Renderings: LaVilla Townhomes

[thelakelander]

A look at conceptual plans for the Johnson Commons townhome development proposed for LaVilla.

Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/renderings-lavilla-townhomes/

[heights unknown]

I love it. Why? As y'all know I was born in Jax, then taken back to Jasper to be raised by my Grandma until age 9, then my Mom came and got me in 1965 from Jasper/Grandma and moved me to be with her in Jax. We lived at 817 West Duval Street (it is now an empty lot behind a commercial building), and yes, in a two story house with many rooms (they were not known as shotgun houses back then but were boarding houses where the rooms inside were for rent and everyone shared one bathroom on each floor except for the Landlord who had a huge apartment style place/setting on the 1st floor and her own bathroom). We lived in a very nice, large/roomy room with beautiful wallpaper, we all shared the bathroom (yuck) and the kitchen; the stoves in the kitchen were small kerosene type burners (3 burners) that sat on your table which had spices, etc. on it as well; we ate in the room we rented. Coming from a house with Grandma to a room in the big city of Jax (Jax was Florida's Queen in those days), was quite a shock, but I adjusted and grew to love it. My Mom was "out there" and she was in her 20's, so this is where she lived at the time (she's kind of rich these days LOL). LaVilla was bustling back then and you could hear music from at least 7 or 8 bars, nightclubs, etc. most of the day and all night on Ashley which was two blocks away. The Rooveselt Theater, on Ashley a half block from Davis Street, was my biggest hangout on the weekends when not in School; I also frequented the Strand and Ritz Theaters; the Strand has long long since been gone but was also on Ashley Street. I attended School at A. L. Lewis Elementary just west of the expressway with LaVilla Park being right in front of my school. So THIS is why I love what they are doing with this new development. IMO it's good where they are building this development; but I wish they would develop as much of LaVilla as possible with these type townhomes, which will instigate and spur other things like convenience stores/gas stations, maybe a small theater or two, restaurants, a shopping plaza or two, etc. I would love to see LaVilla bustling again, and I know it won't be like in the 60's and before, and I don't care what race, culture or races reside there, just bring my Neighborhood back! I am elated guys with this news!

[acme54321]

I really like that some other unique product is being built in the area other than "lofts".

[itsfantastic1]

This bid is definitely better as a whole than the previous one but my one minor gripe is the front of the houses lack visual interest. The shape is spot on to the historical style of houses in LaVilla but I wish there was a porch or something mimicking it to break up the front. I realize it probably cost too much, but just something in an ideal world I think could elevate these houses.

[jaxlongtimer]

I love it. Why? As y'all know I was born in Jax, then taken back to Jasper to be raised by my Grandma until age 9, then my Mom came and got me in 1965 from Jasper/Grandma and moved me to be with her in Jax. We lived at 817 West Duval Street (it is now an empty lot behind a commercial building), and yes, in a two story house with many rooms (they were not known as shotgun houses back then but were boarding houses where the rooms inside were for rent and everyone shared one bathroom on each floor except for the Landlord who had a huge apartment style place/setting on the 1st floor and her own bathroom). We lived in a very nice, large/roomy room with beautiful wallpaper, we all shared the bathroom (yuck) and the kitchen; the stoves in the kitchen were small kerosene type burners (3 burners) that sat on your table which had spices, etc. on it as well; we ate in the room we rented. Coming from a house with Grandma to a room in the big city of Jax (Jax was Florida's Queen in those days), was quite a shock, but I adjusted and grew to love it. My Mom was "out there" and she was in her 20's, so this is where she lived at the time (she's kind of rich these days LOL). LaVilla was bustling back then and you could hear music from at least 7 or 8 bars, nightclubs, etc. most of the day and all night on Ashley which was two blocks away. The Rooveselt Theater, on Ashley a half block from Davis Street, was my biggest hangout on the weekends when not in School; I also frequented the Strand and Ritz Theaters; the Strand has long long since been gone but was also on Ashley Street. I attended School at A. L. Lewis Elementary just west of the expressway with LaVilla Park being right in front of my school. So THIS is why I love what they are doing with this new development. IMO it's good where they are building this development; but I wish they would develop as much of LaVilla as possible with these type townhomes, which will instigate and spur other things like convenience stores/gas stations, maybe a small theater or two, restaurants, a shopping plaza or two, etc. I would love to see LaVilla bustling again, and I know it won't be like in the 60's and before, and I don't care what race, culture or races reside there, just bring my Neighborhood back! I am elated guys with this news!

