Controlling Unwanted Moisture in Historic Buildings

Uncontrolled moisture is the most prevalent cause of deterioration in older and historic buildings. It leads to erosion, corrosion, rot, and ultimately the destruction of materials, finishes, and eventually structural components. Ever-present in our environment, moisture can be controlled to provide the differing levels of moisture necessary for human comfort as well as the longevity of historic building materials, furnishings, and museum collections. The challenge to building owners and preservation professionals alike is to understand the patterns of moisture movement in order to better manage it--not to try to eliminate it. There is never a single answer to a moisture problem. Diagnosis and treatment will always differ depending on where the building is located, climatic and soil conditions, ground water effects, and local traditions in building construction.

The National Park Service offers an extensive brief containing information on analyzing, surveying and diagnosing moisture problems as well as selecting the appropriate level of treatment and the ongoing care of your home.

This Weekend!

Our sincere thanks to our generous sponsors: E.B. Morris General Contractors, Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute – Riverside, and the Park & King Merchant’s Association. Thanks, as well, to Brinton’s Paint Company, who is yet again reprising its “Paint My House” Contest. Call the RAP office to learn how you can win up to 30 gallons of premier Benjamin Moore exterior paint!

ShAdCo Meeting – April 23

The Sheriff's Advisory Council (ShAdCo) meets the fourth Thursday of each month at 7 pm at the Boyd Chapel at Ortega United Methodist Church at 4807 Roosevelt Boulevard (at the corner of Roosevelt and Longfellow Road).

Your attendance and participation in the ShAdCo meetings is very important, so we encourage you to attend. Please feel free to bring a neighbor or a friend with you. As always, you may present any questions to the Watch Commander, sargeant or officers that patrol your area. (Caution: If you have a question or concern of a sensitive nature, please wait to speak to one of our officers after the meeting has adjourned of fill out one of the Comment/ Complaint Forms) At the meeting you will find out what crimes are happening in your neighborhood, if they are up or down, and what is being done about it. The police want our involvement and in fact, depend on it in most instances. If you are interested, please come to the meetings.

There are 19 ShAdCos in the city. We are in Zone 4, in the J1 sub-station. The Zone Commander is Assistant Chief Thomas R. Hackney - (904) 573-3165. Our Substation is located in the Cedar Hills Shopping Center at 3726 Blanding Blvd; the email address is JSOzone4[at]jaxsheriff.org.

Sheriff John Rutherford

The inaugural "The Artist's Way Workshop" offered by R. Roberts Gallery and facilitated by their Artist in Residence Tayloe White sold out within two hours of its announcement earlier this month! The 12 current, primarily novice students report they are having a blast and enjoyoing this simply as a way for themselves as collectors to tap into their own artistic voice.

The next workshop runs from July 13 - August 19 on six Monday & Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:30pm with one Plein Air field trip. The class size limited to 10 (at press time we have 5 students). Registration deadline May 30. For more information or TO REGISTER, e-mail: tayloewhite@mac.com. Nab your space while you can!

Renewed Hope for Florida Forever and Everglades in Senate!

Bonnie Barnes, Executive Director of the North Florida Land Trust found an interesting article in the Tallahassee Democrat and would like to share it with you. This might be a great time to express your support for land conservation to our legislators.

Sen. Al Lawson (D-Tallahassee) and Sen. Carey Baker (R-Eustis), Chairman of the Senate General Government Appropriations Committee, are proposing to use revenue generated by the closure of a corporate tax loophole that allows corporations to avoid real-estate taxes. The so-called "Crescent" loophole grew out of a court ruling in a Miami tax challenge two years ago. Closing this loophole would raise and estimated raise between $50 million and $400 million and would help to avoid eliminating the Florida Forever... >>more

Start a Conversation about “Places that Matter”

Do you have a favorite building or place that everyone needs to know about? Are you afraid that one day it will be remuddled or torn down? The National Trust for Historic Preservation recently launched This Place Matters campaign, to help people call attention to special places in their community before they are endangered. I'm sure there are a few places in North Florida that come to mind. Tell your story, celebrate a place you love, sound an alarm about a place that is threatened, or just start a conversation about a place that matters by telling the world.

Folio Weekly Invitational Artist Exhibition

Wednesday, Apr 15, 2009
through Sunday, May 31, 2009

In conjunction with Folio Weekly, The Cummer presents a selection of works by some of the area’s top artists.

The exhibition features 33 works by 18 local artists chosen through a meticulous selection process that reviewed submissions from over 300 artists. The exhibition includes paintings, photography, mixed media, works on paper and sculpture representing a full range of styles.

