Downtown Demolition?

DetroitInJAX · March 25, 2008, 07:41:48 PM

I noticed today on my way to work that the building near the corner of Adams and Jefferson (caddy corner to Wormans), was either in the process of being demolished, fell over, or blew up... Whats the story with that? Just another demolition-by-neglect case that this city is so hot on?

Coolyfett · March 25, 2008, 08:34:07 PM

I saw that also over the weekend. I think its 2 or 3 buildings they are bringing down. I'm not exactly sure what buildings they were, I just know they are old. I'm sure someone on here will tell us soon.

avonjax · March 25, 2008, 08:35:21 PM

I noticed the same thing a couple of days ago. Oh well, we won't have to worry about this for much longer, because there are so few old buildings left there will be nothing for the demolition team.
Maybe we can look at the foundation for this old building for the next 30 or so years.

thelakelander · March 25, 2008, 09:22:13 PM

I took images of the demolition today. Its the third building to be torn down on that block since I moved to town back in late 2003. I'll post some images later tonight.

jerry cornwell · March 25, 2008, 10:55:05 PM

umm im freaked over this i hope its not one building im trying to buy. love to see lakalanders photos!

thelakelander · March 25, 2008, 11:50:40 PM

Here you go. Its actually (well was) three buildings. Except for one small insignificant building at Broad & Houston Street, this entire block is now in prime condition to rival the city's courthouse property across the street in appearance.

Owner: Raabe Family Property, LLC.
Address: 516 West Adams Street
Year built: 1901

I may have some pictures of the block as it appeared in 2003. I'll check my archives and see what I can dig up.

thelakelander · March 26, 2008, 12:06:37 AM

As I remember, the buildings on this site had a lot of potential for re-use, but the property owner wanted well over a million dollars for them "as is".

gradco2004 · March 26, 2008, 12:10:28 AM

Is there any hope that they are trying to sell a clean lot in leiu of Bay Street Station coming on-line. Could there be some deal we don't know about? Meh.... who am I kidding? This is JAX! The words "planning" and "Jacksonville" contradict each other. It's kind of like saying "IcyHot". They are polar opposites in fact.

jerry cornwell · March 26, 2008, 08:57:47 AM

Thanks for the photos lakelander, not what i was looking at. youre correct, i remember them demanding 1 mill as is, obviously an excuse to destroy our 100 yr + heritage. the city needs to penalize this, condemn property, elevate prop taxes something to stop such "greed""

second_pancake · March 26, 2008, 09:05:18 AM

This makes me so freakin sick to my stomach. Not surprising how none of this was on the local news and we have to find out by driving by and seeing the demolition in process or by reading it here on a public forum. I guess Jacksonville doesn't have to worry about building a reputation, we already have one: Seek and Destroy.

RiversideGator · March 26, 2008, 11:14:01 AM

I dont get the business model of these guys: hold out for impossibly high prices on our extremely dilapidated properties in a down real estate market and, if we cant get that we'll just demolish them. It doesnt make sense on its face. Perhaps there is more to this than we know. Probably not though.

jerry cornwell · March 26, 2008, 05:24:23 PM

yeah, i know theres a logic to this, i know that some property assessments were elevated by the city, perhaps by destorying the buildings hence no value (?) somewhere in future plans to develop numerous commercial, residential "projects"? i dont know, but id like to. maybe someone at city council would have an idea whats the logic.

teresangel · March 26, 2008, 06:19:26 PM

Saturday afternoon the "president" of the demolition company doing it (I had no idea there was such a demand for demolition in this town that they're scheduled for Saturdays, oh wait, this is Jacksonville) was in my face about taking photos of the demolition.

I got hot headed, but when some little guy's in my face being rude, sexist and I'm feeling self-righteous about where I can stand on public property (on the "safe" side of the barricades) I guess it's no surprise. He got me so riled after nearly 15 minutes that I left in disgust. Guess he can say "mission accomplished."

thelakelander · March 26, 2008, 06:22:15 PM

wow, that's crazy.

DetroitInJAX · March 27, 2008, 06:37:30 PM

This is exactly whats wrong with this city. We blow up the shipyards, blow up LaVilla, pave it all over, park cars on it ,let the weeds grow wild... when will this end? Should I worry, living in the Carling, that someone will bang on my door one morning and tell me to get out because theyre going to blow it up and put a surface parking lot here? I mean, coming from Detroit, our urban core has the same issues, but it seems that the city and private investors are at least LEARNING, and starting to lean away from total demolition of sites.. and if they DO demolish something, at least it (more often then not), ends up becoming something OTHER than a surface parking lot.

We have so much urban wasteland on that side of town now its almost rediculous. When will it stop? When will those in power/landowners be satisfied? It looks like Mogadishu over there.

Instead of building a new arm on the St. Johns Town Center, why dont be park a BestBuy, Toys R Us, and all those other associated stores in LaVilla. Call it the LaVilla Town Center or something.