Architecture Firm KBJ Destroys Historic Church

[Metro Jacksonville]

Architecture Firm KBJ Destroys Historic Church



Architecture Firm KBJ (Keeping Back Jacksonville) has successfully destroyed a historic building in the heart of Downtown Jacksonville in favor of a parking lot. Despite the Historic Commision determining the building was historic, the City Council decided it was not.KBJ was still required to get approval for the demolition. At this time it is unclear when or where they recieved approval to proceed with the demolition. Look at what KBJ has done...

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/470

[I-10east]

I came a conclusion that the lost of this building wasn't that important; Trying to save this church would've been too expensive, and IMO it's not worth it. People only are in uproar just because they're gonna replace it with a parking lot. Jax lost buildings in the past with FAR more value; Lets please don't make this church to be the George Washington Hotel or something. People can try to villify KBJ all they want to, but IMO KBJ done what's good for the city vastly overshadows a run-down church being demolished. A know someone is gonna say "All KBJ done for Jax is make our skyline ugly" yada,yada,yada; My response to that is God forbid anyone building any structures in the sixties, seventies, or eighties. IMO it's not KBJ making Jax look ugly, if anything it's those damn new architect firms coming to town making all of those beach condos. Something tell me that I'm gonna be very unpopular around here for having an opinion; Oh well, whatever.

[vicupstate]

Why not demo the Laura Trio?  The renovation cost is more than the cost to demo and build new?  

Might as well demo the Ambassador Hotel too.  You could probably get 100+ parking spaces out of that parcel.

Jacksonville has no soul.  

There is nothing that we value, nothing that comes before a quick buck.  My disappointment in this city grows by the day.  Homes are being demolished by the dozens in Springfield.  No one with any power cares.  

KBJ does not even need the additional parking.  They don't even utilize space in the existing lot that only needs some painted lines to add parking.

KBJ should be ashamed.    

[Jeremiah]

While I do think that the demolition of any building of Historic significance is reason for mourning, I still agree that this site could be put to much better use without the Church there and rejoice is in order.  So, I agree with I-10east.  But, I do also agree with MetroJax stand that KBJ has done a great disservice to the city of Jacksonville.  I've lost immense amounts of respect over the last couple of months for the firm and it's managing partners.  But to say that they have done nothing but "vilify" the Jacksonville skyline is a matter of taste.  I-10east made a good point, why isn't anyone pointing fingers at the developers cramming our city full of massive residential developments and hideous condo structures like the Strand and Peninsula.  These monstrosities add nothing to the architectural heritage of the city.  Neither do they promote any modern flavor or taste.  They are an eyesore and a detriment to the city in their complete blandness and total lack of originality and architectural vision.  But, as I said, it's a matter of taste.  Some people like Florida Red (pink) and stucco, I personally do not.  But then again, I'm an architect and apparently don't know what the hell I'm talking about when it comes to architectural taste and aesthetic judgment.  :-|

[claytonbixby]

yeah, some architects there... brilliant people... are they at least salvaging anything, mouldings, doors, BRICKS???  

I'm sure that KBJ builds with bricks right?  or more likely they use T111 or the new strandboard and stucco.. yeah great minds think alike :-*

whatever...in the end it makes no difference, Jax will never be Savanah or Charleston heck for that matter not even St. Augustine.

[JJ]

Was this on the news? In the T-U? Nobody cares. I am sure if this was a new Chili's opening at the SJTC that somebody from First Coast News would have been there for the ribbon cutting.

[Johnny]

maybe instead of a parking lot they could put a Chili's there.  :P

[avonjax]

This is not only about KBJ taking down a building that was deemed historically significant, as I have stated here before, we don't let our buildings stand long enough to be historic most of the time, and yes it is offensive that they are replacing the buidling with a surface parking lot, but the worst aspect of all is this has been going on in downtown Jacksonville for years.
FINALLY people are voicing their displeasure with ANY old structure going down.
In the late 60's early 70's our downtown looked complelely different. There were actually complete blocks with buidlings on them. The saddest thing of all, is very few of the buildings and city blocks that  have been demolished since have been rebuilt. Was it urban renewal? If so where's the renewal?
If those structures were still here imagine what could have been done with them and how much more vital our downtown would be.
But no one really spoke out about the mass destruction. We just watched it slowly happen.
Many of those buildings were fairly young. 50, 60  70 years old. If buildings of those ages weren't worth saving there would be no Springfield, Riverside, Avondale and Ortega.
The block where KBJ sits has one, ONE buidling on it. A WHOLE CITY BLOCK and now another hole in that block is getting MORE surface parking. If KBJ had announed they were building a structure, other than a parking garage, I don't think the sentiment here would have been quite as angry.
As the city council allows destruction, can't they just look west to La Villa to see what a nightmare can look like.
All the big talk and big plans for La Villa have resulted in a downtown office park and not a very nice one at that. No matter what is developed there short of some decent residential, people will NOT walk the sidewalks. They will drive there go to a bank or doctor get in their car and leave.
Although some of the posters here think some of us are making a big deal about nothing, as the remaining guts of Jacksonvlle are ripped out leaving a perforated cityscape at least we tried to express our dissappointment. Maybe one day a large enough number will show their concern and it WILL make a difference.