Featured artists include:
Brian Gray, Casey Matthews, Chad Landenberger, Clay Doran, Daryl Bunn, David Hansford, Edmund Dansart, Matt Abercrombie, Franklin Matthews, James Greene, Jose Cue, Leigh-Ann Sullivan, Christina Foard, Logan Zawacki, Mark Estlund, Matthew Bennet, Sarah Crooks Flaire and Zac Freeman.

Not All The World's A Stage

Carnegie Hall. The Hollywood Bowl. And, now RAM's beautiful River Stage. Want to play at America's next great venue? Entertainers should first contact ">Village Idiot Productions. For more information please go to riversideartsmarket.com

Riverside Fine Arts - Organ Series

Alan Morrison
April 19th at 3:00 pm
at Jacoby Symphony Hall

RAM River Stage Schedule April 11

Next Saturday's RAM Entertainment Schedule for the River Stage:

10:30
Steve Piscitelli-singer/songwritere;

11:15
Jimmi Mitchell-singer/songwriter;

12:30
Larry Mangum-singer/songwriter folk/country/swing.

See you under the bridge!

Understanding Old Buildings: The Process of Architectural Investigation

If you have ever felt a sense of excitement and mystery going inside an old building--whether occupied or vacant--it is probably because its materials and features resonate with the spirit of past people and events. Yet excitement about the unknown is heightened when a historic structure is examined architecturally, and its evolution over time emerges with increasing clarity to reveal the lives of its occupants. Architectural investigation is the critical first step in planning an appropriate treatment-understanding how a building has changed over time and assessing levels of deterioration.

Whether as a home owner making sympathetic repairs, a craftsman or contractor replacing damaged or missing features, or a conservator reconstituting wood or restoring decorative finishes, some type of investigative skill was used to recognize and solve an architectural question or explain a difficult aspect of the work itself.

To date, very little has been written for the layman on the subject of architectural investigation. This Preservation Brief thus addresses the often complex investigative process in broad, easy-to-understand terminology. The logical sequence of planning, investigation and analysis presented in this Brief is applicable to all buildings, geographic locations, periods, and construction types. It is neither a "how to" nor an exhaustive study on techniques or methodologies; rather, it serves to underscore the need for meticulous planning prior to work on our irreplaceable cultural resources.

For more information, read this National Park Service brief.

“The Artist’s Way Workshop” with Tayloe White

Do you yearn to connect with your creative gifts or to find your unique artistic voice? If you connect with that statement R. Roberts Gallery has just the thing for you. From April 14 through May 23 , Tuesdays and Saturdays, The Artist’s Way classes will guide you through your artistic journey based on the steps developed in the wildly successful, best-selling book, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Classes are facilitated by Artist Tayloe White and include materials and dinners in on Tuesday nights as well as a trip to the artist's own retreat on the Crooked River! This class is for beginners as well as the experienced artist. Visit the artists website for more details or call R. Roberts Gallery at 904.388.1188. Registration deadline April 10.

Riverside Arts Market Opens Tomorrow!

Lots of great information out there about tomorrow's sure-to-be fabulous launch of the Riverside Arts Market, brought to you by Riverside Avondale Preservation. The Times-Union has a front page story, BikeJax (which is providing a free bike valet service) provides some great tips about getting to the market, and local blog, The Urban Core, tells you everything you need to know about tomorrow's scene. Be there or be square!

It's Not Just About Books Anymore

We have a great Library System here in Jacksonville. It offers the latest releases as well as reference materials, access to the world wide web, free movies, classes and contests.

But one of the great things that you might not have know about is that they have most of the latest movie releases. And you can keep them for a week!

Quick News

Riverside Arts Market Launches this Saturday
Don't miss the first day of RAM. This Saturday marks the end of many years of planning, meetings and hard work and opens a new page in Jacksonville's history which takes us to many more years of planning, meetings and hard work!

Looking for a Great Deal on a Loft?
Chelsea Lofts, the award-winning lofts in the heart of 5 Points, have had their prices cut by almost $100 per square foot. Find out why!

RAM is FULL of Art!
If you thought you might like to sell some of your fabulous wares… it's too late for this Saturday. All spaces have been allocated! Get on the list now to sell your work.

'Blooms Galore and More' at Garden Club festival
The Garden Club of Jacksonville is sponsoring the fourth annual festival, which for the first time will include a juried flower show. It's also this Saturday. Why not take a short stroll down Riverside Avenue after you hit RAM?

Shape Up: 2.7 miles in Riverside
It's springtime and that means it's time to shape up! Check out this urban walking path.

Porch Time with the Browns
Riverside has some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet.

RAP in the News
Future plans, what's happening now with your organization and of course the past!

Three cheers
Superheroes do live amoung us.

'Mr. First Guaranty' has a long history in banks
The former chairman of Jacksonville's oldest bank plans to stay involved in the industry.