Not many details yet, here's a tweet and pic from action news
@BrentAS360's Tweet: https://twitter.com/BrentAS360/status/538569357849542656?s=09BrentAS360: Huge fire downtown on Forsyth and North Jefferson. Right in middle of pic is all the smoke.
Another good pic: @MikeMcCall's Tweet: https://twitter.com/MikeMcCall/status/538565833354936321?s=09
He's saying Bay and Jefferson
Damn, looks huge:
@WJXTAdrienne's Tweet: https://twitter.com/WJXTAdrienne/status/538570783199473664?s=09
Times Union picked up on the story: http://m.jacksonville.com/news/crime/2014-11-29/story/fire-breaks-out-late-friday-night-building-downtown-jacksonville#gsc.tab=0
Forsyth Street is closed, and the building will have to be demoed ASAP.
http://www.news4jax.com/news/downtown-fire-under-investigation/29978546
Now here comes the MJ-esque "Great another downtown lot" or "That building could have easily been saved" or posting a pic of some building in Kansas City somewhere that was saved by fire for comparisons sake. 3...2..1... now.
That was the Davis Furniture building.
Article and photo here: http://www.news4jax.com/news/downtown-fire-under-investigation/29978546
Ironically, when I looked at the building frontage on Google Maps street view this morning, Google's drive-by shots reflect an April 2014 date, and show the building with last year's downtown development promo posters plastered to the left of the front door: "Downtown is on Fire". Not quite the image that campaign was going for. :(
Quote from: I-10east on November 29, 2014, 07:12:43 AM
Now here comes the MJ-esque "Great another downtown lot" or "That building could have easily been saved" or posting a pic of some building in Kansas City somewhere that was saved by fire for comparisons sake. 3...2..1... now.
It does suck. One by one, LaVilla's history goes up in smoke. That block is (was) one of the last of LaVilla's storied Railroad Row to still be somewhat intact. It really is sad to see. I suspect this was arson? Here's a couple of pictures for you too!
The Davis Furniture Building in 1929 (three story building in center of image):
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/History/City-Plan-of-Jacksonville-1929/i-z5HVZ6T/0/O/1928-Forsyth%20Street%20-%20Davis%20Furniture%20.jpg)
The building a few years ago:
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Neighborhoods/Historic-LaVilla-December-2012/i-WPVPS8L/0/M/P1600808-M.jpg)
If I recall, there was a plan to revamp this structure earlier this year. However, it died due to restoration costs.....which I believe did not include incentives.
Terrible. I think this was the building Steve Williams wanted to turn into an art studio. Now, nothing.
^Yes, that was it. Here's a 2009 MJ post about this building:
QuoteThese 100-year-old buildings are a few that, up to this point, have survived the LaVilla demolition craze. Once a part of a massive warehouse district that spring up around the railroad terminals, these warehouses have housed everything from furniture companies to nightclubs, including the Paradome, Milkdome, 618, DV8 and Club Kartouche.
Today, what was once one of Jacksonville's most interesting urban scenes is now a wasteland of isolated warehouses surrounded by vacant and surface parking lots. With the new county courthouse finally underway, be on the look out for additional demolitions to happen in the area in anticipation of future development taking their place.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/454086017_Q7qTZ-M-1.jpg)
It now joins its lost neighbor "Uncle Dave".
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/454104588_nggFQ-M-1.jpg)
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-sep-downtowns-most-endangered-historic-buildings#.VHnQP4vF_Cs
A shame.
Was there insurance?
At a recent DIA meeting and the discussion of a benefit as the result of an action.
105 year old historic building destroyed by Christmas fireworks display.
First call to fire department at 11:30 pm and the building less than 3,000 sq. ft away?
Hopefully the replacement infrastructure serves as an example to the historical society as to what downtown could look like if downtown's future isn't held hostage by "historical", vacant buildings.
Ah yes, like all the infrastructure that has been built on all those formerly vacant lots downtown. It's hard to see any flat ground downtown - except for the streets - with all those buildings.
And where do you get the "news" that it was started by a "Christmas fireworks display"? Just checked all three local TV news sites, and none of them have anything on cause.
Good question, Charles. Especially directed to someone who thinks historic buildings hold development "hostage".
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/520607018_E7HyE-M.jpg)
historic buildings holding development in downtown Jax hostage? Hmm, that's a new one to me... ;D ;D ;D
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/520611056_ZizaQ-M.jpg)
How many vacant buildings, like this one, have "historic" designation downtown?
There isn't another NFL city with a downtown as depressed as Jacksonville's - primarily due to furniture warehouses and the like being considered "historic" instead of promoting development without historic committee oversight.
It takes courage to put an old dog to sleep and downtown desperately needs a strong leader with vision beyond a daily or week long event(s).
DT Jax does not have any special designation protecting old furniture warehouses and buildings. That would be places with revitalized downtowns like Savannah, St. Augustine, Charleston and Fernandina Beach.
Aw Shucks,that property could have been saved!..... ;)
Interesting that the FTU noted property ownership; Jacksonville Historic Properties,Inc.
Neptune Beach, FL Marry C. Sorrell et al
How interesting it would be to have discourse with the owners on a forum like this.
I noticed that the upstairs windows have been open for months (even in the attached photos) last week and thought it was going to be a problem if homeless got in and started a get warm fire.
Not sounding the conspiracy alarm here, but I think the city foreclosing on the Bostwick Building is going to make a lot of owners of old structures reconsider their situation.
Collecting fire insurance and selling the lot is going to make more dough for a property squatter. Rather this than face either a city court or a historical commission trying to save it.
Just my 2 cents.
"Save" what exactly? Saving from change? Saving from eventual destruction anyways? Saving from free market?
Outside of Axe Handle Saturday, Jacksonville's history is essentially military,fires and failures:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Jacksonville,_Florida (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Jacksonville,_Florida)
Should they even be allowed to rename Hemming Plaza to Hemming Park considering it's actual historical relevance?
The save downtown echo chamber does more harm than good.
Quote from: whyisjohngalt on November 30, 2014, 11:32:10 AM
Should they even be allowed to rename Hemming Plaza to Hemming Park considering it's actual historical relevance?
Hemming Park is the historical name. It was renamed Plaza when the park was paved over in the mid-1980s.
Moderators that address questions with virulent hyperbole as a welcome.
Is this why MetroJacksonville has become a virtual "good ol' boy" network? Was this forum/board started to bully newcomers or to facilitate discussion and host viewpoints that are different than the moderator? I was under the impression that this wasn't Fox News.
Whatever. Just seems foolish to discredit the fireworks display as the cause of this fire of this building of questionable "historical value".
Umm.... ok? ???
We do facilitate discussion but our version of facilitation is open to debate from multiple viewpoints. Although in this exact situation, I'm not sure what's being debated. Happy holidays buddy!
I am sad to see another century-old building lost by fire. :(
Quote from: Know Growth on November 29, 2014, 10:52:56 PM
Interesting that the FTU noted property ownership; Jacksonville Historic Properties,Inc.
Neptune Beach, FL Marry C. Sorrell et al
How interesting it would be to have discourse with the owners on a forum like this.
The TU mention of Jacksonville Historic Properties Inc. is positive. Appears they have a lot of property.
Drove by and the building hasn't been bulldozed. So who thinks it was arson? The evidence is still there. The building was for sale. Anyone know what they were asking?
I don't know about the cause. In any case we have another beautiful (sarcasm) vacant lot. Probably will have a few more this year.