Speculative homes planned for historic Springfield

[strider]

SRG built "riverside average" style homes in Springfield so at least the style was different than the typical Springfield house.  What is interesting is that a few houses got remodeled in the SRG style with approval from HPC when those modifications took the house away from it's original style. We built two houses that people looked at and told us how well we had rehabbed that old house.  While it was original our goal, once we met it, we started to realize that it was wrong and we needed to build more modern houses so that they were obviously in-fill. That in-fill should not blend but rather compliment the old historic houses.

Unfortunately, financial matters are dictating the style the more recent infills have been built to.  Generic, rather plain and therefore inexpensive to build, by comparison anyway.  When I drive around the neighborhood today, the in-fills built by all the newer builders here all look basically the same. I can;t tell who built what.  I guess at least the are recognizable as infill that way.

I was also surprised at the locations chosen for the first builds by JWB. Perhaps they are going for if it works here, it will work anywhere approach? They own some great lots so perhaps they are hoping to save them for better SF prices.

[Miss Fixit]

Shudder that the article mentions that the homes will need to copy the existing ones. Building a home with modern amenities - storage and closets, smarter wiring, insulation and energy efficiency that is a copy of an original early 1900's home does nothing but lessen the value of that historic home. The market for older homes will always be there and putting up cheaper knock offs of them, craftsmanship wise and detailing wise is a real shame in my opinion.

Why not build something for this era, this time and place (as the national historic guidelines require) for an audience that wants to live in an urban walkable neighborhood, but doesn't want to live in a faux historic home or a true historic home. Let those grand old lady's be fixed up, let that be the only way to live in an old victorian or a craftsman - give them back their value. Don't cheapen it.

I agree completely, Jason.  Our HPC has misinterpreted the historic guidelines for years.  Their insistence on faux historic construction is detrimental to revitalization of Springfield, and negatively impacts the value of existing historic homes.  I'm not saying we shouldn't allow ANY faux historic, but let's get creative!

[thelakelander]

1900 blocks of Perry & Hubbard.

1900 Perry is literally across the street from UF Health. Perhaps they view UF Health as having a pool of potential buyers/renters?

[GoldenEst82]

When I rent to people I don't look at 3x their GROSS income, I use a multiplier of 4x Gross. So a 1400 dollar rental requires that the "household" earn at least $5600 in Gross income. When times get tough, I don't care if the loan sharks are after you, JEA is threatening to cut off the power, or your mama needs a loan, I am the first payment to be made. I have the power to kick you out and put the rent damages on your credit for 10 years. I am the most important payment you will ever make!

I have been renting my whole adult life- and I get that a lot of landlords get F*ed by bad tenants. I have no problem with income requirements, credit checks or deposits.
But people (and families) have to live somewhere.
I pay 700 a month to live in a 1100sqft piece of swiss cheese- with high energy bills that definitely do not help my family's quality of life.

I have been screwed out of 2 deposits of over a thousand dollars each- by landlords who violate the law regarding deposits- because they know there is nothing someone like me can do about it. When I cited statute to my previous landlord he laughed in my face.
Lots of renters are taken advantage of because they do not have the means to legally pursue anybody. 

I am sure I am not unique.

Anyone looking to get into the rental property business should realize that the safest bet is the one that applies to the most people. With the economy as it is- there are only a finite amount of families that make qualifying income for 1200-1400 rent- and of that demographic- how many would want to move to Springfield over the SSide, ICW area, or Mandarin?

I'll tell you EXACTLY who does want to live in Spr or DT. Artists. Young people starting business'. Families who want to live next to the cultural offerings of an urban center.
Though these types usually don't make a min of 22.50 p/h, though.

Back OT: IMO, Springfield should take anything and everything that comes its way- as long as we stop tearing down what's already there. All the core areas could use new infill- but Spr needs to keep its historic fabric in place. 

[ChriswUfGator]

The statute provides for your attorney's fees if you have to sue a landlord over the return of a security deposit, it generally doesn't cost the client a dime.

[mtraininjax]

I'll tell you EXACTLY who does want to live in Spr or DT. Artists. Young people starting business'. Families who want to live next to the cultural offerings of an urban center.  Though these types usually don't make a min of 22.50 p/h, though.

