Christopher Wickersham Interview: Historic Demolitions
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/2592470964_gkTR7xf-600x1000.jpg)
Attorney Christopher Wickersham sat down with Stephen Dare to talk about the issue surrounding the devastating demolitions of historic properties by the City of Jacksonville. Procedures not followed, positions abused, money improperly used. Does the City have a prodigious problem on its hands? Find out more after the jump!
Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2013-nov-christopher-wickersham-interview-historic-demolitions
Great interview... I'm not usually a spelling nazi... but the caption under Chris has mis spelled his name...
Chrstopher Wickersham Jr.
I don't think its enough for it to just stop or for the city to have to pay the money back. The damage is done & you can't get those structures back, the residents can't get their investments back, etc.
People need to go to jail for this, especially you know who. Its criminal.
Preservation SOS is very fortunate to have the elegant and suave Chris Wickersham on our board.
Great job Stephen -- you are so YOU and you are always YOU whatever you do.
Informative and entertaining. Thank you for helping PSOS and preservation in Springfield, a neighborhood you love.
Quote from: stephendare on November 14, 2013, 07:54:48 AM
Thanks sheclown! Chris is absolutely magnificent.
It is so vexing to find out how badly the city has misused the very money that would have stabilized the neighborhoods around downtown and the historic core.
Its not just Springfield.. How much of the historic core of La Villa and downtown was wholesale demolished by the Jack Dynamite era using Federal money set aside specifically for stabilizing and preserving the historic fabric?
Jacksonville has been an entitlement community which has received CDBG money for over 30 years. Do you really think the city spent its own money to run those bulldozers?
My post have been removed. Thank you for not banning me. I'm not the bad guy.
OK, I'll take the mistaken guy.
Super Interview.
I wanted to point out when you talk about HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
And yesterday at the 11/13/13 Jacksonville Waterways Commission meeting item number III on the agenda was
BLUE WAY DESIGNATION. Nobody on Waterways or the entire city council for that matter had a CLUE about this. Backroom deals.
Councilwoman Daniels will you now attach an amendment to 2013-384 for 24/7 Public Access to Hogans Creek? The applicant was supportive after the 6/25/13 full meeting of the Jacksonville city council. Pull the tape. So much more.
Quote from: stephendare on November 14, 2013, 08:24:38 AM
Quote from: sheclown on November 14, 2013, 08:03:58 AM
Quote from: stephendare on November 14, 2013, 07:54:48 AM
Thanks sheclown! Chris is absolutely magnificent.
It is so vexing to find out how badly the city has misused the very money that would have stabilized the neighborhoods around downtown and the historic core.
Its not just Springfield.. How much of the historic core of La Villa and downtown was wholesale demolished by the Jack Dynamite era using Federal money set aside specifically for stabilizing and preserving the historic fabric?
Jacksonville has been an entitlement community which has received CDBG money for over 30 years. Do you really think the city spent its own money to run those bulldozers?
what do you mean, entitlement community?
It means that we are so poor the federal government just automatically gives us money each year. 100s of millions actually
I agree, this interview lays this problem out very clearly. I have a question to those who might know, is there anything that COJ could do to try to correct the harm these demolitions have had on Springfield's development? Maybe incentives for businesses and residents to rehabilitate old structures, or flat out dropping any rolling fines, or maybe even stating a city funded 'mothballing task force.' Anything to help these buildings become more likely to be occupied. Paying back the money and seeing some heads roll will send a message, but shouldn't COJ also try to help make up any lost ground due to their negligence?
Quote from: Metro Jacksonville on November 14, 2013, 03:09:40 AM
Christopher Wickersham Interview: Historic Demolitions
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/2592470964_gkTR7xf-600x1000.jpg)
Attorney Christopher Wickersham sat down with Stephen Dare to talk about the issue surrounding the devastating demolitions of historic properties by the City of Jacksonville. Procedures not followed, positions abused, money improperly used. Does the City have a prodigious problem on its hands? Find out more after the jump!
Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2013-nov-christopher-wickersham-interview-historic-demolitions (http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2013-nov-christopher-wickersham-interview-historic-demolitions)
An interesting point of view on past events, as always. Seperating fact from fiction is the tricky part.
However, when speaking specifically about current efforts to preserve the historic housing stock in SPR, I think you've laid out some of the current challenges & opprotunities with COJ well.
Quote from: HangingMoth on November 14, 2013, 11:32:50 AM
I agree, this interview lays this problem out very clearly. I have a question to those who might know, is there anything that COJ could do to try to correct the harm these demolitions have had on Springddressyfield's development? Maybe incentives for businesses and residents to rehabilitate old structures, or flat out dropping any rolling fines, or maybe even stating a city funded 'mothballing task force.' Anything to help these buildings become more likely to be occupied. Paying back the money and seeing some heads roll will send a message, but shouldn't COJ also try to help make up any lost ground due to their negligence?
There's lots of possibilities out there. Both public, like Councilman Lumb's oft talked about legislation, and private.
