The John Gorrie Dog Park at Riverside Park

BARK ON PARK is throwing a party for Riverside Avondale’s furry friends

·         Join us on April 10th, 2014 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm as we mix and mingle with fellow dog lovers and raise money and awareness for The John Gorrie Dog Park at Riverside Park. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS!

·         This 2-acre dog park will be free and open to the public and will feature a small dog area under shaded old tree growth and a large dog area under the shade of the I-95 overpass.

·         Complimentary beer, wine and small bites will be served. Due to space restrictions, this event is for owners only — we will have plenty of play time for pups once the park is constructed!

The John Gorrie Dog Park at Riverside Park 

Riverside Avondale Preservation has been working very hard behind the scenes to bring you the Riverside Dog Park. After months of negotiating with the Florida Department of Transportation, the City of Jacksonville, and other parties, we felt comfortable moving forward with an engineering contract.

And we have good news — the engineering specifications and final plans are now complete! We have submitted the plans for review with various departments at the City of Jacksonville, including the Historic Commission.

Once these approvals are in place, we will launch a fundraising campaign — and we could use your help to make the approximately 2-acre, off-leash Riverside Dog Park a reality. Please consider making a donation, buying a brick to be placed at the park entrance, or asking your employer to make a contribution by sponsoring a piece of park equipment.

If all goes as planned, we hope to have funding, political support and necessary land leases completed in Spring 2014. Construction is expected to take up to two months so we could have a Dog Park by the summer! 

Key Features of the Riverside Dog Park:

• One-and-a-quarter acre large/active-breed area. The active area will feature decomposed granite ground cover, an eighth of a mile walking path and a shade pavilion.
• Quarter-acre small/passive-breed area featuring significant old-growth tree coverage and bench seating.
• Ample on-street parallel parking will be created along with one dedicated handicapped-accessible parking space, adjacent to the existing JEA substation.
• Double-gated entries for both pet areas.
• A new sidewalk that will connect Park and College Streets – serving as a neighborhood connector.
• Dog Park will extend north to Annie Lyttle School property line, hopefully renewing interest in the rehabilitation of this historic building.

Weavers Pose $50,000 Dog Park Match

·         Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver, owners of The John Gorrie a condominium, have partnered with Riverside Avondale Preservation (RAP) to offer the community an exceptional opportunity: A $50,000 match.

·         The match coincides with the fundraising campaign for the new dog park and gives those who choose to donate a substantial incentive. If collectively they raise $50,000, the John Gorrie Investment Group will match it. The new dog park will be known as The John Gorrie Dog Park at Riverside Park.

How You Can Help

• Purchase a paver to be placed at the Dog Park entrance HERE
• Encourage your company to inquire about Corporate Sponsorship. Companies will receive permanent name recognition at the Dog Park entrance or on certain features within the park itself. Contact carmen@riversideavondale.org for more regarding corporate sponsorship opportunities.
• Donate to the park . Every donation, large or small, makes a difference towards us reaching our goal.

READ MORE on our website

Biscottis is OPEN!

In celebration of 20 years in business, Biscottis in Avondale has recently undergone a major renovation, including a NEW BAR and REFERBISHED GLOWING FLOORS!

After being closed for 4 days they are now open and excited to show off their new space, including new art work by local artist/photographer Daryl Bunn.


Photo 1 - One of the contractors at Centerbeam Construction hard at work at Biscottis!

Photo 2 - Bill and crew from Wood & Laminate Fine Custom Furniture installing new bar.

Photo 3 - Thursday Morning Biscottis ready to open!

Local Contributors

 

Ok neighborhood experts…name where you can find this painting! 

 

 

 

 

Next time you pass by the Jax Federal Credit Union (JAXFCU) on Park Street, make sure you take the time to pop-in and look at this stunning Memorial Park mural.  RAP’s Membership Coordinator did just that and was able to meet a great team of active community members who help out locally in Riverside Avondale’s hood. 

 

 

 

Jax Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit cooperative financial institution owned by its members and has been serving Jacksonville since 1935.  JAXFCU offers great perks like their shared credit union branch network at over 6,800 locations nationwide, shared ATM networks at Publix Presto and Kangaroo gas station, technology banking with online and mobile banking, and even mobile check deposit.

 The organization’s community presence, known as the Pride Committee, coordinates volunteer efforts and offers support all over Jacksonville.  JAXFCU’s recent participation involves leading a team in the HEAL Foundation’s Annual “Zoo Walk” fundraiser for children diagnosed with Autism, t-shirt donations for “One Spark” winner Re-threaded, and a donation of 1,000 re-usable bags to the Riverside Arts Market.  More is yet to come this fall when they join forces with the 3^rd Annual “Cuts for Smile” to provide school supplies to local students and schools. 

