Urban Neighborhoods: Avondale

[thelakelander]

Yes, most of what's considered Avondale today never had restrictions keeping commercial and multifamily uses out.  Only the original 4.5 block wide Avondale didn't allow such uses.  Thus, what ended up happening was commercial districts like the Shoppes of Avondale and Murray Hill's First Block growing up around the same time to serve the area's growing early 20th century population.  After all, there was no Walmart or Publix (or SUV) that one could hop in and drive to on a regular basis.  These mix of uses within a pedestrian scale setting are something that continues to attract people today.

[BoldBoyOfTheSouth]

What street is considered the currant border between Riverside & Avondale?

[Stephen]

McDuff ?

[Tacachale]

There's no official border or even one that's widely agreed upon. The original Avondale development extended to Seminole Road. Today, homes as far as McDuff are often considered in Avondale. In some real estate maps, you'll even see King Street, as it's the boundary between the 32204 and 32205 area codes, but few residents would consider all of that Avondale.

[simonsays]

Its always been King Street.

[BoldBoyOfTheSouth]

Riverside borders Avondale @ King Street?!?

Always envisioned King Street as the heart of Riverside. 

Does this make Avondale a little more hip?

[Tacachale]

Ha, yeah, this is something a lot of people feel strongly about. But no one's really any more right or wrong than the next person. I'll say this: when the Avondale development was... developed, it went up to Seminole. When the Avondale Historic District was added to the National Register, the northeast boundary was Seminole and Belvedere. In Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage, it's put at about McDuff.

[Josh]

Riverside borders Avondale @ King Street?!?

Always envisioned King Street as the heart of Riverside. 

Does this make Avondale a little more hip?

Growing up, nobody even remotely that close to King St referred to their house being in Avondale, but nowadays if your house is on the market....... Avondale.

[BoldBoyOfTheSouth]

This must be why when I meet people and they say they live in Avondale and they just don't seem like they can afford a $500,000 - $1,000,000 mortgage and definitly too young to have bought when those house went for far less. Maybe they truely believe they live in Avondale when in fact, they live in Riverside.

Though, there are plenty of more modestly priced homes in Avondale so anything is possible.

[jcjohnpaint]

Just moved to Azalea Lane.  Our house was no 500,000, but it wasn't cheap.  I think we are about a block or two from the historic neighborhood. 

[mtraininjax]

The History of Avondale shows that Telfair Stockton designed Avondale as 4 streets, Talbot, Edgewood, Challen and Avondale. Then as it grew, the whole area grew around it and now the area is known as Riverside Avondale. Really no boundary other than the east, west, north and river boundaries.

There are pockets of problem areas in both Riverside and Avondale, so I don't make a distinction of Riverside or Avondale, but I used to think Cherry Street was the divider, but now I believe Willow Branch creek to be more of the divider, since West Riverside Elementary would probably belong IN Riverside, thus all of King Street should be in Riverside.

Ask Dr. Wood, who co-wrote the Architectural History of Jacksonville, he would have an interesting answer. Thankfully I live on Edgewood, IN AVONDALE, so I know where I am, lol!