It'll take time to see what pans out.
Quote from: Bill Hoff on November 14, 2013, 12:46:29 PM
Quote from: HangingMoth on November 14, 2013, 11:32:50 AM
I agree, this interview lays this problem out very clearly. I have a question to those who might know, is there anything that COJ could do to try to correct the harm these demolitions have had on Springddressyfield's development? Maybe incentives for businesses and residents to rehabilitate old structures, or flat out dropping any rolling fines, or maybe even stating a city funded 'mothballing task force.' Anything to help these buildings become more likely to be occupied. Paying back the money and seeing some heads roll will send a message, but shouldn't COJ also try to help make up any lost ground due to their negligence?
There's lots of possibilities out there. Both public, like Councilman Lumb's oft talked about legislation, and private.
It'll take time to see what pans out.
Hopefully, this will help the city realize what a gem of a neighborhood Springfield is and what a waste it would be not to invest and capitalize on its potential. But I agree only time will tell.
Quote from: stephendare on November 14, 2013, 08:24:38 AM
Quote from: sheclown on November 14, 2013, 08:03:58 AM
Quote from: stephendare on November 14, 2013, 07:54:48 AM
Thanks sheclown! Chris is absolutely magnificent.
It is so vexing to find out how badly the city has misused the very money that would have stabilized the neighborhoods around downtown and the historic core.
Its not just Springfield.. How much of the historic core of La Villa and downtown was wholesale demolished by the Jack Dynamite era using Federal money set aside specifically for stabilizing and preserving the historic fabric?
Jacksonville has been an entitlement community which has received CDBG money for over 30 years. Do you really think the city spent its own money to run those bulldozers?
what do you mean, entitlement community?
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/comm_planning/communitydevelopment/programs/entitlement
QuoteEligible Grantees
Eligible grantees are as follows:
•principal cities of Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs);
•other metropolitan cities with populations of at least 50,000; and
•qualified urban counties with populations of at least 200,000 (excluding the population of entitled cities) are entitled to receive annual grants.
HUD determines the amount of each entitlement grant by a statutory dual formula which uses several objective measures of community needs, including the extent of poverty, population, housing overcrowding, age of housing and population growth lag in relationship to other metropolitan areas.
Eligible Activities
CDBG funds may be used for activities which include, but are not limited to:
•acquisition of real property;
•relocation and demolition;
•rehabilitation of residential and non-residential structures;
•construction of public facilities and improvements, such as water and sewer facilities, streets, neighborhood centers, and the conversion of school buildings for eligible purposes;
•public services, within certain limits;
•activities relating to energy conservation and renewable energy resources; and
•provision of assistance to profit-motivated businesses to carry out economic development and job creation/retention activities.
Ineligible Activities
Generally, the following types of activities are ineligible:
•acquisition, construction, or reconstruction of buildings for the general conduct of government;
•political activities;
•certain income payments; and
•construction of new housing by units of general local government
Very well explained and a tragedy for the neighborhood.
Jax needs better policies, more checks & balances, and more individuals looking to save and rehab historic structures on a smaller scale. This NY Times article explains what's happening in Buffalo to their historic structures and areas:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/07/garden/small-scale-developers-big-dreams.html?_r=0
We don't want to end up on the same path as other cities (Detroit, Baltimore etc) that view wholesale destruction of unique historic assets as a solution to the problem.
The only difference between Jax and the cities mentioned in this article -
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/12/us/blighted-cities-prefer-razing-to-rebuilding.html -
Is that Jax is a GROWING CITY, not a SHRINKING ONE!
We should be attracting young educated professionals to stimulate the local economy and not handling them off to larger, more desirable markets (ie ATL, NYC, Austin, Portland...)
For the record:
I grew up in Jax, graduated from UF in 2001, and quickly moved to the East Williamsburg/Bushwick section of Brooklyn and have been there ever since. I've seen the neighborhood change and blossom into a desirable area from mostly abandoned structures, crime, etc. As much as I'd like to return to Jax (Springfield) I'm just not sure it would offer the culture, policies, diversity etc I've become accustomed to. But I see tremendous possibility in Springfield becoming the next San Marco/Riverside (hopefully before it's too late!)
Oh. I think it's way better than San Marco '
Excellent video. I'm very grateful that more and more attention is being brought to this catastrophe. I only learned about it myself through this forum and was outraged.
As asked kindly by Stephen, I'll voice my view, so to speak. There's no bringing back the Springfield that we should by all means have today, but I hope I'm not alone in feeling a greater draw to Springfield than ever because of this. I hope to God that if there are others who react in this way, whoever it is who's trying to keep that area blighted finds their screw-ups come to bite them in the you-know-where. There WILL be an equal and opposite reaction to these folks' stupid, stupid decisions, and I would be glad to be a part of that. Similar to mbstout above, I left Jax as soon as I could, but after several years away, I'm finding my hometown can pull on me like no other, moreso when I recognize just how much work there is to be done there and how much parts of it need as much TLC as they can get. If everything was going great in Jax, I'd feel more open to other options.
