Urban Core Construction Update - July 2010

[Captain Zissou]

It's not a bad-looking statue but it seems oddly low to me. Is it in a hole? It looks like they ran out of energy and said, oh, just put it on the dirt. One Hummer over that curb and the whole thing is gonna take a tumble. It doesn't look as grand as it should.

I haven't seen it in person, but I agree that it looks small.  i thought initially it was going to be taller than the old location.  I would hate to see the inner circle cluttered with bollards or barriers of any kind, but AJ does look pretty exposed.  I bet he gets run into more than once.  I assume the recessed areas on the side are for plaques or signage of some sort..?

[TheProfessor]

I don't think they want it too tall because then it might block more of the view into the river when they open up the landing perhaps?

[tufsu1]

actually the new base is taller than the old one...the difference is the old one was on top of a man-made hill.

[fsujax]

Is AJ going to be uplit at night?

[hightowerlover]

I really never thought about it but i bet he gets hit by a drunk driver before 2010 ends

[Pottsburg]

He is definatley going to get nailed.  Prob a drunk driver, old person, or a cop looking down at his computer.  The question is will he fight back?(fall off the platform and into the front windshield of the car)

[Ocklawaha]

Nice touch that he's facing north (to stand watch against the Yankee hordes, just like the Hemming Park Statue).

Andrew Jackson as he may have appeared on his several military campaigns. Most historians agree that he NEVER visited the site of "Jacksonville,"  and I respectfully disagree. Jackson led an army into Florida from Central Georgia and marched them into Saint Augustine. Remember your history books? Where did the "cows" cross?

Uhh Joe? The Hemming Park statue faces SOUTH! The reason for this is that this was a standard issue molded statue that was sold around 1900 +/- and hundreds if not thousands were placed. The nations first veterans advocacy The United Confederate Veterans (todays: Sons of Confederate Veterans) met and decided that all such statues saluting the Southern soldiers would face forever SOUTH!

Andy Jackson as in JACKSONville, had nothing to do with the War of Yankee Aggression, Andrew Jackson died â€" June 8, 1845 (aged 78) Nashville, Tennessee. The war on the South didn't take place until 1861.

I recently had a friend suggest we should "Dress Jackson in "HIS" Klan robes!"  Sorry folks, WRONG GUY!! For that matter the great Confederate General Stonewall Jackson was anti-slavery himself... 

So as for Stonewall:

Mention the legendary Confederate General Stonewall Jackson to most people and the image that immediately comes to mind is one of a fearless, hard-fighting Southerner known for his eccentricities, who some say fought for slavery. But Thomas Jonathan Jackson was a much more complicated man.

Indeed, a careful study of his life would lead one to believe that General Jackson might even be described as a civil-rights leader. Yes, that’s right, a civil-rights leader. In the nineteenth century, prior to the War of Federal Aggression, Virginia law prohibited whites from teaching blacks to read and write. Though Stonewall Jackson was known as an upstanding and law-abiding citizen in Lexington, he routinely broke this law every Sunday.

Though the law was not strictly enforced, Jackson quietly practiced civil disobedience by having an organized Sunday school class every Sunday afternoon, teaching black children to read, and teaching them the way of salvation. There are still churches active today that were founded by blacks reached with the Gospel through Jackson's efforts. Jackson taught the Sunday school class for blacks while he served as a deacon in Lexington’s Presbyterian Church. It was in the autumn of 1855 that Jackson, with the permission of his pastor, Dr. William S. White, began the class in a building near the main sanctuary. Every Sabbath afternoon shortly before 3:00 pm, the church bell would toll letting everyone know it was time to worship the Creator of all men. Jackson quickly gained the admiration and respect of blacks in the surrounding area as his zeal was apparent, and he took this solemn responsibility seriously. Attendance often numbered more than one hundred and Dr.White later wrote that Jackson "threw himself into this work with all of his characteristic energy and wisdom."

Jackson not only demanded much of himself in reaching slaves and free blacks, he demanded much of his students. His classes began promptly at three, and once he started, the classroom door was locked and latecomers were not allowed entrance. Bibles and books were awarded to those who were faithful and showed satisfactory progress.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig2/williams1.html

WE HAVE NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF!


OCKLAWAHA

[Pottsburg]

Hear hear!!!

[TheProfessor]

Don't be Debbie Downers.  The statue will be fine.  It would be nice if they had installed a curved solid concrete bench/knee wall around the base which would allow for pedestrian seating as well as act as a statue guard and raise the statue higher.

[acme54321]

Also, I didn't feel like starting a new thread, but does anyone know anything about the building at Atlantic Blvd and Kings Ave...? 

It used to house a studio city.  They have been doing renovations to it for the past 3 weeks or so.  They took off some of the upper trim which revealed some cool vintage signs painted on the building. 

Took a picture of that this weekend from Fulton and Atlantic (apologies in advance if the photo doesn't come through - newbie and all):

That building would look a whole lot nicer if they took off that nasty looking concrete paneling/facade and exposed the windows and front door again.  It looks like a bomb shelter now.

[Captain Zissou]

^ I agree.  I was thinking that this morning.  That junk on the corner of Kings and Atlantic is hideous.  it's obvious that used to be the main entrance.  With zero street parking and no pedestrian action, I doubt it will ever be the main entrance again.  They could at least put in some windows. 

I also noticed they are painting/ renovating the building at Kings Ave and Prudential.  it used to be an antiques store that went under in the economy.  It's a various nice building with big windows facing Prudential.

[billy]

Interesting. I should check that out.

[brainstormer]

I actually love the roundabout with the statue in the middle!  I would like to see another one a block down where Independent intersects Hogan.  Create the proposed park next to the Times Union, redo the intersection, build the Landing out to the street with a new restaurant/outdoor seating and then we will be headed in the right direction.  A calming feature will be needed for that intersection since the Landing parking lot will be on the opposite side of Hogan.  Let's continue the progress!

[fieldafm]

The Laura Street columns are starting to go up.  These are from this morning's bike ride:

[fsujax]

nice pics!