Stories Behind the Concrete Slabs of Jax: Part I
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/4062587287_47ZcBSg-L.jpg)
A new Metro Jacksonville series that highlights the lost stories behind downtown Jacksonville's surface parking lots.
Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2015-jun-stories-behind-the-concrete-slabs-of-jax-part-i
I don't know why, but the sight of the floor tiles from the De Soto hotel actually made me sad. It seems such a waste. Is there a reason why these buildings were torn down? Is it simply that they couldn't be sold or find tenants and were torn down to discourage squatting?
On an unrelated note, reading the story reminded me of going to an Army-Navy surplus store when I was in High School in the mid-80s. I think it was downtown - I went there to get something to use as a "man's bag" or "purse" for those more comfortable with their sexuality. Any idea where that was located? I assume it's long gone - I haven't seen it since the 80s, I don't think.
Remember Piddlers. It was a maze.
The Army Navy surplus store was on Main. It is pictured in the entry on the Rhodes high rise in Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage.
Quote from: Wacca Pilatka on June 02, 2015, 07:22:50 AM
The Army Navy surplus store was on Main. It is pictured in the entry on the Rhodes high rise in Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage.
Thanks!
I'll be sure to look that up next time I see my folks - they have that book.
In the meantime, here's an early 1990s color image of the Rhodes Building, the Army-Navy Store and a closed Wendys. This block is now occupied by the main public library.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/3890603354_dFkDzLZ-L.jpg)
Quote from: thelakelander on June 02, 2015, 07:40:45 AM
In the meantime, here's an early 1990s color image of the Rhodes Building, the Army-Navy Store and a closed Wendys. This block is now occupied by the main public library.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/3890603354_dFkDzLZ-L.jpg)
Cool, thanks. So it was near Hemming Plaza, then. It's all becoming clear to me now.
I like the library - so I'm not too upset about losing the Army-Navy store. But the Rhodes building - now that's a shame.
Our little Pompeii... too sad.
Great article!
Great article! I've seen these tiles and slabs countless times and wondered about the buildings that stood there.
So does anyone know who Uncle Dave was?
Been here since 1986 and I've seen a lot of change since then. But it would've been nice too see those buildings still around. It would've given our downtown more character. I'm glad that some of the older buildings are being brought back to life. The wrecking ball mentality needs to be lessened.
And now I'm depressed, thanks MJ! :D
Seriously though, I don't know how but it would be cool if we could turn this in to a positive.
On this scale this might be uniquely Jax (maybe detroit has more?) but maybe those could be turned in to parking spots for food trucks or something, if the surrounding area was more dense.
This will be a good article to share when ever we get questions about the usefulness of demolition and surface parking downtown.
I had no idea McCoys Creek was that far north! Anyone have a map showing the original route?
OMG!! How many of these articles of Jacksonville neglecting/abandoning/tearing down/setting on fire/making fun of these old magnificent structures can I take?! I'm screaming UNCLE!! :'(
On a serious note, I always thought many of those old buildings in La Villa would have made a great space for some traditional ethnic markets to set up in. It could have been quite successful since Jacksonville never really had a traditional immigrant center (with few exceptions) back in those days, the spaces would have been dirt cheap, had good access to I-95 but far enough away from most development that having something like a traditional butcher or fish monger shop wouldn't bother anyone. Might even get some significant residents moving in and be a vibrant community, who knows? Would be harder to do something like that there today with new construction and competing with the more established ethnic grocers now.
Can't wait to see what MetroJax pulls out next from it's bag of SadJAX ::)
Quote from: JaxJersey-licious on June 02, 2015, 01:10:54 PM
OMG!! How many of these articles of Jacksonville neglecting/abandoning/tearing down/setting on fire/making fun of these old magnificent structures can I take?! I'm screaming UNCLE!! :'(
On a serious note, I always thought many of those old buildings in La Villa would have made a great space for some traditional ethnic markets to set up in. It could have been quite successful since Jacksonville never really had a traditional immigrant center (with few exceptions) back in those days, the spaces would have been dirt cheap, had good access to I-95 but far enough away from most development that having something like a traditional butcher or fish monger shop wouldn't bother anyone. Might even get some significant residents moving in and be a vibrant community, who knows? Would be harder to do something like that there today with new construction and competing with the more established ethnic grocers now.
