DIA Approves Demolition of East Duval Structures

[Houseboat Mike]

I give up. Let's just tear it all down, and have Lenny's Lawn expanded to say...25 blocks. Sheesh. 

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2024/03/21/dia-approves-fund-reallocation.html

"Another resolution that passed Wednesday transfers $120,000 from marketing to provide initial funding for a Southbank loan incentive program. Another $125,000 from unallocated funds will go toward demolition of three city-owned East Duval Street structures that Boyer said are in bad shape.

Boyer said the DIA has the "backbone" of its fiscal year 2025 budgets developed and will take the first action on those at the April Finance and Budget Committee meeting."

[thelakelander]

Hmm what structures are these?

[Captain Zissou]

Could these be the three historic homes across from First United Methodist?  There's also some older structures at Duval and Liberty, but there's not much else between Main and the Stadium that isn't already demolished or new construction.

[Jax_Developer]

Yes Cap. Per DIA: 216 East Duval, 222 East Duval, & 228 East Duval

[thelakelander]

I figured it was probably those. One or two of them were burned pretty badly a few years ago. Not sure about the condition of 228 East Duval.

[Captain Zissou]

Yes Cap. Per DIA: 216 East Duval, 222 East Duval, & 228 East Duval

None of these properties are city owned.  Why is the owner, TITUS HARVEST DOME SPECTRUM CHURCH INC, not paying for either maintenance or demolition?  Looking at their massive property on Atlantic Blvd, it looks like they aren't hurting for money and can afford to pay for this themselves.   

[Charles Hunter]

Yes Cap. Per DIA: 216 East Duval, 222 East Duval, & 228 East Duval

Interesting. The City must have recently acquired them; the COJ GIS Property Map says Harvest Titus Dome owns all three of them.

[UrbanistInExile]

About the only things we do well in our downtown is tear things down, and build more parking garages.

[thelakelander]

Yes Cap. Per DIA: 216 East Duval, 222 East Duval, & 228 East Duval

Interesting. The City must have recently acquired them; the COJ GIS Property Map says Harvest Titus Dome owns all three of them.

Not sure what's going on with them. The preacher that founded Titus Harvest died several years ago. I believe much of the properties that organization owned has or is being fought over internally. The church also owns the Odd Fellows Lodge at Pearl and State Street. That's a very important historic building to the African American community that is not locally protected. I'd hate to see an entity get their hands on it and try to demolish it.

[Jax_Developer]

Yes Cap. Per DIA: 216 East Duval, 222 East Duval, & 228 East Duval

Interesting. The City must have recently acquired them; the COJ GIS Property Map says Harvest Titus Dome owns all three of them.

Not sure what's going on with them. The preacher that founded Titus Harvest died several years ago. I believe much of the properties that organization owned has or is being fought over internally. The church also owns the Odd Fellows Lodge at Pearl and State Street. That's a very important historic building to the African American community that is not locally protected. I'd hate to see an entity get their hands on it and try to demolish it.

Not to mention them owning 40+ prime acres of land at the intersection of Atlantic Blvd & Kernan. They aren't in any dire financial situation that's for sure.

[Alex Sifakis]

The church has been embroiled in a legal dispute for years, which led to the deterioration of the properties. I am all for saving every historic building we can (if you ever saw the inside of 218 church before we bought it you would know that is the truth!) but I did look at these, and it does make sense to take them down, as much as it sucks.