RAP has always supported smart growth. Some might think that’s a crazy position for an organization dedicated to historic preservation. But there clearly are instances where the judicious removal of vacant, derelict structures can bring new development and vitality to areas that face an uncertain future. Such was the case with the Riverside Market Square, built on the site of the demolished Riverside Hospital in 2002; working with the Sembler Group and the city’s Historic Preservation department, RAP was able to influence the project’s design and placement, ensuring that the new building would respect the area’s human scale and historic character, and also comply with District Regulations and the zoning code. The resulting shopping center, anchored by the Riverside Publix, has become an undisputed asset to the community.
However, our position remains that demolition should be done only as a last resort, and so RAP is decidedly NOT in favor of The Renaissance Group’s reported proposal to tear down the historic buildings at 2008 Riverside Ave and 1732 Margaret St. Each of these buildings is a recognized contributing structure in our national historic district, and the younger of the two has been part of Riverside’s streetscape for eighty years. Unlike the old Riverside Hospital, whose facade had been repeatedly altered and which had become a local eyesore following the facility's closure by St. Vincent's, the architectural integrity of the Renaissance (formerly Jelks) Building and the Prairie School-style home on Margaret is intact.
We’ve always disputed the notion that building a new building is somehow inherently better than rehabilitating an older one for new uses. Setting aside whether a drive-thru is appropriate in a historic district where we’re trying to encourage pedestrian rather than vehicular traffic, we remain hopeful that the project’s developers will come to see the value in modifying their business plan to retain the existing structures. Countless other cities have managed to successfully work retail options into historic building stock; surely Jacksonville can do the same.
That RAP would oppose any development that required the demolition of these architecturally significant structures is a position we made clear to the developer’s representatives some time ago. Thus we are disappointed to learn that a project proposing demolition has now gone through concurrency. To be clear, while we support the creative reuse of the Renaissance Building and the adjacent house, RAP will never support the bulldozing of these two historic structures.
photo credit: Coulter Kirkpatrick/Times-Union -- 4/22/09
5 comments:
This is such a prominent corner in our district, and directly beside one of community's best features, Memorial Park. I sincerely hope the developers reconsider their plan. Clearly they're drawn to the neighborhood because of its density, but they need to recognize that this isn't Arlington. The big box store concept doesn't belong here.
I must be out of the loop here... What are they planning on putting here?
The reported plan is to demolish the two buildings and build a 70,000 s.f. drive-thru pharmacy. The size figure comes from the T-U article and might be wrong; 70,000 s.f would be roughly equivalent to the Dick's Sporting Goods store out at the St. Johns Town Center, which seems awfully big for a pharmacy.
I believe it's 7,000 sf, not 70,000. And not only is it a drive-thru pharmacy (which Riverside does not need when most people either walk or ride a bike locally) but it will also have all the necessary parking at the rear for those wishing to go inside rather than "drive-thru". While I myself am a modernist, or at the very least a contemporary Architect, this project will be a monstrosity. It is no where even in the neighborhood of good Urban Planning and will do nothing but blight a neighborhood that has been struggling for YEARS to get where it is today. The community at large needs to come out in opposition with RAP of such a poorly planned project as this. The developer is obviously concerned only with his bottom line and could care less about the negative impact to the neighborhood. Projects like this make me sick to my stomach. With only minimum forethought and proper planning the existing structures could EASILY be renovated to house a simply pharmacy (we're not talking about a huge feet of engineering or architecture here) and still respect and honor the pedestrian friendly nature that is Riverside.
Really the 69,000 square feet is for the entire project, which as I recall is for a two-story building and includes the parking. The concurrency application forms are confusing and are often filled out inconsistently - it really should have been the "enclosed" area. I'm sorry the way I worded that was a bit misleading!
Too bad I was limited to so little space. The history of these buildings is very cool. Also, pretty interesting that Carlton Jones was last year appointed chair of the Jacksonville Field Office Advisory Council of the Trust for Public Land. According to the TPL's website, one of their major goals in NE Florida is the St. Johns River Initiative - a program to conserve land along the river. One of the program's aims is to conserve the character and heritage of sites along the St. Johns.
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