Can't wait to see what MetroJax pulls out next from it's bag of SadJAX ::)
It certainly is depressing reading these stories along side the ones trumpeting new public transportation developments and skyscrapers being built in south Florida and elsewhere. It seems like it has been quite a while since there has been any exciting news about things happening here. Sure, you had the Kahn-riverfront deal, but even that announcement was tempered with a lot of negative feedback about the viability and funding surrounding the project.
Oh, wait...I forgot about the imminent arrival of the BRT. Sunshine and rainbows are headed our way!
On a serious note, looking back through history, what were the main catalysts for some cities to flourish and become epicenters of commerce and culture while others languish? Is it strictly leadership? People with vision willing to take a chance? How much does geography factor into the mix? What has prevented Jacksonville from becoming Miami, or even Tampa or Orlando?
Jacksonville was Tampa, Miami and Orlando before WWII. I'd say, there were some things beyond Jacksonville's control that have resulted in those metropolitan areas significantly outgrowing ours since.
1. Jax is and has always been pretty isolated compared to those other communities. For example, while Jax, Tampa and Miami were similarly sized in the early 1900s, there were other decent sized growing communities within close proximity of the others. These places include cities like Fort Lauderdale, Hialeah, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Lakeland, etc. So while all our cities have grown, so have the slightly smaller ones that were adjacent to Tampa and Miami. Once we really started sprawling, all of those places simply grew into each other, forming the larger metropolitan areas we know today. Up in Jax, the second largest city in our region is St. Augustine.....which is pretty small.
2. In Orlando's case.....Disney! There are examples all across the country, where landing a major business, industry, etc. has transformed a community. Delta and the response to Civil Rights sent Atlanta and Birmingham in two different directions a few decades back. In Orlando's case, landing Disney has transformed that region's economic base.
3. In Miami's case, look no further than the Cuban Revolution of the 1950s. Over 500,000 Cuban exiles came to South Florida in the following 15 year period, forever changing that metropolitan area and pushing it into another tier...population-wise.
One thought I had...if these buildings were still there.....where would the skyway be?
^With Hogan Street, the Skyway was built over public ROW. I suspect something like that could have been done along West Bay. However, by the time the Skyway was being planned, West Bay/LaVilla was considered the dumps. So most public projects focused on revitalization viewed replacing existing structures with new projects as improvement.
Quote from: thelakelander on June 02, 2015, 09:52:45 PM
^With Hogan Street, the Skyway was built over public ROW. I suspect something like that could have been done along West Bay. However, by the time the Skyway was being planned, West Bay/LaVilla was considered the dumps. So most public projects focused on revitalization viewed replacing existing structures with new projects as improvement.
Fair enough Lake. BTW...you listed this as part one...just curious- how many parts are you planning?
And by the way- thank you for all of your hard work on this site.
Quote from: camarocane on June 02, 2015, 11:58:05 AM
I had no idea McCoys Creek was that far north! Anyone have a map showing the original route?
1884 map of Jacksonville:
(http://historicaltextarchive.com/beaches/I_files/image004.jpg)
1888 map of Jacksonville:
(http://historicaltextarchive.com/beaches/I_files/image002.jpg)
Quote from: Houseboat Mike on June 02, 2015, 09:56:49 PM
Fair enough Lake. BTW...you listed this as part one...just curious- how many parts are you planning?
There's slabs all over this city, so this series could get very long. I already have another article with another six on West Bay and Forsyth Streets almost ready to go. I split them off and decided to do a series, when this article started to get way too long. I decided to do this series after riding the skyway and seriously taking note of the building footprints, some of which, have still have pretty interesting tile work.
QuoteAnd by the way- thank you for all of your hard work on this site.
Thanks!
Quote from: camarocane on June 02, 2015, 11:58:05 AM
I had no idea McCoys Creek was that far north! Anyone have a map showing the original route?
McCoy's Creek once had a rather vast salt marsh... The original road's that passed through went along the approximate route of Myrtle Ave
from The Brick Church southward, crossing McCoy's on a long fill and plank wooden bridge.
When the Jacksonville Terminal was built it required nearly 300 pilings driven about 75-100' deep for support. The yards themselves flooded terribly so after the 7-8 tropical storm in a row:
June 16, 1893 – Saint Marks is struck by a tropical storm. Moderate winds and rainfall occurs throughout the northeastern portion of the state, including a total of 1.51 inches in Jacksonville.
