Annie Lytle demolition back on track?

[mtraininjax]

Mr. Jones is listed as one of the contractors for the Gateway Mall, very generous in his campaign contibutions as well. If anything happens here, I would want to make sure its all private funding.

[vicupstate]

From the sounds of it, it would be public and private.  Anticipated tax revenues from the post-completed project would be returned to the developer AND/OR the renovation expenses would qualify as a credit against property taxes, if I am reading this correctly. 

Sounds good to me.  The city should do more of that kind of thing. Let's keep our fingers crossed that this pans out.

[Charles Hunter]

“Then, it’s about an 18-month process,” said Jones. “The site is so tight, we would use precast (forms). We could have the new building erected in one to two weeks. The interior would take about six months.”

Can some explain this to me?  "have the new building erected in a couple weeks"??  What NEW building?  He's not talking about the interior of the existing PS4, that is the "six months" in the next sentence.

[thelakelander]

They are proposing to build a new building behind the school in addition to it's reuse.

[Dog Walker]

The property and the school are actually owned by two different corporate entities and the property is much larger than it looks.  It actually runs down College St. all the way to Rosselle St. behind Hughes Automotive and the A/C supply company.  There is plenty of room for another building, parking, etc.

The property is owned by Peninsular Brooklyn, LLC a for-profit company, not by the Ida Stevens Foundation as the news stories have stated.  The school is owned by Foundation Holdings IV, a non-profit company.  ?  Who knows.  Maybe to limit liability if someone was hurt playing around inside the school.  Maybe to limit the City if it took over the building to prevent it from putting a lien on the property.

Neither Jones nor Milne can be trusted to be accurate about their motivations or their plans.  Let's hope this time they are being truthful and that their plans work out.  My fear is that this talk of a plan coming soon is just another smoke screen to get them out of spending any money to secure and stabilize the building.  The delaying tactics and vague promises have served Milne well for over twenty years in this regard.

This property and building, under any new use, could become the first step in a renewed Brooklyn.  Milne secured an easement from the FDOT as part of the deal to take some additional property for the expressway expansion.  The easement runs UNDER the whole Interstate at ground level to Riverside Park, reconnecting the school building to the park and providing pedestrian access to Five Points and Riverside.  Think of the possibilities!

The park was the playground for the school until the construction of the Fuller Warren Bridge in the '50's cut off the access.  The Fuller Warren Bridge, while it was being constructed, was known as the Gilmore Street Bridge.  The original address of the school was 1011 Gilmore St.

[ChriswUfGator]

I say let's keep close watch. Carlton Jones recently advocated demolition of two historic buildings on Margaret Street. He is recommending a pretty quick schedule for work considering keeping the historic building intact.

+1

This is the same guy who as recently as 3 or 4 months ago was caught applying to demolish the original Riverside clinic along with 2 historic houses, in order to build a CVS. From what I heard through the grapevine, RAP put a stop to that one rather quickly.

He seems to be an OK guy, but I hope he comes to have more respect for the historic fabric of the neighborhood than he has displayed of late. If he wants to just knock everything down and replace it with cooker-cutter prefab concrete, then he should go over to the southside and do it...they love that stuff over there.

[lindab]

Amen!

[Timkin]

It probably IS back on track, given the relatively LITTLE support it has seen of late.  All the brilliant minds who have grandiose Ideas for developing our dead Core, cannot even come up with a concrete plan to save a suffering building.  BUT WE NEED A NEW CONVENTION CENTER, THATS FOR DAMN SURE!...Im in total agreement of that MAYBE in 10 years... But this School IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT.. At the rate its crumbling, it will be a pile of bricks with the idiots whittling away at its interior, busting everything in sight. And from the lack of respect of the community as a majority.. (theres a few who truly care ,but a hell of alot that really do not, and )THEIR ACTIONS speak for themselves.

  For those of you who HAVE very generously donated your time and effort and sweat and tools , and most importantly , your love,  From the bottom of my heart I thank you..  But that isnt going to cut it..

