1626 Ionia.
The owner is willing to sell for what he has in it, somewhere under $40k.
This home is on the endangered list for demolition.
Become a part of the revitalization of Historic Springfield!
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs423.snc4/46594_104860589575160_100001536586774_39585_433971_n.jpg)
(http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs153.ash2/40973_104852959575923_100001536586774_39543_2162320_n.jpg)
Here is a whole thread about this house:
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,9227.0.html
It is truly one of the more majestic homes in the neighborhood. A full three story with a carriage house.
Around $40k is gonna be a hard sell right now, esp for something that is up for demo. You can get finished homes for not much more than that through foreclosures & short sales.
IMO asking regular individuals to swoop in & take these over is going about this wrong & will ultimately lose the battle. Yeah, that might have worked before all hell broke lose in the economy & housing market, but it's a different ballgame now.
I think to keep hammering on the city officials & getting them to make special considerations to these historic homes is probably the only way you're gonna get through this. Just my opinion.
peestandingup........I think your on to something! City needs to change the way Historic homes are looked at! If I had that kind of money, would be on it in a heart beat...........but it is not to be! Sounds like a job for SOS sheclown! I don't think you can save them all but you guys can atleast give it a shot............get rid of Gaffeny and start over with someone who understands the issue!
Quote from: peestandingup on September 02, 2010, 01:57:17 PM
Around $40k is gonna be a hard sell right now, esp for something that is up for demo. You can get finished homes for not much more than that through foreclosures & short sales.
IMO asking regular individuals to swoop in & take these over is going about this wrong & will ultimately lose the battle. Yeah, that might have worked before all hell broke lose in the economy & housing market, but it's a different ballgame now.
I think to keep hammering on the city officials & getting them to make special considerations to these historic homes is probably the only way you're gonna get through this. Just my opinion.
Yeah - I could probably swing buying the place, though I'd have to talk the wife into it, but then we'd have to worry about the cost of renovating the structure. We'd have to drag that process out for awhile to be able to afford it, piece by piece, and meantime we'd have the city breathing down our necks with the threat of demolition. I would only want to take on a project like that as a labor of love - not a labor borne of urgency and desperation.
The city needs to ease up and worry about some of the other numerous issues Jacksonville is dealing with. There must be something else for code enforcement officials to do.
Quote from: Bativac on September 02, 2010, 04:21:35 PMYeah - I could probably swing buying the place, though I'd have to talk the wife into it, but then we'd have to worry about the cost of renovating the structure. We'd have to drag that process out for awhile to be able to afford it, piece by piece, and meantime we'd have the city breathing down our necks with the threat of demolition. I would only want to take on a project like that as a labor of love - not a labor borne of urgency and desperation.
The city needs to ease up and worry about some of the other numerous issues Jacksonville is dealing with. There must be something else for code enforcement officials to do.
Yep, and thats a lot for a person to put on their plate right now. And it will be for some time to come I'm afraid. I'm certainly not an expert on this, but I do know that you need the city to be fighting for you, not against you (as they are now) or else you'll never win this with things the way they are currently.
It's just unfortunate that Springfield has arrived at this moment in time in this shape surrounding these circumstances. You'd think the city would be more understanding & just leave it alone for now, seeing that they've basically left it alone for decades now. But thats Jax for you, who isnt exactly known for taking care of their core. But then again, the people in general didn't help much either with "white flight" & such.
Like I said, unfortunate that it's at this sort of crossroad with the city, economy, etc. My advice would be to forget the private sector for now (they're tapped out). Only way you can win this is to get the city on your side & to come up with good solutions (and yes, compromises) to get that done.
I disagree. I would have to see the house first to see what must be done, but houses in need of renovation are still selling for $50K if they are grand enough, and this one is.
Quote from: Debbie Thompson on September 03, 2010, 12:41:16 PM
I disagree. I would have to see the house first to see what must be done, but houses in need of renovation are still selling for $50K if they are grand enough, and this one is.