August 27, 1893 – The Sea Islands Hurricane parallels the eastern coastline as a major hurricane, producing winds in excess of 75 mph (120 km/h) near the coast. The winds destroy nine cottages in Mayport.
rallels the coastline about 60 miles (95 km) offshore. The storm tide was high enough that at low tide, it was at the position of the normal high tide mark. The tide caused street flooding in Saint Augustine, with heavy damage reported in Mayport.
September 29, 1896 – The fourth storm makes landfall as a major hurricane on Yankeetown with a pressure of 960 mbar. Strong winds downed hundreds of trees and caused severe damage amounting to $1.5 million (1896 USD, $36 million 2006 USD).[63] Multiple deaths were reported in the state.
October 2, 1898 – A Category 4 hurricane hits southern Georgia, causing severe damage in the extreme northeastern portion of the state. A storm surge of 12 feet floods and damages several buildings along the Fernandina waterfront. A conservative estimate for total damage in the state is $500,000 (1898 USD, $13 million 2008 USD).
August 13, 1899 – The San Ciriaco Hurricane parallels the eastern coastline, producing moderate winds and light damage.
October 5, 1899 – A tropical storm hits near Tampa and sinks a schooner off Fernandina Beach.
October 30, 1899 – A hurricane parallels the eastern Florida coastline, with several locations near the coast recording strong winds in association with the storm. No cases of serious damage are reported.
August 29, 1909 – A weak tropical storm crosses the eastern portion of the state, resulting in minor impact.
August 28, 1911 – A hurricane makes landfall on extreme southern South Carolina, with its large circulation producing moderate precipitation in northeastern Florida.
November 1, 1911 – Shortly after becoming an extratropical cyclone, a tropical storm hits near Cedar Key and causes unsettled conditions across the state for several days.
September 17, 1914 – The only tropical storm of the season strikes near the Georgia/Florida border, producing moderate rainfall and above normal tides.
August 1, 1915 – A minimal hurricane hits near Daytona Beach, dropping moderate precipitation and causing some damage.
May 14, 1916 – A minimal tropical storm crosses the state.
September 13, 1916 – A low pressure area moves ashore near Cape Canaveral, with the worst of its effects remaining offshore. Originally, it was classified as a tropical storm
September 30, 1919 – Moving ashore along the Georgia coastline, a tropical storm brushes northeastern Florida.
The tunnels 'beneath the station platforms' were actually built 1' foot above the high tide mark of McCoy's Creek, Tunnels, stairs, ramps and rooms were constructed at grade then the whole future rail yard was filled with 14' feet of dirt and compacted. The tunnels are strong enough to support the weight of the old Seaboard Air Line Railroad's articulated steam locomotives weighing in at nearly 1/2 million pounds each.
ICE ICE ICE... and no I'm not talking about the EU's 'Intercity Express' Trains.
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/RAILROAD%20Images/fgeicerc13114_zpshdk6lev4.jpg)
Along railroad row in any city worth it's salt... Dropping huge blocks of ice through the hatchways into the refrigerator cars.
One of the major industries tucked along the railroad rows in every city of any importance was the ice plant. Before commercial refrigeration was available and long before home refrigeration or AC, giant ice plants were built to turn out 25, 50, 100 pound blocks of ice. A daily ice wagon made home deliveries to every neighborhood and street. Families had 'ice boxes' that looked something like todays refrigeration but without any mechanical systems. The home ice box was well made and insulated very heavily. So yes, you could go get a cold one, head to the sofa and relax after work.
On a larger scale these important industries lasted well into the 1960's as America's produce went to market on either 'ventilated rail cars' (watermelons and citrus are an example of that) while things with short life spans and needing cold to prevent spoilage went into railroad 'refrigerator cars'. Most of these didn't have self contained diesel/mechanical AC units until the 1960's. We are talking about thousands and thousands of rail cars that would flood Florida, Central California, Oregon, Washington and New England to ship out fruit, veggies and berries. The very product you purchase at your local supermarket for salads, 'ICE BERG LETTUCE' took it's name from the interior of the rail cars that moved it originally out of Salinas, California toward Chicago and New York.
The rail cars were similar to box cars but wood lined and heavily insulated all around. The last 5' feet or so of the interior of these cars were taken up by the ice bunkers. The massive blocks of ice were kept off of the product by a heavy wall of wood slats, usually covered in a heavy gauge wire. This the ice was dropped in, until the bunkers were filled, the cold air circulated through the slats and into the product area. Meat was shipped the same way but in dedicated cars that had high inspection requirements.
