Historic Ford Plant to be Demolished?

dougsandiego · September 24, 2011, 09:10:34 PM

Turn it into a brewery and a maritime Museum and a health club, or subdivide it and market it as incubator spaces for start up businesses.

You should make every effort to retain that building. It helps make Jacksonville unique.

They aren't building these anymore!

wsansewjs · September 26, 2011, 08:42:19 AM

This Ford Plant would be better for Jacksonville Maritime Museum, not where those two ugly red-lined buildings that sit on both side of the Main Street currently resides now.

-Josh

fieldafm · September 26, 2011, 09:28:48 AM

Quote from: wsansewjs on September 26, 2011, 08:42:19 AM
This Ford Plant would be better for Jacksonville Maritime Museum, not where those two ugly red-lined buildings that sit on both side of the Main Street currently resides now.

-Josh

The Maritime Musuem is now at the Jacksonville Landing.

Those Southbank Riverwalk structures will be torn down as part of the Riverwalk renovations. An artistic bid went out on what to do underneath the Main Street bridge. I personally would like to see something like Chicago has that depicts the history of the city.

thelakelander · September 26, 2011, 10:59:54 AM

Indianapolis has something similar under their Canal Walk overpasses.

mtraininjax · September 29, 2011, 06:40:20 PM

How quickly we forget....last time something was tried along the river, we had the Shipyards fiasco.

let it fall in on itself, if the owner wants to do something badly enough, have them invest the capital or sell it to someone who will. Better yet, give it to Timkin, and treat it as the new project, along with FS4, and Annie Lytle, the list goes on and on and on, so many buildings to save, so little money or interest.

I will be happy to buy a brick for a buck if you guys start selling bricks or pavers....

vicupstate · September 29, 2011, 08:22:42 PM

Quote from: mtraininjax on September 29, 2011, 06:40:20 PM
How quickly we forget....last time something was tried along the river, we had the Shipyards fiasco.

So if at first you don't succeed, just quit.

Actually, the last thing tried on the river was RAM, which has been pretty damn successful.

Ocklawaha · September 29, 2011, 10:10:54 PM

Timkin, Vicup, some people have absolutely no sense of heritage, historic places. They look at hallowed and historic places with disdain, they see history as insignificant and trying to preserve, teach, catalog, research or write it are a waste of time. No regard for Gettysburg, not a care about Olustee, and you'll never catch them visiting Camp Milton, ignorance is bliss, and this speaks volumes about their values and education.

Imagine if the Castillo De San Marcos could just be leveled and the stone used as foundations for a new Wal-Mart plaza. Imagine Fort Caroline and the preserve, filled with new ocean shipping terminals. This really is a narrow and selfish view, one that would deprive future generations the ability to walk where their forefathers walked. After all is said and done, the only thing new in the world is the history you don't know.

OCKLAWAHA

Timkin · September 29, 2011, 10:29:46 PM

I completely concur, Ock. And some people just have no sense.

AFCassidy · September 30, 2011, 01:20:54 AM

We published an article by Cleve Powell from Old Arlington Inc. about the old Ford plant in this month's edition of Arlington Monthly...

http://www.myarlingtonmonthly.com/issues/September2011.pdf

On page 14.

NavyGuyAN · October 07, 2011, 04:53:43 AM

I TOTALLY agree with Josh about turning it into the Jacksonville Maritime Museum, now that would be cool...
Hey does anyone know what time the public tour is tommorrow???...I've done alot of Urban Exploration here in Jax and I think it would be awesome to go though and take some pic's and to just check it out.
~Ryan~

thelakelander · October 07, 2011, 05:55:21 AM

The plant tour will be from 2-4pm this Saturday for a nominal fee of $5.

NavyGuyAN · October 08, 2011, 11:56:52 PM

Hey just wanted to thank everyone on the form here at MJ. The tour of the Ford Plant was AWESOME dispite the rainy weather this afternoon. Thanks to Ock for all the great info and pictures here on MJ, along with everyone else. http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-jan-inside-the-ford-motor-company-assembly-plant
Not much has seemed to change with the site. Took lots of pictures though as it was all very intresting....

coredumped · October 09, 2011, 10:52:44 PM

The tour was great, I'm glad I got a chance to go in to this building. Sadly, it's in bad shape. I'm not an architect or anything near it, but to me the structure unfortunately didn't look very sound. I didn't realize how large it was in there.

It's sad looking downtown at how much PRIME real estate we have just sitting for the right project (the shipyards, this area, the lot behind the DCPS building).

tayana42 · November 30, 2011, 10:12:17 PM

What's the latest news on the Ford Plant?

Timkin · December 01, 2011, 12:33:44 AM

About the same as the Trio, Genovar's , School 4... All waiting on an interested investor to take them on. The Ford building is just amazing. I hope a new use will be identified.

You know.... Mr. Khan , the new Jaguar's owner is in the Auto Parts Business.. I wonder...... hmmmmm..... What his level of interest could be in helping us preserve a few of these landmarks and re purposing them?