Save the Bostwick Building!

[sheclown]

yeah...well someone has to wring those hands might just as well be us.

[Tacachale]

We also need to write in to the Historic Preservation Commission, who will review the demo permit, and let them know our feelings that the building is too important to lose. The owners sound like they may be willing to work with us, but that asking price for the building is ridiculous.

[sheclown]

Yes, it comes up in this month's meeting.

[Timkin]

We also need to write in to the Historic Preservation Commission, who will review the demo permit, and let them know our feelings that the building is too important to lose. The owners sound like they may be willing to work with us, but that asking price for the building is ridiculous.

Tacachale.... Have you personally spoke with the owner?  Just curious.

[dougskiles]

I'm in for $500.  What would the non-profit do with the building?

[Timkin]

I'm in for $500.  What would the non-profit do with the building?

How about the idea Ock suggested for the building?  Stabilize the walls, make the interior a park space(?)  Fountains , Park Benches,  Gardens . 

Or... assuming it was made a whole building again, divide the space into 6 or 7 suites, sort of like the Elks Building is... but for non-profit organizations.  ( just a thought) 

What about a Bank branch there? ( assuming a non-profit acquired it, saved it , then sold it)

just tossing ideas out .   

[Debbie Thompson]

Not that it isn't fun to talk usage, but with 4-5 pledges and about $2000 pledged so far, we who want to save this building may want to concentrate on finding the other 995 people to chip in $500 each before we start deciding on what's to be done with it next.   

To be a serious contender, there would need to be some pretty serious "stuff."

1.  A volunteer with the time and talent to run the new non-profit.  Downtown Jacksonville Historic Preservation?  It would be great to move on to other endangered downtown historic buildings after this one, but you have to eat an elephant one bite at a time. Still the non-profit could advocate for historic preservation downtown.

2.  A big, stong presence at HPC to speak for preservation.  The more people who turn out, the better. Since HPC starts at 3:00, those who can't make it during the work day can send emails.  If you can come at 5:00 or 6:00, mention in the email you will be attending later, and ask to be heard when you can get there. I find the HPC is often willing to wait until the later arrivals can get there and weigh in if it's an important item like this.

3.  Providing the demo permit is denied, the work begins.  A citizen's petition for landmark status, fundraising, RFP's, etc.  Generating interest in the city, newpaper articles, TV stories, etc.

4. Need a talented fundraiser/grant writer to volunteer. 

[Dog Walker]

The Bostwick family has kept the asking price for this building too high for many years.  Now, even with a much lower asking price, it is still too high.  It would cost more to tear the building down than they are asking for it so the value is essentially zero.  They should give it away or the City should take it for the fines.

[ChriswUfGator]

I've had that exact conversation with COJ, about why they don't take at-risk structures for the fines and stabilize them, with Robin Lumb and Jason Teal, probably others I can't remember. The City has a real hangup about not wanting to be a landlord, they don't want to take on the liability and responsibility, they see that as a bigger downside than demolition. Which I find very shortsighted, but I guess everyone's entitled to their viewpoint. Maybe this should be one of those "public-private partnerships" Alvin Brown is always blathering about, have COJ stabilize it and put a lien on it, or take an ownership interest, rather than allowing yet another historic demolition in an already hard-hit area.

[Dog Walker]

I think you have made some headway with Robin Lumb.  He brought the Bostwick building issue up in the middle of a conversation about something else.

The City could end up with a LOT of historic properties if they took them routinely, but major, historic, high visibility buildings like the Bostwick are on a different level.

[Tacachale]

It's a fair point that the city shouldn't want to become a landlord, especially for the vast majority of properties people don't take care of, but much more needs to be done in the case of historic structures.

[Timkin]

^ Agree Completely.  They are special, and dwindling in numbers.   And bulldozed as though we will never run out of them.

[sheclown]

If the city just used MCCD to mothball structures, then the deterioration and the blight would be addressed.  Additionally, the city would save money b/c it is usually cheaper to mothball then to demolish.  Additionally, it is more likely that a mothballed property will become a tax generating parcel than a vacant lot will be.

So yes.  It is unreasonable to expect the city to take on all historic properties and given the level of care they give to the properties they now own, perhaps that is not even desirable.  However, the city could say to negligent building owners...mothball it, or we will, and then lien it.

[Timkin]

If the city just used MCCD to mothball structures, then the deterioration and the blight would be addressed.  Additionally, the city would save money b/c it is usually cheaper to mothball then to demolish.  Additionally, it is more likely that a mothballed property will become a tax generating parcel than a vacant lot will be.

So yes.  It is unreasonable to expect the city to take on all historic properties and given the level of care they give to the properties they now own, perhaps that is not even desirable.  However, the city could say to negligent building owners...mothball it, or we will, and then lien it.

^ Which is where groups like Preservation SOS and my group at Annie Lytle could help the City/Community by maintaining the mothballed buildings.  It saves the City money they would have to expend doing maintenance/mowing/etc. 

There is a way to make this work if we could get the City on board, and they do not have to be a landlord to be on board with helping to keep these places and mothball them.

[fsujax]

Saw Terry Lorince at lunch downtown today, she said the public hearing for the demolition of this building is on the 26th, not quite sure of the time, I will look it up. She said she needs people there to speak in favor of preserving the building. She is looking to groups like MetroJacksonville, TransforJax, etc. to speak out. Please go if you can.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to create the non-for-profit group? not sure what all it entails, maybe if we can show some action on this effort it can be used an argument to save the building.