Heights, as a Jax longtimer, I enjoyed reading your memories.  While I was raised in a different part of town.  I remember as a kid driving through much of LaVilla and seeing street after street of shotgun houses as you describe.  Closer to Forsyth and Bay Street were lots of blocks long, grand old brick buildings, mostly warehouses, that would have made amazing repurposed buildings, maybe even better than those, say, at the former Charleston cotton market. 

Sadly, the City tore them down in another disastrous no-plan plan when they leveled LaVilla on the taxpayers dime decades ago.  Only now are we seeing any life at all (gotta love that JEA emergency facility!).  Just another example of Downtown failures.  Losing history and gaining nothing at great expense.

[brainstormer]

This bid is definitely better as a whole than the previous one but my one minor gripe is the front of the houses lack visual interest. The shape is spot on to the historical style of houses in LaVilla but I wish there was a porch or something mimicking it to break up the front. I realize it probably cost too much, but just something in an ideal world I think could elevate these houses.

I completely agree. In my opinion, the front porch is the defining shotgun house feature along with the pointed roof. The current design is missing the interactive element of the front porch. Imagine being able to sit out on your front porch and listen to the live events in the nearby park. Or sit out front and chat with the next door neighbor. Or wave at the runners as they make their way to the Emerald Trail. With this design, we just add another "closed off" housing project to downtown.

[heights unknown]

This bid is definitely better as a whole than the previous one but my one minor gripe is the front of the houses lack visual interest. The shape is spot on to the historical style of houses in LaVilla but I wish there was a porch or something mimicking it to break up the front. I realize it probably cost too much, but just something in an ideal world I think could elevate these houses.

Believe it or not most of the houses in LaVilla were two story. Across the street from where we lived at 817 W. Duval, there were like 3 houses that looked like this, and I think some on Monroe. I remember those houses but can't remember what street they were on; I'm tempted to say Monroe.

[heights unknown]

This bid is definitely better as a whole than the previous one but my one minor gripe is the front of the houses lack visual interest. The shape is spot on to the historical style of houses in LaVilla but I wish there was a porch or something mimicking it to break up the front. I realize it probably cost too much, but just something in an ideal world I think could elevate these houses.

I completely agree. In my opinion, the front porch is the defining shotgun house feature along with the pointed roof. The current design is missing the interactive element of the front porch. Imagine being able to sit out on your front porch and listen to the live events in the nearby park. Or sit out front and chat with the next door neighbor. Or wave at the runners as they make their way to the Emerald Trail. With this design, we just add another "closed off" housing project to downtown.

In relation to front porches, those two story houses had an extensive front porch on the 1st and second story. Sometimes it helps to locate someone who actually lived in those neighborhoods, or even lived in those homes, and query them about how the homes really looked rather than looking at photos and formulating your own opinion on how it was or how it should look. As the old saying goes, "you've got to be real!" So if you're going to build modern but similar to those old homes, make sure you get "the feel" in every detail of living but of course in a modern sense.

[Alex Sifakis]

Agree completely on the front porches... we are planning on some product with front porches in the cathedral district, but there just wasn't enough room to make them work on this site with the unit count we needed to hit. These units are only 33' deep as it is. Taking 5' off for a front porch just made the floor plan unworkable.

[heights unknown]

Gotcha; understood.

[jaxoNOLE]

Agree completely on the front porches... we are planning on some product with front porches in the cathedral district, but there just wasn't enough room to make them work on this site with the unit count we needed to hit. These units are only 33' deep as it is. Taking 5' off for a front porch just made the floor plan unworkable.

I may be offering up a terrible idea, but what about faux-porch roofs that extend outwards over the sidewalk? Could break up the massing, honor the original style, and shade pedestrians below whilst maintaining the necessary building depth.

[Charles Hunter]

A question and a suggestion.
In the rendering above, is there one unit for each roof peak, or one per color change?

