someone could build on the old foundation.
Now that I have seen pictures taken of the views of the City, I think its a shame the building got into such horiffic shape. Even more sad , is that it has remained blighted for a long long time. I dont like the curb appeal it has presently even if it was in good shape.. BUT I now see that it could easily be made attractive.
We dont need anymore surface parking. but a vacant grassy lot on the site wouldnt hurt my feelings.
This blight on such a busy street really is a black eye on Jax. How about we convert it into a courthouse?
Then it would just be a vacant dirt lot
Quote from: Steve on March 14, 2008, 06:21:28 PM
Then it would just be a vacant dirt lot
and they'd have to fence and block off all the streets around it
And using the building would cost $600 million. Plus incidentals.
And by the time it was finished , incidentals and all , It would be around 900million. =(
All that, and it would be done well before 2060.
How sad.
Another one bites the dust. I'd think that an empty foundation would be some sort of code violation, or at least a lawsuit waiting to happen. But who knows?
One would think.. but if you drive around the downtown area , there are foundations of buildings in surface parking places all around. This one would be different because it probably is below street level..
I dont know what the best thing to do with it is.. to really correct the problems with it, it would have to be razed and alot of the soil on the site cleaned out.. which could get really expensive. Perhaps it could be best to leave it and rebuild it , I dont know. but since that doesnt seem to be in the works .. Im thinking its going to see a bulldozer. Too bad , given the location and the possibilities for the building, but its in so horrid shape and is such an eyesore ..
I did see a truck and trailer on the site today passing by it ,, and one of the boarded off areas open. Dont know what that was about unless its another board-up attempt.. which is ultimately futile.
Quote from: JeffreyS on January 08, 2008, 10:22:28 PM
Does anyone know if their are any plans for the Park View Inn on the corner of Main and State?
If I had any ideas, I would knock the entire thing down and build a much bigger hotel (with some retail on the side) ;D!