  For those of you who doe alot of talking ,but ZERO to really help this by complaining to HPC , the Mayor, Council (not that shes going to get much support from that)  I know having Mayor Peyton in Charge, the damn thing will be on the ground soon..  He inasmuch stated that to a council member in an email , several years back, which is when I saw them ALL for the lowlife LYING , Criminal people they are.

When she falls,  ITS DAMN SURE NOT GOING TO BE BECAUSE I DID NOT TRY!  ITS GOING TO BE THAT MOST OF YOU didnt give a shit.

[uptowngirl]

Timkin did this just happen? Did the owner file for demo recently? Whats going on? Last I heard it was safe for a while and that was in June, what has changed? What can we do?

[Timkin]

Pray.  Contact the owner.  Try to find a developer /purchaser for the building.. but don't rely on any of the staff here..... The School is the last thing they are worried about.  That is obvious.

[thelakelander]

Do I dare ask, but what has gotten into you this morning?

[Kay]

My information is that the demolition application will be or has been administratively withdrawn because there is a new owner. 

[Timkin]

Do I dare ask, but what has gotten into you this morning?

Exactly as I have stated... Myself and a few kindhearted volunteers have done all the work to make this place look better..  What have ANY of you done  to help ?   Driven this Convention Center Idea THROUGH THE GROUND and oh , did i mention ..." of the two projects , The Convention Center or Annie Lytle being restored" Annie has  less of a chance.......maybe not in those exact words, but pretty much the jest of your statement.  

Annie may never see a new Chapter....OF the two projects , She should and your damn convention center needs to be mothballed......... Don't hold your breath on your multimillion dollar convention center.

And... I got your email intending to ignore me... Fine .. I really don't care .

[thelakelander]

Yes, I typically ignore such requests.  

Myself and a few kindhearted volunteers have done all the work to make this place look better..  What have ANY of you done  to help ?

We've given you a public platform to get your message out and even run a few front page stories about the Annie Lytle situation over the years.  You should take advantage of it to promote your cause.

Driven this Convention Center Idea THROUGH THE GROUND and oh , did i mention ..." of the two projects , The Convention Center or Annie Lytle being restored" Annie has  less of a chance.......maybe not in those exact words, but pretty much the jest of your statement.

Is this is what your out of character rant is about?  Given city politics and what's come out of the mayor's on mouth, I was just being realistic.  However, that doesn't mean you should get overly sensitive.  It just means there's more work to be done on the historic preservation front.

Annie may never see a new Chapter....OF the two projects , She should and your damn convention center needs to be mothballed......... Don't hold your breath on your multimillion dollar convention center.

Since when did it become my convention center and your school?  If the forum atmosphere is too much for you, you should probably lay off of it for a while.  Imo, there's nothing on here that should cause anyone the amount of stress you seem to be going through.

And... I got your email intending to ignore me... Fine .. I really don't care .

Sure you care.  Or else you would not be posting about it at 2am in the morning.  Anyway, nobody wishes you ill will and we (MJ staff) certainly don't want to see the Annie Lytle taken down.  Just remember, while we can't focus all our attention on your specific priority (city has too many issues and we have our own personal life's too live), we do allow you a platform to get your message out to thousands of people beyond your reach.  Once you cool down, try and take advantage of it.

[Timkin]

Well... I'm through ranting..  I have my agenda....which is to stand for and save if at all possible, this poor Schoolhouse. And while I am not able to work on it every Saturday as I truly wish i could, I am still trying to find a solution.  Much like I suppose you are trying to find solutions to what you call ,priorities.

And I am not further trying to argue the point but the only "Front Page Story" I have seen on here is the tour of the School in Pictures.  I think there is little of the Jacksonville population that does not know what the inside of the School looks like today, thanks to such outlets as Youtube, Facebook, Myspace , etc.. Anyway, you make a point... You all did do that.  Thank you.