Their local contributions hit home this past May when JAXFCU sponsored RAP’s 2^nd Annual “Bootlegger’s Ball”.  With the help from our sponsors and donations, this fundraiser was a ton of fun and a huge success!  “The Bootlegger’s Ball was a very fun event! Just the people-watching alone was entertaining to see everyone in their Twenties attire.  The food was excellent, as well as the live entertainment. What a Ball!” Susie Clauson, Client Services Coordinator.  “I thought the event was great! As soon as we stepped foot into the party, it felt like we were transported back in time! The band was wonderful, the food and beverages were delicious, and I loved seeing everyone’s outfits!” Jill Cruz, Loan Funding Specialist.

 

 

RAP would like to personally thank JAXFCU and all contributors that make our neighborhood such a great place to live!  Look for the next blog on our local contributors.  If you have someone you’d like the highlight, send information to preservation@riversideavondale.org

 For more information on Jax Federal Credit Union, stop in one of its 9 branches, visit www.jaxfcu.org, like them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaxfcu page or call (904) 475-8700.

RAP's ANNUAL MEETING & AWARDS

 

RAP’s Annual Meeting and Awards, February 21st, is going to be a hit! 

Doors open at 6:00pm and meeting begins at 6:30pm. We are excited to offer refreshments from Blue Budda Exotic Foods. Special thanks to Riverside Liquors and Village Wine Shop for sponsoring beverages, Dustin Wooten for the beautiful photo of Memorial Park, and to Good Sheppard for hosting the event.  Located at Good Sheppard, Worsham Hall, 1100 Stockton Street, 32204. 
 

We will unveil the hot-off-the-press Riverside Dog Park Plans for our puppy playground, 2012 Year in Review & Our 2013 Plans for both Riverside Avondale Preservation and the Riverside Arts Market, and  highlight amazing before and after transformations of our neighborhood’s historic properties and thank our neighbors who worked so very hard to improve our historic district.

COME SEE THE NEW WINNERS, as they will be announced at the meeting for this year’s categories: Outstanding Home Renovation, Outstanding Business Renovation, Neighborhood Friendly/Contributing Business, Outstanding Historically Compatible New Construction, Outstanding Neighborhood Advocate, Outstanding RAP Volunteer, Outstanding RAP Board Member, Lifetime Preservation Award, and Outstanding River-Friendly Yard.

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See more images and read about their
partnerships, www.satillainc.com

 

Former RAP Award recipient, Satilla Inc., was highlighted as “Outstanding Business Renovation”

In last year's meeting, they were highlighted for their work on the Old School Barber Shop.  Satilla Inc. partnered with Cronk Dutch Architecture on this project, which showed to be a great addition to the Shoppes of Avondale.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with Satilla Inc., they are a local construction and renovation company that has been contributing to the neighborhood for over seven years.  Their principles of value,   quality, and creativity help to preserve and maintain the unique features found in our historic district.  It is a small firm by design in efforts to provide extra care to manage each prohect closely and carefully.  Over the years, they have worked for the same clients and architects several times, showing a true testament to the relationships they have built due to their skills and quality of work.

 

 

 

 

PHOTOJAX Jacksonville Photography Festival – January 24-27, 2013

This weekend, lots to do right in our neighborhood! After you have had a chance to stop by the farmer's market (FRAM) under the bridge, be sure to check out PHOTOJAX 2013, a celebration of photography, returning to Downtown and CoRK Arts District in Jacksonville, Florida on January 24-26. PHOTOJAX 2013 presents a broad range of curated photography exhibitions, juried exhibitions, video installations, #PHOTOJAX500 – a community response Instagram  project, parties, and other fun stuff. Gallery 725 & Florida Mining Gallery will kick off the festival with dual benefit receptions on Thursday, January 24th starting at 6PM. Friday 7PM come Downtown for a street party to view the #PHOTOJAX500 project which received over 1,000 submissions. Followed at 8PM by the public opening exhibition of Slow: Marking Time in Photography and Film at MOCA Jacksonville. Saturday 12PM Featured Exhibitions will open at CoRK Arts District. Opening receptions for exhibiting photographers begins at 6PM.

PHOTOJAX is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization coordinated by a small group of dedicated volunteers who share a love of photography. The festival brings together artists, enthusiasts, collectors, dealers, educators, galleries, museums and invites the public to share in this exploration of photography.

More information can be found on their website, here are some details about what you can see during this great event!

Exhibitions

Chris McCaw Sunburned GSP #461 (Full day/Puget Sound, WA)

MOCA Jacksonville (333 N. Laura St.)

