Bloody Block

[Bewler]

I saw this area on a map from an older article, I forget which, and was just really curious about the name. I couldn’t find any real information about it after doing a search and was just wondering if there’s anything of significance to it. I mean I can take a guess as to how it got the name but was there any specific event or well known major occurrence that took place there?

[Lunican]

The name comes from a 2007 series the Times Union ran on crime in Jacksonville. They referred to the neighborhood behind Shands as the "Bloodiest Block".

[Lunican]

http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/012107/met_part7_block.shtml

[Captain Zissou]

http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/012107/met_part7_block.shtml

A well written article about the neighborhood.

[thelakelander]

Its a real life example of what highways can do when they're built in the middle of existing urban communities.  Its also one of the reasons this site is so pro rail transit.  Well designed mass transit systems have a history of rebuilding communities like this and in Jacksonville our Northside is well overdue for a shot in the economic development arm.

[Bewler]

Thanks, that very much was an informative, interesting and well written article. I wonder if much has changed there in the last two years?

[thelakelander]

Not really.  Its still the same environment in need of a boost.

[Lunican]

Metro Jacksonville featured the "bloody block" as a potential transit oriented development site.

Shands & The S-Line: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is!

[hooplady]

Thanks, that very much was an informative, interesting and well written article. I wonder if much has changed there in the last two years?

I was just commenting the other evening that we hear fewer gunshots coming from that area [crosses fingers].  At one time it was thought that Shands would be taking back that real estate...I was wondering if that had started to happen.

[cindi]

hooplady, you are right, i live right on the "border" of the bloody block.  we don't hear as many gunshots, however we witness a lot of "traffic" from there at the nasty Shell station on the corner of 8th and Boulevard selling their "wares" (prostitution and drugs). 

[Springfielder]

We talking about Lincoln Court?

[cindi]

yep

[Omarvelous09]

That area should be flattened, and turned into parking for the hospitals. Its a lost cause.. both University Plaza, and Rooslevelt Gardens.