(https://photos.moderncities.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Development/UCU032419/i-vjCb4Gn/0/8064033c/L/20190324_101605-L.jpg)
QuoteHere's a brief look at the status of various developments under construction in and around Downtown Jacksonville in March 2019.
Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/urban-construction-update-march-2019/
Keen Brewing Company has changed their name to Lemonstreet Brewing Company.
Thanks! I'll update it in the story.
The NFLT has an open house at the Brewster Building on April 4th, 12-4pm.
https://mailchi.mp/northfloridalandtrust/the-day-has-finally-arrived
How about an Urban Destruction Update?
Quote from: Papa33 on March 27, 2019, 09:50:57 AM
How about an Urban Destruction Update?
Actually appropriate.
Unfortunately, DCPS just published their proposed list of school buildings to be demolished. Kirby Smith middle is on that list, a protected and contributing structure in the Springfield Historic District. Among other buildings to be demolished, hypothetically.
Kirby? Really? I have one daughter who went there for middle school four years ago and one daughter who will be starting there next year. I cannot believe that there would be serious consideration to demolishing that building.
I'm hoping what is being presented is simply doomsday and inflation of the numbers.
^The school board stuff sounds like a big mess. Do you know where we can get our hands on the exact list showing the schools they prefer to demolish?
The courthouse demolition has opened up a suprisingly nice view of the Curchwell building and the rest of that block from the Southbank. I'm sure we'll have that view for quite some time ;D
Quote from: Bill Hoff on March 27, 2019, 10:13:29 AM
Quote from: Papa33 on March 27, 2019, 09:50:57 AM
How about an Urban Destruction Update?
Actually appropriate.
Unfortunately, DCPS just published their proposed list of school buildings to be demolished. Kirby Smith middle is on that a list, a protected and contributing structure in the Springfield Historic District. Among other buildings to be demolished, hypothetically.
That's pretty outrageous. Would the school be closed or a new building put up?
I believe the information about demos/renovation proposals in each school district can be found in this survey. There are short video segments about each school district with details, then you take the survey. They've been holding public meetings around town sharing their proposals, but without opportunity for public comment. That comes next, I believe.
Here's the link to the survey/videos:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZVK6H7M
Going to go ahead and post the links to each video here:
District 1 (https://youtu.be/1ZuGtWMNwRg)
District 2 (https://youtu.be/lzLIkdE9RzU)
District 3 (https://youtu.be/y8CfPMBHIBw)
District 4 (https://youtu.be/4WiXTO-4kPs)
District 5 (https://youtu.be/fZW0EbUgf6w)
District 6 (https://youtu.be/4TNakReYhUQ)
It looks like the District 7 meeting hasn't happened yet, and the video for it isn't there. There's also supposed to be a PDF somewhere according to the survey, but I don't see any links for it.
Quote from: marcuscnelson on March 27, 2019, 05:44:28 PM
Going to go ahead and post the links to each video here:
District 1 (https://youtu.be/1ZuGtWMNwRg)
District 2 (https://youtu.be/lzLIkdE9RzU)
District 3 (https://youtu.be/y8CfPMBHIBw)
District 4 (https://youtu.be/4WiXTO-4kPs)
District 5 (https://youtu.be/fZW0EbUgf6w)
District 6 (https://youtu.be/4TNakReYhUQ)
It looks like the District 7 meeting hasn't happened yet, and the video for it isn't there. There's also supposed to be a PDF somewhere according to the survey, but I don't see any links for it.
The first video (District 1) includes a general introduction to everything, as well.
But that's A LOT of demolished buildings. Jeepers.
Wow, someone really loves demolition contractors in this town. Here's the list of schools in Districts 1 through 6 that would be demolished. Some historic schools, such as Kirby-Smith and Matthew Gilbert would be demolished and replaced with new structures. It's time to get aggressive in landmarking most of our historic structures. This place is getting pretty ridiculous, that it's so sad, it's almost comical!
