Questions about the facade of Sweet Pete's

[BigNugget]

In a neighborhood of historic preservation busybodies were you are hassled when you change out your rotten window frames and you are required to get a COA to change out a door knocker how did Sweet Pete's convert a historic structure into something that looks like a cartoon castle from a Willy Wonka acid trip?

I personally love it.  I just don't know how they were able to make it happen without a lot of resistance from the preservationists.

Could anyone explain this?

[Garden guy]

This is jacksonville..you can do anything you want with the right connections and enough cash

[movedsouth]

First of all, I doubt you need a COA to change a door knocker, and most COAs are approved administratively within a day at no cost, unless of course you neglect to ask.

Sweet Pete's preserved the character of the home, made few altercations to the structure, didn't destroy historic windows and doors but instead featured them as part of their overall concept. It is not that hard.

They are also located on Pearl Street which is mixed residential / commercial. It is pretty much next to Springfield Plastics, the stores along Pearl between 8th and 9th, and the former location of Tres Letches. In the past, there was an attempt to push commercial uses out of Springfield, but this has mostly died off I think.

[sheclown]

Don't know.  Don't care.  Just glad its there.

[m74reeves]

you do not have to get COA or historic preservation board approval for exterior house colors. don't see what's so crazy on the exterior about the house besides the colorful trim. Other funky stuff like the flowers aren't permanently attached to the house.

[hooplady]

In a neighborhood of historic preservation busybodies were you are hassled when you change out your rotten window frames and you are required to get a COA to change out a door knocker how did Sweet Pete's convert a historic structure into something that looks like a cartoon castle from a Willy Wonka acid trip?

Well, since the original book was set in the early part of this century I'd say they captured the era pretty well actually.  Can't explain the acid, although it might account for Roald Dahl...

[peestandingup]

Don't know.  Don't care.  Just glad its there.

You should care though because it kind of represents the way things are done in these areas. I'm pretty sure one of the major partners of Sweet Pete's is in a pretty close nit group of Springfield investors, whom also helped fund Uptown Market if I'm not mistaken.

Yes, these are all great additions, but the point is, if someone tried to just do this kind of thing on their own, it wouldn't be allowed & they'd be ran out of the neighborhood. You have to go through the red tape, the proper "channels" & to basically get in bed with the right people to get anything done, instead of be allowed to grow organically. Its the heavy hand of over-regulation thats killing the neighborhood.

[Debbie Thompson]

It's paint.  That's it.  It's paint.  White paint at that.  I was frankly a bit disappointed at that.  I thought it would have been more fun painted in colors.  The vacant lot they use for parking was already vacant.  They just put pavers down.  All the rooms are intact.  A couple of changes to the kitchen is about it.  How exactly is a white house offensive?  Or don't you like the trim painted in colors?  Is that it?

[sheclown]

Basically, the stuff that is not permanent, be it done by a cool kid or a new kid, seems of minor concern when you feel the rumblings of the bulldozer coming down the block.

Some day maybe we can all worry about this icing on the cake.  Right now, I'd be happy if there were just some cake.

[JaxUnicorn]

Don't know.  Don't care.  Just glad its there.

You should care though because it kind of represents the way things are done in these areas. I'm pretty sure one of the major partners of Sweet Pete's is in a pretty close nit group of Springfield investors, whom also helped fund Uptown Market if I'm not mistaken.

Yes, these are all great additions, but the point is, if someone tried to just do this kind of thing on their own, it wouldn't be allowed & they'd be ran out of the neighborhood. You have to go through the red tape, the proper "channels" & to basically get in bed with the right people to get anything done, instead of be allowed to grow organically. Its the heavy hand of over-regulation thats killing the neighborhood.

im on board with that.

Stephen, which of the above quotes are you on board with?

I disagree with peestandingup. 
What does "one of the major partners of Sweet Pete's is in a pretty close nit group of Springfield investors, whom also helped fund Uptown Market if I'm not mistaken" have to do with this?  Are you implying that because of this person's affiliation, they were allowed to do things outside of the historic rules?  If so, please elaborate.  Otherwise, I'm not sure I understand your point.

Do "this kind of stuff"?  What kind of stuff are you talking about?  The zoning is proper.  And no one, and I mean NO ONE can dictate exterior paint colors, no matter how much they may want to.

[m74reeves]

hello people...there is not anything under the table going on

you do not have to get COA/HPC approval for your exterior paint colors in ANY of the historic districts. period.

that is the case in some historic districts elsewhere, but not here.

[Ocklawaha]

"... from a Willy Wonka acid trip?"

I don't recall ever trying that one!

[Ocklawaha]

LOL, sounds like fun.