These rail cars were ordered by the shippers, they would be brought into the 'Fruit Growers Express,' 'Western Fruit Express' or dozens of similar companies yards, cleaned and aired out, then chilled with a light ice down. They were then taken to the sidings for farm loading and then after they were packed full, returned briefly to the ice platforms where they were completely filled and topped off. Depending on the distance traveled and what they carried, these cars might 'drop by' to be iced down again in route to their destinations. FGE had a huge facility in Jax... Still does. Another was down by Dennis Street. Sanford, Wildwood, Baldwin all had huge city block sized ice houses for rail cars.
As a teenager, I used to drive Leon Rosenberg around every Saturday morning to his various properties & estate sales. He was elderly, couldn't drive himself, and his son, Mark, was a friend of my family. He certainly was a collector of "things", and loved to stop at Walgreens (on King Street) to buy dozens of bars of Yardley Soap, with coupons, his favorite soap. The surplus store was quite impressive - all kinds of odds & ends in there. More impressive, however, was his collection of aged liquors in the various closets and garages of the properties he owned all around town. He was so old that I could get away with sneaking a bottle here & there...as a teen that was a big deal. Wish the Surplus Store still stood.
You'll know my age because it took me several times reading and re-rereading the directions on how to post anything. My heart breaks when I go downtown.I am truly living in a time that is cheap,quick,vicious,and driven by greed,rigidity,and jealousy.It's a far cry from the idyllic landscapes of yesterday's downtown, to the now decaying destruction driven by the aforementioned breed.My friend Lucy and I used to spend the week ends downtown.Safety was never an issue in Hemming Park. It was the mecca of downtown. Cohens,Ivy's,Pucells,Furchgott's,La Rose Shoes,Morrison's Cafeteria, and even stores that managed to survive and are still there, were the owners of the venue.The biggest changes were fueled by hatred.The undercurrent, although constant,would manage to control itself just enough so we all got along.You shut-up a lot.There was no question that civility was the first rule of conduct in public.This town became broken because each one of us was the problem.I have seen no improvement or forward imaginative movement towards the re-invention of Jacksonville.At one time we had visionary leaders;those that worked behind the scenes to keep the ideas coming, and the most important part of this mechanism was justice,fairness, and loyalty.The basis was contact in person, a seven day work week, and sixteen hour days.Until your children were grown you had to provide for them with no help.It was expected and a privilege to be a successful parent, and citizen.
(https://flic.kr/p/sd75Uw)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8777/17202261094_19bed058de_q.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/sd75Uw)Type Nine Side view-4-1 copy (https://flic.kr/p/sd75Uw) by AviationMetalSmith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/11629987@N02/), on Flickr
Student Project, Jacksonville Prototype
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5484/9069377641_4bb4b66afc_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/ePqW12)DSCF0623 (https://flic.kr/p/ePqW12) by AviationMetalSmith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/11629987@N02/), on Flickr
Motivate (formerly Alta Bike Share)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/556/18340268018_5e4cebfdc9_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/tWEEHy)Bewegen (https://flic.kr/p/tWEEHy) by AviationMetalSmith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/11629987@N02/), on Flickr
What Jacksonville needs is a Bicycle Rental, or Bike Share system.
Bike Share Bikes have several things in common , even ones from different cities:
1) The Bike is easy to step over, to mount or dismount, also known as a Ladies Bike. If the bike fall over, it does NOT drag the rider with it.
2) The Frame Rail is heavier than any bicycle available to consumers. This is on account that the top tube (part of a mens bike) has been removed, and the other tube (Metal Pipe) has to carry the entire weight. It may look similar to a Moped.
3) The Cargo Carrier on the front also serves as a protective shield.
4) Good Brakes
5) LED Lighting
• You can NOT afford a bike like this for your personal use, these bikes cost around $1,200 Twelve Hundred Dollars, But you Can Afford the $25 Twenty-five dollars to rent one for the day. The price is high because that's what it costs to make a Bicycle "Road Worthy".
• It is actually Insurance Regulations that control these sorts of things nowadays , the Legislature rarely passes any Civil Laws regarding bicycles.
• Citibike (New York Bike Share) has passed the 30 million mile mark, without any deaths, proving the naysayers wrong.