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Neighborhoods/Springfield-Historic-District/i-sqjM2mg/1/b0aab20b/L/P1300295-L.jpg)
Kirby-Smith (Springfield)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Neighborhoods/Eastside-September-2018/i-xRXSbHk/0/697dfe9b/L/DSCF5003-L.jpg)
Matthew Gilbert (Eastside)
District 1
Sheffield Elementary
San Mateo Elementary
District 2
Seabreeze Elementary
District 3
Beauclerc Elementary
Englewood Elementary
Holiday Hill Elementary
Kings Trail Elementary
San Jose Elementary
Southside Estates Elementary
Spring Park Elementary
District 4
Garden City Elementary
Pine Estates Elementary
Gilbert Middle School
Kirby-Smith Middle School
Ribault High School
District 5
YMLA/YWLA @ Eugene Butler
Westside High School
William Raines High School
Smart Pope Livingston Elementary School
Pickett Elementary School
Rutledge Pearson Elementary School
District 6
Venetia Elementary School
Whitehouse Elementary School
Baldwin Junior Senior High School
Lake, I think the schools issue deserves its own thread, so as not to divert from the urban construction comments.
^It deserves its own article.
I'm continually irked by the demolishing of some of our classic buildings. I went to Kirby-Smith back in the 50s. It was old then, but very serviceable. Many of these schools were new when I went to Kirby. Many don't have the pazazz of the older structures, but could still be used. None of them are older than the White House. It's still in use. We need to save and upgrade most of these structures.
Also - in the Springfield section of the update, one more to add: Eddis & Son's Handcrafted Cheese Steaks (food truck) is renovating 217 West 8th Street for a brick & mortar now. Permits just pulled.
As a former elementary teacher for DCPS, I'd like to weigh in on the building debate. The buildings are only one part of the issue. The bigger problem is administrative.
First of all, lower income inner city schools are plagued by instability. Families often are forced to move frequently, so children shuffle between schools in a fairly small geographic area. Each time they move they have to relearn a million little things about a new school and new class. This just throws another obstacle in the way of their growth and development. A school can't help that their students tend to migrate, but by consolidating smaller schools they can make it more likely that a child stays in the same school even if their family moves.
A second problem exists with staffing schools. Every year teachers around the district must be rearranged. Schools with too many students and not enough teachers receive surplus teachers from schools who might have experienced a population drop. This is incredibly disruptive because students must be moved around usually in September or October. This essentially means a new start for that teacher who must spend time teaching procedural tasks instead of content. Again consolidation makes sense because it reduces this churn.
There is also the problem of finding suitable leaders for schools. Not all principals are created equal. Consolidation means that you have fewer principals to find, and since the bigger schools tend to have several assistant principals you create a situation where the absolute best administrators can mentor. You also tend to pay assistant principals less, and you can create efficiencies with administrative tasks. You get the benefit of a deeper pool of talent within one school that more easily adapt to circumstances like extended illnesses and so on.
Consolidation has drawbacks like complicating transportation, but after spending a decade in the system I feel that the benefits outweigh the costs.
That's not to say that the schools should outright be demolished for the most part. Re-use like they did with John Gorrie would be much better.
Per article in Daily Record today Whispers Oyster Bar will be opening on Forsyth in the old space occupied by the Bank BBQ and Bakery.
There was some work going on inside the Marble Bank building today and the door was open to the street. Is that just staging for the Barnett or is work starting in earnest there?
So I went to my local District 7 master plan forum and specifically asked the gentlemen giving the presentation about historic buildings listed as demolished (including Loretto elementary). He and his company are aware citizens are up in arms that the term demolished is being used, however they did it for two reasons. First; they make the assumption that a full demolition and rebuild of a school would be the most expensive option compared to re-purposing a structure (with they say only accounts for 10% of overall costs). This was to present a worst case scenario for the funding aspect that the district is trying to secure.
Second, once funding is identified; each school will get an individually tailored construction plan that will involve more local community input on what should be done if identified as a major renovation or demo/rebuild. They fully admit they haven't thought of what each school's plan involves short of what the FCI values says should happen with the school. Also, they have not prioritized any one school over another due to funding not being secured yet.
Interestingly, I asked if all funding needed was secured; were we looking at carbon copy of concrete pod-type buildings everywhere and they said no; they are currently not planning on saving money by value engineering a prototype that fits all schools.
Updates about 1748 Bake House and Springfield United, on Main Street:
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/restaurant-notes-1748-bakehouse-is-in-review-for-build-out-springfield-united-nothing-bundt-cakes-win-approvals
I like 1748 Bake House's stuff at RAM, and they are very friendly people. I hope this works out for them.