(https://photos.smugmug.com/Neighborhoods/Riverview/i-DwCwDSX/1/f6f45f31/XL/P1610949-XL.jpg)
Unlike Kirby-Smith and Loretto, two schools in organized neighborhoods with political influence, Henry Kite Elementary School in Riverview is currently one of a few historic inner city schools still on the DCPS demolition list.QuoteMany preservation-minded Jacksonville residents worry the city's historically significant buildings are under siege, either from abandonment or being torn down for parking lots — or just plain empty lots.
So there is some concern —and a measure of relief — among preservation advocates looking at the Duval school board's master plan to spend $1.9 billion to address the county's aging schools, which requires some painful decisions.
Some schools with architectural significance will see millions of dollars of upgrades. But the plan also calls for some older schools to be torn down and consolidated, and others to be torn down and rebuilt in place.
QuoteEnnis Davis, an urban planner, preservationist and historian, argues that demolishing the city's dwindling number of historic buildings, schools included, should be a "last-case scenario." Instead, renovation, mixing the old with new, should be seriously considered for all of the district's historic schools — especially in areas that don't have much political clout.
The city's historic minority and inner-city areas have, for several decades, been more susceptible to losing older buildings, he said. Older schools such as Henry F. Kite and Annie R. Morgan, both scheduled for demolition, are just as important to residents in those neighborhoods as schools are to residents in more prosperous areas, Davis said.
If buildings can't be saved, though, adaptive reuse of the old buildings should be priority, he said — as seen in successful projects elsewhere that made lofts or apartments out of closed schools such as John Gorrie in Riverside, Corrine Scott in Springfield and South Jacksonville Grammar School in San Marco.
Pierce, the school district spokesman, noted that other old schools sold to private individuals or groups have remained unused, such as the crumbling Annie Lytle school near the intersection of Interstates 95 and 10.
"Once sold, the district has no control over what the buyer does with the building," he said. "We feel a strong obligation to prevent the blight in our city that is caused when older schools sit idle in neighborhoods."
Definitely a difference of opinion here. I'd argue that a building in private hands and out of the school board's control is better than the school board straight up spending additional tax money to destroy a structurally sound building, leaving a blighted, overgrown vacant lot in its place. Annie Lytle is certainly a special case since it has an expressway going over it.
Full article: https://www.jacksonville.com/news/20190624/good-news-bad-news-for-jacksonvilles-historic-schools
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Annie Morgan Elementary School (Public School No. 21) was completed in 1916. It was one of 12 schools funded by a $1 million bond issue approved by Duval County voters in 1915. Others included Annie Lytle, Central Riverside, Fishweir, Murray Hill (Ruth Upson), Brentwood, and South Jacksonville Grammar Schools. It also remains on the DCPS demo list.
QuoteDefinitely a difference of opinion here. I'd argue that a building in private hands and out of the school board's control is better than the school board straight up spending additional tax money to destroy a structurally sound building, leaving a blighted, overgrown vacant lot in its place. Annie Lytle is certainly a special case since it has an expressway going over it.
The same School Board sitting on valuable riverfront property, that refuses to entertain any ideas to come off said property, is probably not the best organization to offer real estate advice.
My .02
The John Gorrie and San Marco Lofts (South Jacksonville Grammar School?) are such successful examples of reuse why can't we do more of that!
While I understand you can't save every building, I don't see why in the world someone would view spending additional tax money to demolition an architecturally unique brick structure like Henry Kite as a first priority as opposed to at least evaluating the potential of adaptive reuse beforehand. Unlike Annie Lytle, it's not under an expressway ramp and it has pretty good visibility on a bluff above Lem Turner Road. Unless its structurally falling in on itself (which it isn't) evaluating reuse should be a no brainer.
"Once sold, the district has no control over what the buyer does with the building," he said. "We feel a strong obligation to prevent the blight in our city that is caused when older schools sit idle in neighborhoods."
That does not appear to be a true statement. John Gorrie and the San Marco Lofts are evidence....
Sounds like a person with little background in real estate that believes vacant overgrown lots are better than vacant buildings (worse case scenario in private hands), who is also not willing to give the private sector a chance to create the next 1951 Market, San Marco Lofts, Duval Stevens Apartments, etc.
Quote from: MusicMan on June 24, 2019, 04:20:18 PM
"Once sold, the district has no control over what the buyer does with the building," he said. "We feel a strong obligation to prevent the blight in our city that is caused when older schools sit idle in neighborhoods."
Couldn't they put a reverter clause in the contract that requires certain performance metrics to be met by certain timelines, and if not the building goes back to the School Board? There have to be some creative ways to craft a contract to ensure the buildings are properly rehabbed.
Quote from: thelakelander on June 24, 2019, 04:43:51 PM
Sounds like a person with little background in real estate that believes vacant overgrown lots are better than vacant buildings (worse case scenario in private hands), who is also not willing to give the private sector a chance to create the next 1951 Market, San Marco Lofts, Duval Stevens Apartments, etc.
Sounds like a lot of people in Jacksonville leadership, honestly.
Quote from: thelakelander on June 24, 2019, 03:36:45 PM
Definitely a difference of opinion here. I'd argue that a building in private hands and out of the school board's control is better than the school board straight up spending additional tax money to destroy a structurally sound building, leaving a blighted, overgrown vacant lot in its place.
Jacksonville: Come Visit Before They Tear It All Down
Let's quit with the Bold New City and the Harlem of the South stuff. If they promote the city as Land of the Vacant Lots, visitors will at least know what to expect.
The Kite building looks like it doesn't need renovation. Those windows don't look like the originals ones, so I assume it has been renovated at some point since the original construction.
Meanwhile...
https://oklahoman.com/article/5634901/hotel-housing-retail-and-dining-are-among-proposals-for-former-okc-schools-headquarters
Quote from: Kerry on June 27, 2019, 11:35:47 AM
Meanwhile...
https://oklahoman.com/article/5634901/hotel-housing-retail-and-dining-are-among-proposals-for-former-okc-schools-headquarters
Well, that is not a fair comparison. Oklahoma city has an unfair advantage over us. It has a population of 580,000 and the state a long running Broadway musical of the same name. All we have in Jacksonville is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW_yKlP_8Z0
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW_yKlP_8Z0)
Quote from: Kiva on June 27, 2019, 08:56:41 PM
Quote from: Kerry on June 27, 2019, 11:35:47 AM
Meanwhile...
https://oklahoman.com/article/5634901/hotel-housing-retail-and-dining-are-among-proposals-for-former-okc-schools-headquarters
Well, that is not a fair comparison. Oklahoma city has an unfair advantage over us. It has a population of 580,000 and the state a long running Broadway musical of the same name. All we have in Jacksonville is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW_yKlP_8Z0
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW_yKlP_8Z0)
ROFLMAO but man was that painful to watch. Sadly, they have to redo their entire video because their setting won't exist soon.
Maybe next time they can try something like this:
https://youtu.be/ZPjjZCO67WI
::) OMG :o... they even put their names on it... Jim Love... Executive producer. Can you delete youtube videos?? :-[
The comments are hilarious...
The video is top notch, but would have been even better if the chorale group had done some jacquering while they sang.
Quote from: BridgeTroll on June 28, 2019, 10:52:49 AM
::) OMG :o... they even put their names on it... Jim Love... Executive producer. Can you delete youtube videos?? :-[
The comments are hilarious...
Best one:
QuoteBelieve it or not this song is better than living in Jacksonville