I don't doubt some are indeed selling (probably the best of the best). But I bet not at the rate you need them to to avoid demolition.
That's great for the handful that are changing owners, but what about the rest? Good luck to them?? No, I'd say you guys need some deals worked out with the city before a good chunk of these homes go bye bye. Not every demo home is this nice & we all know it.
Quote from: peestandingup on September 04, 2010, 09:08:58 PM
No, I'd say you guys need some deals worked out with the city before a good chunk of these homes go bye bye.
Yup. Definitely agreed. There won't be enough willing and financially able buyers to scoop up available rehab homes. Not in today's economy. Justifies the reason to mothball and monitor these homes.
The house will be Preservation SOS's first all-out artistic "mothballing" adventure. We have the owner's permission and, hopefully, we'll be starting on it in about a week.
Cool. Will see if I can get some plywood over there. Also would like to know who is doing the Artistry work
So far we have three artists signed up for the mothball projects: Lost Art.
We have plenty of condemned houses/blank canvases should anyone else want to get involved.
I would think that , god forbid, demolition , would come at quite a hefty price tag. If that money has to be spent anyway, why not spend it taking measures to preserve the home rather than destroying it.
Case in point: My Grandparents home in Ortega. 25k at the time to demo it, not counting permits and all the other BS. To see it spared, I located a Contractor who also happened to be involved in real estate. He got the property for basicly the land value, but pledged to do everything in his power to spare the home. They did an amazing job on it and Metrojacksonville had it listed in a pictorial of showcase of homes in Ortega. My Grandmother would be elated to see it today because she wanted so badly to restore it,but did not have the means. I did what I could to repair it,but it had extensive termite and water damage and some of the foundation and walls were buckling at the time she passed away. By comparison , 1626 is in in perfect shape. If an inspector had ever seen my Grandparents house, there would, no question have been a fast-track demolition,even though the home was the first in the area. If the city has to take action , it should be by doing something to improve, not destroy it.
Quote from: sheclown on September 11, 2010, 07:08:24 AM
We have plenty of condemned houses/blank canvases should anyone else want to get involved.
would that weren't the case.
but since it is, i'm glad we can at least pretty things up.
Exactly what Preservation SOS is aiming for; channeling "demolition" resources differently. Makes much more sense in these tough economic and employment times to board, secure, and monitor rather than run a bulldozer through our historic homes. The formal track for demolition policy needs to be laid to rest.
Agree. For ALL historic landmarks including historic homes.
I reviewed the case file on this house again. I'm ticked to no end.
I would be happy to email you the 11 page file if anyone wants to view it.
The first line on the report says:
04/09/2010 C Follow Up Call on Apr 9 2010 10:35AM: 1626 Ionia Street, this house is
abandoned and open. Vagrants are coming in and staying there. It is an
unsafe structure and fire hazard, it needs to be demolished.
Posted Condemned placards and changed case track. M.O`Loughlin.
It's all a crock of BS. The home was lived in in March 2009 when this case file was opened. Read the report for yourself and determine what the difference is between a "formal track for demolition" and a (non-existent) fast track for demolition.
Ugh.
I'm somewhat confused as to the dates? 04/09/10 was the initial call..........who called? Followup on 04/09/10 at 10:35 and who is M.O. Laughlin? Back when I worked on aircraft for a living, there used to be an inspection procedure called "Pencil Whippin"! This was done by a select few...........but I never did! Too much at stake, plus I took pride in what I did! It would seem to me that the City has no pride.............. whoever Loughlin is, appears to love pencil whippin!
The 11 page case file doesn't have specific information. I mean there is information, but you know, not in depth. It appears as though a case file was opened in March of 2009.
Happy to email the case file if you are interested. It is public record.
M. Loughlin is a great guy. Very reasonable.
This is about policies that people are forced to follow -- policies that were enacted in 2007 which compelled code enforcement to deal with anything slightly resembling a safety issue.
We need to keep doing what we are doing and make political changes while taking care of the mothballing and monitoring ourselves and hoping for help from the city council.
