Possible buyer for Hayden Burns Library Downtown

[Cheshire Cat]

This is the streetview from the corner of Greenwood and Skiles (oddly enough---doug do you have prominent texan family branches?)

Looks to be mostly parking lots in an area more open than the old library. 

[thelakelander]

New Baylor University Medical Center LRT station and some new TOD about four blocks away from the "A" on Stephen's aerial.  In Stephen's aerial, you can see the LRT station's courtyard at the bottom right.

[thelakelander]

its not infill housing thougn.  There is a bit of infill, but they are office buildings, each of which houses a not for profit.

It was mentioned they took 24 acres of land.  That should equal out to several urban city blocks.  This area (on the edge of Deep Ellum) looks to be a hot spot for new development, judging from the close proximity of new infill housing. It's quote possible, so infill has occurred on some parcels while others still await redevelopment.

[Cheshire Cat]

its not infill housing thougn.  There is a bit of infill, but they are office buildings, each of which houses a not for profit.

This is what I was looking for Stephen.  Like attracts like.  We have a bunch, perhaps too much in the way of non profit/social service buildings downtown already.  I keep looking at the initial drawing that Stephen posted with this article.  That looks like a vibrant exciting corner for downtown.  The rest just doesn't fit the bill unless they would consider a mixed use for the ground floor. 

[thelakelander]

Based on what visuals of the Dallas and Wilmington examples, I'm fine with this proposed use of a long vacant building.  All it really needs is some ground level commercial use (like the Wilmington example) and interaction with the surrounding sidewalks and it should be a plus.

[Cheshire Cat]

New Baylor University Medical Center LRT station and some new TOD about four blocks away from the "A" on Stephen's aerial.  In Stephen's aerial, you can see the LRT station's courtyard at the bottom right.

You know what Ennis, this looks like what we have talked about in the past when discussing moving our social service programs and buildings to an area outside of the core. This is a social service complex.  What we see in this image is a great representation of what could be done in Jacksonville, but not in our core.  Would love to see the Dupont's invest in creating a seed environment via the purchase of several acres here outside the core to create such an effort.  To me the key to making the Dupont effort most desirable downtown is allowing retail on the ground floor.

[thelakelander]

The Dallas example is actually pretty nice. There's some great restoration work and well maintained green space around the place.  This neighborhood certainly doesn't look blighted now.  Give me a few moments to upload some pics.

[thelakelander]

Latitude 30 is dead.  They decided to move on from the Haydon Burns.

[tpot]

So downtown Jacksonville gets a giant hub for social services..........awesome......

[thelakelander]

Dallas example in 1995 (top image) and 2012 (bottom image):



Meadows Foundation's actual office is highlighted in red.  As mentioned, I suspect if they acquired 24 acres, the surrounding blocks are...or were a part of their holdings at one point.

[fieldafm]

I don't quite see how a single use building with multiple tenants from the non-profit world suddenly equates to 'homeless center'. 

Dupont's center in Delaware includes tenants like the leukemia socity, the BAR, boy scouts, american diabetes association, YMCA, sierra club, several financial companies, teach for america... etc.

Just like coworking spaces spark collaboration, a non-profit space could do the same.  Non-profits need partners more than anyone, and clustering works the same in the non-profit world as it works in the technology world and others.

[thelakelander]

Image 1: The front facade of the Meadows Foundation building on Swiss Street.

Image 2: Looking towards the Meadows Foundation at the intersection of Swiss and Oak.  The Meadows Foundation building is on the left behind the lady pushing the stroller.

Image 3: If this area was blighted when Meadows acquired 24 acres, it sure isn't now.  Here are the old homes immediately across Swiss Street. They've all been lushly landscaped, preserved and are now occupied by various non-profits like Preservation Dallas.

Image 4: New infill at Live Oak and Skiles Street. This is one block west of the back of Meadows main building (the parking lot shot Stephen posted). That parking lot, was an old warehouse that was demolished in 2001. My guess is it will be a site of future infill.

[Cheshire Cat]

Jeffrey I don't think anyone said this effort equated to a "homeless center".  The focus of the structure is social services.  I agree partnering with a mixed use for the structure could be a win.  Stephen, I would also agree that the Dupont organization seems to be a really fine organization and as you put it "thoughtful".  Frankly I think your white paper ideas is "excellent"!
Sometimes all it takes is constructive input to turn something nice into something exciting. 

[thelakelander]

I don't quite see how a single use building with multiple tenants from the non-profit world suddenly equates to 'homeless center'. 

Dupont's center in Delaware includes tenants like the leukemia socity, the BAR, boy scouts, american diabetes association, YMCA, sierra club, several financial companies, teach for america... etc.

Just like coworking spaces spark collaboration, a non-profit space could do the same.  Non-profits need partners more than anyone, and clustering works the same in the non-profit world as it works in the technology world and others.

Pretty much.  Btw, here is some information on their remaining 22 acres:

The Wilson Historic District, owned and operated by The Meadows Foundation, encompasses 22 acres of turn-of-the-century Victorian houses and new, compatible buildings.  The district is unique not only for its architecture, boasting the largest collection of late nineteenth-century houses in Dallas, but also in its current use as a model incubator project for local non-profit organizations. The district is recognized as a City of Dallas Landmark District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

http://www.preservationdallas.org/who-we-are/wilson-block/

[Cheshire Cat]

Image 1: The front facade of the Meadows Foundation building on Swiss Street.

Image 2: Looking towards the Meadows Foundation at the intersection of Swiss and Oak.  The Meadows Foundation building is on the left behind the lady pushing the stroller.

Image 3: If this area was blighted when Meadows acquired 24 acres, it sure isn't now.  Here are the old homes immediately across Swiss Street. They've all been lushly landscaped, preserved and are now occupied by various non-profits like Preservation Dallas.

Image 4: New infill at Live Oak and Skiles Street. This is one block west of the back of Meadows main building (the parking lot shot Stephen posted). That parking lot, was an old warehouse that was demolished in 2001. My guess is it will be a site of future infill.

Interesting shots Ennis.  What is there looks good but is certainly quite different than what they could do here.  Looking at what you found here speaks well for a social service complex and perhaps affordable housing outside of the core.