And I hope people CAN afford these, but I think JWB is trying to push the market at 1200-1400 when the market is less. But, hey, newbies to Jax will see these and think they are close to King Street only to realize that they are a ways from the pizza/beer/pub district and be screwed for a year with a lease they can barely afford.

Tenants have rights, the lease protects both parties as do the Florida Statutes Chapter 83. JaxLegal Aid can also help, if there are funds. I love hearing about landlords who get screwed, because there are many bad ones out there.

Go get 'em!

[iloveionia]

Back OT: IMO, Springfield should take anything and everything that comes its way- as long as we stop tearing down what's already there. All the core areas could use new infill- but Spr needs to keep its historic fabric in place. 

^^Hoo-rah.

Certainly there are enough vacant lots for infill. Bring it on.
However, I would prefer to see our vacant homes rehabbed first.
There are funds available to make that happen, however new-build prevails.

[GoldenEst82]

The statute provides for your attorney's fees if you have to sue a landlord over the return of a security deposit, it generally doesn't cost the client a dime.

My Partner's Mom filed the paperwork. I have no idea what happened after I gave her all the relevant documents. I borrowed the deposit for my current house from her- with expectation that I would repay her with former houses' deposit.
I am still paying her back.   

As a fact, I am stuck in this swiss cheese house because I won't borrow from her again, in order to have the average 1400-2000 it takes to move.

(I do have dog, so I have that deposit included in that figure, but you would have a dog too, considering the areas a 700 p/m rent puts you.)

[ChriswUfGator]

The statute provides for your attorney's fees if you have to sue a landlord over the return of a security deposit, it generally doesn't cost the client a dime.

My Partner's Mom filed the paperwork. I have no idea what happened after I gave her all the relevant documents. I borrowed the deposit for my current house from her- with expectation that I would repay her with former houses' deposit.
I am still paying her back.   

As a fact, I am stuck in this swiss cheese house because I won't borrow from her again, in order to have the average 1400-2000 it takes to move.

(I do have dog, so I have that deposit included in that figure, but you would have a dog too, considering the areas a 700 p/m rent puts you.)

How long has it been since you moved?

[sheclown]

Shudder that the article mentions that the homes will need to copy the existing ones. Building a home with modern amenities - storage and closets, smarter wiring, insulation and energy efficiency that is a copy of an original early 1900's home does nothing but lessen the value of that historic home. The market for older homes will always be there and putting up cheaper knock offs of them, craftsmanship wise and detailing wise is a real shame in my opinion.

Why not build something for this era, this time and place (as the national historic guidelines require) for an audience that wants to live in an urban walkable neighborhood, but doesn't want to live in a faux historic home or a true historic home. Let those grand old lady's be fixed up, let that be the only way to live in an old victorian or a craftsman - give them back their value. Don't cheapen it.

I agree completely, Jason.  Our HPC has misinterpreted the historic guidelines for years.  Their insistence on faux historic construction is detrimental to revitalization of Springfield, and negatively impacts the value of existing historic homes.  I'm not saying we shouldn't allow ANY faux historic, but let's get creative!

I totally agree MissFixit and Jason.  Let's give architects some room to breathe.  Let's be authentic in Springfield, if nothing else.  Let's build a house for today that looks like today.

And for the LOVE OF GOD let's stop spending HOURS and HOURS of HPC time discussing window placement on a house which an architect designed and a homeowner paid for and just build the damn thing.  We are in a nuclear war locked and loaded against historic houses and we waste time second guessing new construction.  Quality is all that should matter.

Oooph Da.

[Kiva]

  We waste time second guessing new construction.  Quality is all that should matter.

Exactly. We need to get the empty historic homes restored, and we also need new construction to fill the empty lots.

[GoldenEst82]

How long has it been since you moved?

August 2012.

[ChriswUfGator]

How long has it been since you moved?

August 2012.

Well you're still well within the SOL, don't just take a loss on it...

[KuroiKetsunoHana]

[GoldenEst82]

It looks like I would have to go through small claims court...
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0000-0099/0083/Sections/0083.49.html
I need to get with my partners mom and see if an action was already filed.