I was driving to work this morning and noticed near the intersection of College St and Cherry St that there is an apartment building with boarded up windows- the boards over the windows were painted to look like real windows with curtains and flower pots. Is there any way to start doing that in springfield on all the boarded up houses? Maybe invite artist from the community or students from DA to focus on specifics houses. It would definitely improve the views and could become a cool reason for people to visit springfield and take a "window tour"
I'm not not sure how to insert pics into my post- but you can find some cool examples online...
^ that is EXACTLY what we are talking about doing to the houses on Pearl Street (well, we haven't discussed flower pots, but that is a great idea).
We need to go by and look at what they've done.
Awesome.
Anything would be better than open to the elements sheclown! iloveionia thanks for the thought, not an attorney but someone who has a soft spot for historical anything..........homes top the list! If ChrisUFGator gets into the real estate end, you guys and gals may have some legal firepower available.......since he has passed the Bar Exam, its a matter of specialization and I have no idea which way he plans on practicing! Most likely Criminal Law but I don't know for sure. He has options neither you nor I have at this time! Maybe there is a poster here that does get involved and I do know of one, but he is fairly expensive and charges something like $3,500 for each case! Next time I see him, will bloody well ask him!
I go back to again. Homes are personal.
We made positive progress with not only this house (1626 Ionia, but still have a long way to go, she's not done,) but 423 Walnut because we cared about the person and got to know the person behind the house. For these 2 homes it certainly made a difference. This I know won't be true for all homes (321 E. 5th Street for example,) but while the focus and crux of SOS is to save the houses, there are people behind these homes that need support and guidance.
At this point, I'll do just about anything to save these houses, short of selling my soul, and yes Olives, just what you describe is a next experiment on the west side, Pearl Street as sheclown states, or at least that is the goal.
I think great things and change are on the horizon for Springfield. I am hopeful that the continued efforts of the great neighbors and friends of our little community will protect the homes and fabric of Springfield.
iloveionia................I agree homes are personal! I don't have much of one, but it is mine and is one of 83 where my world is! I help out some of the older womenfolk, simply because it is the right thing to do! No money involved....just watching out for my neighbor's! Springfield is the same thing, you have to give a squat in order to get anything out of the deal intangible or not! A simple booklet outlining what Code can do or not do might be help full plus some guidelines on how to approach both the City and Code Enforcement might give that world some guidance or at least some direction! A Council member watching out over you would be help full immensely, maybe one of the at-large members since Gaffney is a zero!
Yes. A simple booklet. Been thinking about that.
Sort of like one of those booklets you find in the doctor's office.
So...you have a condemned property....now what.
Problem is, we're still learning.
sheclown...........Rome was not built in a day! You might have to accelerate your learning curve...........is there a realestate attorney to converse with regarding this issue? You guys n gals may need some professional Q & A to get some information to work with! I know a couple of lawyers, but don't think any of them are in real estate, but will ask...............has any one contacted the OCG for some input? We pay all 39 of those people....maybe it is time to get something for our dollars? I have Cindi Laquidara's E Mail address....will give it a shot and let you know what happens!
I don't think we need a lawyer CS. We just need to read through the old HPC minutes and figure out the system. We are getting there.
We always like help with emails. Right now, it's all about the moratorium.
sucks feeling so powerless to effect cause for change among those that need to realize that they do indeed have more pressing matters at hand than making room for Low Country Classics to build a knock-off.
@ ricker. We are far from being powerless. Matter of fact we have a great deal of strength. We are volunteers and not allied with anyone.
We can do something that very few other people can do in this town and that is speak our mind and follow our hearts without fear of being fired or losing our funding.
That is significant and makes us powerful, indeed.
sheesh hell yes sister! power to the people!
I need to take a page form YOUR book.
it's frustrating to be surrounded with waste and corruption.
but Jax gov't isn't unique in that matter, I'm aware.
Keep spreading your positivity, you're right and I was just mouthy.
@ricker <kiss>