I understand the building depth problem, and like the idea of porch roofs over the edge of the sidewalk - if that is legal. A horizontal element added at the second-floor level, perhaps as a small eave-line could replicate the traditional 'face' of the residences.

[marcuscnelson]

In the rendering above, is there one unit for each roof peak, or one per color change?

The location of the doors suggest each roof peak.

[heights unknown]

I love it. Why? As y'all know I was born in Jax, then taken back to Jasper to be raised by my Grandma until age 9, then my Mom came and got me in 1965 from Jasper/Grandma and moved me to be with her in Jax. We lived at 817 West Duval Street (it is now an empty lot behind a commercial building), and yes, in a two story house with many rooms (they were not known as shotgun houses back then but were boarding houses where the rooms inside were for rent and everyone shared one bathroom on each floor except for the Landlord who had a huge apartment style place/setting on the 1st floor and her own bathroom). We lived in a very nice, large/roomy room with beautiful wallpaper, we all shared the bathroom (yuck) and the kitchen; the stoves in the kitchen were small kerosene type burners (3 burners) that sat on your table which had spices, etc. on it as well; we ate in the room we rented. Coming from a house with Grandma to a room in the big city of Jax (Jax was Florida's Queen in those days), was quite a shock, but I adjusted and grew to love it. My Mom was "out there" and she was in her 20's, so this is where she lived at the time (she's kind of rich these days LOL). LaVilla was bustling back then and you could hear music from at least 7 or 8 bars, nightclubs, etc. most of the day and all night on Ashley which was two blocks away. The Rooveselt Theater, on Ashley a half block from Davis Street, was my biggest hangout on the weekends when not in School; I also frequented the Strand and Ritz Theaters; the Strand has long long since been gone but was also on Ashley Street. I attended School at A. L. Lewis Elementary just west of the expressway with LaVilla Park being right in front of my school. So THIS is why I love what they are doing with this new development. IMO it's good where they are building this development; but I wish they would develop as much of LaVilla as possible with these type townhomes, which will instigate and spur other things like convenience stores/gas stations, maybe a small theater or two, restaurants, a shopping plaza or two, etc. I would love to see LaVilla bustling again, and I know it won't be like in the 60's and before, and I don't care what race, culture or races reside there, just bring my Neighborhood back! I am elated guys with this news!

Heights, as a Jax longtimer, I enjoyed reading your memories.  While I was raised in a different part of town.  I remember as a kid driving through much of LaVilla and seeing street after street of shotgun houses as you describe.  Closer to Forsyth and Bay Street were lots of blocks long, grand old brick buildings, mostly warehouses, that would have made amazing repurposed buildings, maybe even better than those, say, at the former Charleston cotton market. 

Sadly, the City tore them down in another disastrous no-plan plan when they leveled LaVilla on the taxpayers dime decades ago.  Only now are we seeing any life at all (gotta love that JEA emergency facility!).  Just another example of Downtown failures.  Losing history and gaining nothing at great expense.

You said it extremely well Jaxlongtimer; thanks for further adding to what I said, fattening it up, and hey, it's truth and fact. Those old boarding houses and shotgun houses had to come down and would have at some point;...... most of them were close to a hundred years old or more; but to flatten everything completely with no plan at all was just disgraceful. Though the population of LaVilla was down to the bare knuckles, the people that still lived there, that was their home, their neighborhood, and to be just pushed out and I'll bet with no incentives or anything for relocation. However, I do like what I am seeing regarding these townhomes; the first time I saw these renderings, I knew they were borrowing from and on the old houses that were built at the turn of the century and that were almost a hundred years old, some of them, when they razed LaVilla. They just need to really get some old photos out, or query some people, like me, that lived there back in the day, to really refine the details in order to get a "LaVilla Real Feel." The area where I grew up was THE center of population for LaVilla, and, unfortunately they've blocked off some streets (such as Ashley), and built commercial/business on most of where I lived. But...there's quite a bit of more unused and vacant land left in LaVilla to still add residential in and around what's already there.

[jaxlongtimer]

A picture that is more comparable as a reference:



https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/johnson-commons-offers-competing-plan-for-townhomes-in-lavilla