Southern Rock Hall of Fame

[CityLife]

What are the potential funding sources and estimated costs Hugh? I imagine the initial costs may be a little steep (by Jacksonville standards), but the payoff for the city could be huge. That might be just what we need to get people to stop in Jax for a day or two on their way to Orlando/Miami. Not to mention the great concerts and events it could attract. Also imagine yearly induction concerts with southern greats and new artists.

[sheclown]

Absolutely, City Life.  I see it too!

Hi Hugh!  Glad to have you join MJ!  I look forward to great discussions and am so glad to hear of your expertise. 

@ CityLife.  We need a foundation to fund raise.  I have a name...."Gimme three steps..."

[duvaldude08]

Are we going to communicate this to the DIA.? This is something they need to be aware of asap. Has anyone sent anything to them yet?

[Debbie Thompson]

The Armory is such a cool building anyway, and a music hall of fame would be awesome there.  What a good idea that is, She Clown.  Surely there's funding out there somewhere for something like this. 

[JeffreyS]

We could put it in the first floor of the parking garage that they are building across from the landing.

[tufsu1]

or just in the Landing itself...there's plenty of room on the second floor

[sheclown]

Any place would be fabulous, but if a historic structure could be re-purposed -- it would be a double blessing to the city.

[strider]

The Armory, if it is not already, could be a Landmark, then even a non-profit could qualify for tax credits that could be sold and help funding the project. Historic structures like the Trio have qualified for historic grants and such, so this could too.  Places like the landing won't offer those types of benefits.

[John P]

lakelander, I did not see a map of possible locations in the story.

[CityLife]

There really are a lot of different programs and grants that could be used for the Armory building/Southern Music Hall of Fame, and I'd suspect that some of the cultural groups/non-profits who did look at the building weren't aware of them. Heck, it wouldn't even surprise me if the JEDC/City weren't aware of some.

If anyone is really serious about putting this together, I'd be happy to point you in the right direction for some grants/redevelopment opportunities.

[thelakelander]

John P, here are some underutilized structures scattered throughout downtown that could work for something like this.  Keep in mind, this map is only to spur converstation and not anything scientific.  Some sites are much larger than others.  For example, the Snyder is roughly 12,000 square feet, while the Armory is 80,000.  However, the Snyder could utilize Hemming as an extension of its programming, attract customers to surrounding businesses and form some synergy with the library and MOCA Jax.  On the other hand, the Armory is large enough that you'd have room for expansion or complementing uses, set up similar to the studios in the CoRK warehouses.

Anyway, 5 out 6 on this map (the Prime Osborn excluded) have some type of live performance venue or auditorium.  5 out of 6 are city owned (Annie Lytle excluded).  I'm sure there are more opportunities out there.

[Jason]

It HAS to be right smack dab in the middle of the core.  What better place than Snyder?

[Debbie Thompson]

Why does it have to be smack dab in the core?  Snyder is a good suggestion, but I don't know why it has to be there.  :-) 

Here's another suggestion, while we are at it.  How about the Claude Nolan Cadillac Building?  There is a parking garage next door where the hotel was. I think they are being marketed together.  We'd have to find funding for the environmental clean up from the gasification plant, or convince the current owner he won't sell/lease them without doing it, but it's a thought.  No stage, and I'm clueless on acoustics, but if the attached warehouse could be made acoustically sound, what a great concert venue it could be, with the exhibits in the other building.

[Noone]

Who wants to kayak next to the Armory?
Thats a fun paddle next to the Southern Rock Hall of Fame.
I'm not seeing to many negatives to this.
I want to say that I went to a concert in an Armory up in Wilkes-Barre Scranton in the late 70's
I love the idea and location.

[JeffreyS]

I like the idea of conjoining it with the Florida Theater.