Downtown's Deteriorating State of Possibilities

[Metro Jacksonville]

Downtown's Deteriorating State of Possibilities

Noli Novak, the famed Washington Post Artist is out of the downtown Jacksonville game again. Novak's inability to find a space---any space--- to accomodate her project is the second case of verified downtown passovers in at least two months, the first one being the inability of Boomtown to find new space downtown for identical reasons. What follows in the letter from Novak, which sums up in a nutshell exactly what has become the leading complaint downtown.  The possibilities are collapsing due to the severely minitiaturized stock of buildings left and the tedious deathgrip that speculators have on what remaining structures are actually downtown. Sorry, Noli Novak, that Downtown cannot seem to make or find a place for you. read the letter and weep after the jump.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/524

[Jason]

At least Noli is still persuing something here locally and not giving up alltogether.

[tufsu1]

perhaps she should look at the downtown fire station...its been for sale and would make a great loft/gallery space

[02roadking]

I think they were asking 2 mill for the station. There is a building for sale in the 300 block of 8th St. E. Red brick, 2 story. Just a thought. 

[vicupstate]

Exactly what are their space requirements?  What are there other requirements?

Could they build new on a vacant parcel?  Is Springfield an option?  Surely there must be something there they can work with.   

Why can't the city sell some vacant LaVilla land? Why can't they foreclose on that vacant, never-opened Seafood place?

WHERE IS THE LEADERSHIP IN THIS TOWN??!!!   OR IS THERE ANY?
   

[downtownparks]

I have been in contact with them about Springfield. Noli is cool on Springfield, but I have offered to give her a tour when they get back in town. She has taken me up on it, so perhaps I can broaden her view of how the 'field really is. I even offered to take off my rose colored glasses

I believe Stephen has said they want an old building that they can do themselves.