Quote from: AviationMetalSmith on June 06, 2015, 12:45:37 PM
(https://flic.kr/p/sd75Uw)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8777/17202261094_19bed058de_q.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/sd75Uw)Type Nine Side view-4-1 copy (https://flic.kr/p/sd75Uw) by AviationMetalSmith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/11629987@N02/), on Flickr
Student Project, Jacksonville Prototype
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5484/9069377641_4bb4b66afc_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/ePqW12)DSCF0623 (https://flic.kr/p/ePqW12) by AviationMetalSmith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/11629987@N02/), on Flickr
Motivate (formerly Alta Bike Share)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/556/18340268018_5e4cebfdc9_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/tWEEHy)Bewegen (https://flic.kr/p/tWEEHy) by AviationMetalSmith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/11629987@N02/), on Flickr
What Jacksonville needs is a Bicycle Rental, or Bike Share system.
Bike Share Bikes have several things in common , even ones from different cities:
1) The Bike is easy to step over, to mount or dismount, also known as a Ladies Bike. If the bike fall over, it does NOT drag the rider with it.
2) The Frame Rail is heavier than any bicycle available to consumers. This is on account that the top tube (part of a mens bike) has been removed, and the other tube (Metal Pipe) has to carry the entire weight. It may look similar to a Moped.
3) The Cargo Carrier on the front also serves as a protective shield.
4) Good Brakes
5) LED Lighting
• You can NOT afford a bike like this for your personal use, these bikes cost around $1,200 Twelve Hundred Dollars, But you Can Afford the $25 Twenty-five dollars to rent one for the day. The price is high because that's what it costs to make a Bicycle "Road Worthy".
• It is actually Insurance Regulations that control these sorts of things nowadays , the Legislature rarely passes any Civil Laws regarding bicycles.
• Citibike (New York Bike Share) has passed the 30 million mile mark, without any deaths, proving the naysayers wrong.
I would worry about possible injuries or fatalities with a bikeshare in Jax without proper cycling infrastructure. You need bike lanes - lots of them - for this sort of thing. And traffic needs to be calmed.
The types of people who use these bikes are casual cyclists and tourists - not usually commuters or experienced cyclists (who tend to have their own bikes). Those sorts of people shouldn't be sharing the road with drivers, if at all possible.
The Police in New York City tamed traffic in NYC, the Police in Jacksonville can tame traffic in Jax...
Quote from: AviationMetalSmith on June 07, 2015, 08:45:13 AM
The Police in New York City tamed traffic in NYC, the Police in Jacksonville can tame traffic in Jax...
Traffic calming, not taming. That is primarily achieved through physical changes to the roads (whether by closing off some streets or by placing barriers to slow traffic). You can't just do it by enforcement.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_calming (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_calming)
Part of the reason traffic moves slowly in NYC (and other large cities) is due to the volume of traffic. It's just not possible to speed through a densely populated city with relatively narrow streets).
Quote from: Adam White on June 02, 2015, 07:57:55 AM
Quote from: thelakelander on June 02, 2015, 07:40:45 AM
In the meantime, here's an early 1990s color image of the Rhodes Building, the Army-Navy Store and a closed Wendys. This block is now occupied by the main public library.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/3890603354_dFkDzLZ-L.jpg)
Cool, thanks. So it was near Hemming Plaza, then. It's all becoming clear to me now.
I like the library - so I'm not too upset about losing the Army-Navy store. But the Rhodes building - now that's a shame.
I always found it to be one of the more interesting buildings, as well.
Does anyone know why they did not build the new library on any of the already available empty lots in dt ?
Oh, how I wish Matt Carlucci could have been mayor. Agreed that several fine buildings were needlessly lost to this plan, though I did remember the logic Krutko provided for where the library was placed.
Quote from: Adam White on June 06, 2015, 01:14:39 PM
I would worry about possible injuries or fatalities with a bikeshare in Jax without proper cycling infrastructure. You need bike lanes - lots of them - for this sort of thing. And traffic needs to be calmed.
The types of people who use these bikes are casual cyclists and tourists - not usually commuters or experienced cyclists (who tend to have their own bikes). Those sorts of people shouldn't be sharing the road with drivers, if at all possible.
Agree and disagree.
The more bikes on the street on a regular, the more accustomed cars get to sharing the road.