[vicupstate]

'I still agree that this site could be put to much better use without the Church there and rejoice is in order."

Excuse me, another gaping hole in the urban fabric, a parking lot, is something to rejoice?  

As for the Strand and the Peninsula, at least they are ELIMINATING a surface lot and bring density.  The design of the Strand could have been better, but it's premature to pass judgement on a buildingthat isn't even close to finished (Peninsula).  

As a whole KBJ work has run the gamut, much it of good or at least better than average.  Jax's skylin eis way about average IMO, and they deserve credit for that.  However, this action is simply inexcuseable and totally unjustified.  
     

[zoo]

didn't kbj buy the building 26 years ago?

"IMO KBJ done what's good for the city vastly overshadows a run-down church being demolished"

was it "run-down" then. so if I want a piece of land, and I don't like what's on it, all i have to do is let it rot into the ground until people don't care if it's demolished?

This builiding held little appeal to me, but "architects" who are supposed to know something about land use, cityscapes and vibrancy, should be ASHAMED for planning a parking lot in the urban core.

Put a 4-5 story, residential building with commercial space (office or retail) on the ground floor -- but please let a REAL architecture firm design it!!!

[cinch2win]

If KBJ owned the building for 26 years as stated above, I am sure someone occupied it during that tenure. So where was the interest from the public to use the building? If sitting empty, must we wait for the roof to fall in, windows to be smashed out, before someone decides to use it, and by then the cost to re-use is astronomical compared to destroying it?

Buildings were not designed and constructed to sit empty. If you want to save a building, find someone to use it, otherwise go and hug a tree and save it.

[gatorkid]

While I am not a fan of purchasing a building, letting it sit there for 30 years then demolishing it, I think a huge point is being overshadowed here....  has everyone forgotten that this building was deemed historic by the Historic Commission... then overruled by the City Council..??..  Why is the Historic commission even in place if our leader are not going to listen to the group?  Whether the site is better served with or without the church on it is a moot point IMO, if our governement isn't even going to listen to itself.

Just my thoughts.

[avonjax]

I think the scariest issue is not that the city ignored the Historic Commission, but that they would allow the demolition for another surface parking lot.
Has anyone seen any plans for this parking lot?
I am sure they will plant some nice trees, but I think this is another indication that the City Council only cares about the suburbs.
For the years and years this has been allowed to go on, downtown looks more and more like a Southside office park...
I AM NOT AGAINST pocket parks, but it's odd where they are being built. The one on Main Street is crazy. IT WILL BE THE NEW OUTDOOR HOMELESS SHELTER.
Maybe city hall knew that the homeless would possible abandon Hemming Plaza if they gave them a new place to hang out.
As every hour, day, week, year pass Jacksonville becomes more and more desolate.
As in the next article, the city, state, federal government, and a local (developer?, absentee landlord), own a tremendous amount of downtown property and land.
They are having a negative impact on downtown.
I feel there is still hope but changes have to be made.
And because Jacksonville is a suburban minded city it's going be even more difficult.
Even one of our more urban thinking council persons made a comment a while back referring to the JEA site and how they didn't want buildings that would not be in scale with the surrounding neighborhoods. This is the kind of thinking that needs to change, especially since the  JEA site is part of the Southside skyline.
Again as negative as this post sounds I really believe downtown will become a vibrant neighborhood, but it would help if the people with the power and the properties would wake up.

[thelakelander]

Use it or lose it
Written by cinch2win, Thursday, June 14, 2007 at 3:40:58 am EDT

If KBJ owned the building for 26 years as stated above, I am sure someone occupied it during that tenure. So where was the interest from the public to use the building? If sitting empty, must we wait for the roof to fall in, windows to be smashed out, before someone decides to use it, and by then the cost to re-use is astronomical compared to destroying it?

Unfortunately, if a neglectful landlord (KBJ) refuses to lease out their property or maintain it and the city refuses to make sure the building is being properly maintained, there's not much an outsider can do.

Buildings were not designed and constructed to sit empty. If you want to save a building, find someone to use it, otherwise go and hug a tree and save it.

If KBJ would have seriously considered selling it, then I'm pretty sure it would be already renovated and standing today.  Since KBJ never had any plans of getting rid of that piece of property, everything else mentioned is hot air.

[cinch2win]

Lake - If the property has sat there owned by the same tenant for 26 years, surely someone could have done more with it than what the outcome provided? Surely!

If someone had offered more for the land, something more could have been done, but with so many open lots, why spend the money to rehab it or build on it? Its economics 101. No one stepped forward to use the property for more than a parking lot.