Springfield, as it is, clearly offers different challenges than places like Riverside ever did because of this loss of its historic fabric, but many places throughout the country offer an increasing number of creative approaches to addressing similarly destructed landscapes that resulted from the even greater monster of massive population and job loss. Springfield has an advantage in being in a growing metro area and city, where it doesn't need to look beyond the borders for the pool of people and cash that it needs to implement these ideas, once this pathetic little monster of corruption is buried. This issue is very disheartening, but keep room for hope, because it will be needed to make this problem's eradication a pivotal moment, a time to unleash the hammering, mowing, moving trucks, and grand openings like a fury.
On that note, hurray, I'm no longer of "Newbie" status! 8)
And just to drive home my point from yesterday:
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2013/11/14/jacksonville-job-growth-hurt-by-citys.html?page=all
Paying $100,000 for consulting fees, studies, or branding websites don't make a city 'cool' or attractive. Young people see right thru that. Cities that place value in authentic, unique, historic (walkable) areas without suburban blandness (national chains) is a good place to start. That's where the identidies develop.
Lavilla today is a joke of suburban scale development and empty lots. Ed Austin's River City "Renaissance" (wholesale removal & destruction of historic housing stock) did more harm than good. Brooklyn (NY), Portland, Austin, & currently even New Orleans did not experience "renaissances" by razing thier neighborhoods. They experienced them because they placed value in their history, which gave people a place believe in, start out, invest in, start a business then a family etc.. Leading to their collective identities to form over time. Springfield is hanging on by a thread not to end up like Lavilla.
In a nutshell: CBGB's did not happen thru a CDBG.
It's so good to see a group of people who care for their city and the historic fabric that holds it together. If I had money and resources, and didn't have to struggle for a living as most people do, I would dedicate all my energies to help with this recovery and restoration.
As it is, all I can lend is my support, ideas and some time and attention, and I will continue to do that. This forum is an excellent place to share ideas and I am so happy that I found it.
I grew up here, and spent a lot of time in Springfield and Riverside in the 70s. They were both hippie hangouts at the time. It brings me to tears to see unnecessary destruction of beautiful old homes. I know it's a lot of work to properly restore an old building. In fact, a friend of our family worked on a Springfield house restoration that took a couple of years, but it is a beautiful sight today. I commend her foresight and hard work.
Quote from: mbstout on November 15, 2013, 11:45:41 AM
And just to drive home my point from yesterday:
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2013/11/14/jacksonville-job-growth-hurt-by-citys.html?page=all
Cities that place value in authentic, unique, historic (walkable) areas without suburban blandness (national chains) is a good place to start. That's where the identidies develop.
Atlanta seems to have done ok while constantly tearing down anything more the 30 years ols
Atlanta still has significant intact century old districts left. For example, Downtown Atlanta's Fairlie-Poplar district dates back to the 19th century. It's very similar in scale to what the area of downtown between Bay, Broad, Church and Hogan used to be.
Atlanta's South Downtown has been hit pretty hard but large chucks of it still exist. Plus areas like Cabbagetown, Old Fourth Ward, Castleberry Hill and Virginia-Highland seem to be well desirable places today because of their uniqueness. Even districts like Sweet Auburn and the West End (which we'd consider blight....think what's left of Eastside's Philip Randolph Boulevard) still stand largely intact.
I think the largest difference between a city like Atlanta or Charlotte (they really ripped down a lot) and Jax is that they've largely moved away from haphazardly ripping down older building stock and we haven't. In the meantime, they'd enjoyed a lot of infill in the last 20 years and we haven't. Thus, where we stand today is where these places were in the 1980s, so we're a few decades behind.
Our challenge will be to stop demolishing and making it more feasible for market rate adaptive reuse and infill. Once we get the ball rolling, things will begin to fall in line, just as they have done in cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, Miami, etc.
Here's the thing:
The days of willie-nillie spending without checks and balances is over O V E R over.
NSP and CDBG money is predominantly urban core money. The impact of well-executed funds on our sad and neglected urban neighborhoods could be huge.
No more.
Its time to clean our house, Jacksonville.
Quote from: mbstout on November 15, 2013, 11:45:41 AM
Paying $100,000 for consulting fees, studies, or branding websites don't make a city 'cool' or attractive. Young people see right thru that.
Oh Yeah, like glass..
I was actually mortified at the expense that the Jax2025 meetings had taken on with the all the merch, and the seriously-expensive-to-print report, with equally glossy, full color "updates".
I know those things were meant to"reward and appreciate" the people who showed up. However, I think the real "thank you" for people who show up, is to see that the resources available to these organizations (money and time) are being used in a responsible way. Coffee for morning meetings? I feel appreciated. Big expensive glamorous report? Not so much.
And for the love of Jeebus, we do not need any more "consulting" or "studies". It reeks of pocket lining.
What was Jax2025 but the best "free" city study ever? Is not DIA open commentary "consulting"?