Yes, there can and probably will be more incidents as cycling traffic increases. Yes, it will subside as drivers are learn that bikes aren't going away. I've seen more cops on bikes lately here in town and I'm not sure of the reason, but if and when Bikeshare rolls out en masse, I'd love to see the JSO adopt a program similar to this:
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2015/jun/07/3-feet-or-else/308339/
(http://media-cdn.timesfreepress.com/img/photos/2015/06/06/20150603threefootlaw0013962335442_t1070_hc37b4a9f765cbf46dad963db2743913e259d36ce.jpg)
Orlando has bikeshare now. They probably have less bike infrastructure in their core than we do. How it performs should validate this theory or put it to rest.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/Orlando-North-Quarter-District/i-c3TJQW4/0/L/DSCF6491-L.jpg)
Quote from: Non-RedNeck Westsider on June 16, 2015, 07:33:01 PM
Quote from: Adam White on June 06, 2015, 01:14:39 PM
I would worry about possible injuries or fatalities with a bikeshare in Jax without proper cycling infrastructure. You need bike lanes - lots of them - for this sort of thing. And traffic needs to be calmed.
The types of people who use these bikes are casual cyclists and tourists - not usually commuters or experienced cyclists (who tend to have their own bikes). Those sorts of people shouldn't be sharing the road with drivers, if at all possible.
Agree and disagree.
The more bikes on the street on a regular, the more accustomed cars get to sharing the road.
Yes, there can and probably will be more incidents as cycling traffic increases. Yes, it will subside as drivers are learn that bikes aren't going away. I've seen more cops on bikes lately here in town and I'm not sure of the reason, but if and when Bikeshare rolls out en masse, I'd love to see the JSO adopt a program similar to this:
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2015/jun/07/3-feet-or-else/308339/
(http://media-cdn.timesfreepress.com/img/photos/2015/06/06/20150603threefootlaw0013962335442_t1070_hc37b4a9f765cbf46dad963db2743913e259d36ce.jpg)
I actuall agree with you. I think more bikes on the road will make a difference over time - that's one of the reasons why I get so irritated with people cycling on the sidewalk (it's illegal where I live). Yes, roads can be dangerous, but if we don't cycle on the roads, no one will bother building proper bike lanes, etc.
But it could possibly get a bit messy while drivers get used to more and more bikes on the road. I still think it's necessary for the city to put in more cycling infrastructure for the safety of all cyclists - but definitely before launching a bikeshare scheme.
Edit: that's a really cool story, NRW. I might share that on Facebook. I'd like to see our local cops use that.
Quote from: thelakelander on June 16, 2015, 07:39:18 PM
Orlando has bikeshare now. They probably have less bike infrastructure in their core than we do. How it performs should validate this theory or put it to rest.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Learning-From/Orlando-North-Quarter-District/i-c3TJQW4/0/L/DSCF6491-L.jpg)
Perhaps. I also wonder how much usage it will get - that's probably the thing that I'm most curious about.
Quote from: stephendare on June 16, 2015, 05:08:33 PM
Quote from: Gunnar on June 16, 2015, 04:48:26 PM
Quote from: Adam White on June 02, 2015, 07:57:55 AM
Quote from: thelakelander on June 02, 2015, 07:40:45 AM
In the meantime, here's an early 1990s color image of the Rhodes Building, the Army-Navy Store and a closed Wendys. This block is now occupied by the main public library.
Cool, thanks. So it was near Hemming Plaza, then. It's all becoming clear to me now.
I like the library - so I'm not too upset about losing the Army-Navy store. But the Rhodes building - now that's a shame.
I always found it to be one of the more interesting buildings, as well.
Does anyone know why they did not build the new library on any of the already available empty lots in dt ?
I asked the same question back when Krutko decided to place it there. (many of us lived in lofts on the two blocks that were demolished for the Library). He said that looking at the exteriors of the buildings was too much visual blight and that the Library would have the biggest impact by helping create a government center on Hemming Park.
Matt Carlucci asked for a design that worked around the Rhodes Building (there were several others on that block that were equally great) but in the end we chunked that idea for a replica of the tennessee public library. The city took architectural details of the destroyed buildings and basically superglued them as 'historic elements' onto the side of the building that faces Duval.
Thanks for the info. I still don't get it though - aren't there two blocks of parking lots right across the street ? Building the library there may even have helped to revitalize the area and get some kind of re-development going.