SLOW: Marking Time in Photography and Film focuses on artists and works that engage photography, film and video to explore questions of time and duration. A combination of still photographs, films, and video works, the exhibition explores multiple approaches to the topic: some works animate and extend the temporal boundaries of painting; others open the sealed confines of photography to the flow of time. In addition, photographic works capture an ever-expanding series of gestures and moments — ones that physically and conceptually transform the boundaries of the medium. In most cases, the temporal elements at play invite the viewer to slow down the process of looking and engage with the works over an expanded period of time in order to observe their unfolding. The exhibition features the works of seven American and European artists whose approaches to this concept complement and challenge one another. Participating artists include: Eve Sussman, Kota Ezawa, Sam Taylor-Johnson, Chris McCaw, Idris Khan, James Nares, and David Claerbout.

Florida Mining Gallery (5300 Shad Road)

MANIFEST: Select Photographs 

Bobby Davidson, Jessica Yatrofsky, Chang Kyun Kim, Allen Frame, and Emma Wilcox

Though the medium of photography has not yet reached its two-hundredth birthday, the significant impact on our social schema runs through many common relatable threads including the historical documentation of events such as Dorothea Lange’s “Migrant Mother” and “The Unknown Rebel in Tiananmen Square” by Jeff Widener, to the still life as abstract of Edward Weston, or the intimate yet confrontational portraits of Diane Arbus. The works in this exhibit come together to form an anthropological analysis of our social schema: in short, the figure, architecture and their interaction. The oeuvre of “Manifest: Select Photographs” range in process and production, giving attention to the various methods that consist in photographic practice, exemplifying the crisp clarity of digital shooting and printing, contrasting it with 120mm medium format film and proper darkroom process printing.

CoRK Arts District ( 2689 Rosselle Street)

Featured Photographers

Abra Anderson, Roy Albert Berry, Daryl Bunn, Dennis Ho, Jensen Hande, Jen Morgan, David Montgomery, Kedgar Volta, Edison Williams, Logan Zawacki

Featured Exhibits

The Territory of Light: Works by UNF photography students

#PHOTOJAX500 Poloroid Exhibit, by Jensen Hande

Gallery 725 (725-5 Atlantic Blvd./Beaches)

LOCAL EXPOSURE: A juried photography exhibit featuring artists from the region.

Historic Mobbing

5 Points is hosting the latest Jax Cash Mob this Saturday, September 8^th at Sun Ray Cinema. 

Cash mobbing is a nifty term that promotes shopping locally in “flash mob” form.  A group of people assemble at a local independent retailer, that is unveiled day of, and buy items from that business.  Their purpose is to support both the locally owned and operated businesses and overall community while having a great time.  Previous mob meetings this year were held in Springfield, Shoppes of Avondale, and Downtown Jacksonville.

Join the Jax Cash Mob this Saturday, September 8^th at 11am in 5 Points.  Everyone will meet at Sun-Ray Cinema to view a short documentary about building community.  Then they will head off to explore local shops in the 5 Points village by way of a scavenger hunt, prizes included!  Afterwards, Tapa That will be the designated spot to meet back up for lunch and socializing starting at 1pm.

Rules for participating:

1.      Show up at Sun Ray Cinema, 1028 Park Street, at 11am

2.      Watch Movie

3.      Spend $10-$20 at a local store, which will be revealed day of the event

4.      Meet three new people

5.      Eat lunch and socialize at Tapa That, 820 Lomax Street

Read more about Jax Cash Mob

CoRK Welcomes a Special Curated Show for RAP's 2012 Spring Tour of Homes

Story by Guest Blogger Anna Rodgers, House Captain for Art House (and preservationist extraordinaire)

Every year, RAP's Home Tour features one house, devoid of furniture, that serves as a space for local artists.  It is RAP's belief that artists are an essential component to a neighborhoods vitality, so the organization does what it can to foster the growth of the "creative class." This year is, by far, no exception.  Join us at CoRK for an unforgettable Art House--this weekend: Saturday, April 21 and Sunday, April 22. 

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Cork ArtSpace, 2689 Roselle Street

Built in 1926 as wholesale supply warehouses, the developers of CoRK (Corner of Rosselle and King) Arts District have transformed these once utilitarian group of buildings into the newest in Jacksonville's art scene.  CoRK East still boasts some if its original building materials such as its original diagonal floor boards, wood beams and columns.  The buildings have been divided out to provide Jacksonville artist space to develop and create their varied works of imagination.  Both CoRK East and CoRK West have been outfitted with individual studio spaces for artists to rent and access 24 hours a day.  CoRK is currently housing 22 of Jacksonville's best known and loved artists in town.  CoRK East also features a gallery space and an exhibition hall that are regularly used to showcase local and national talents.  This collection of in-house artists, open gallery spaces and façade graffiti/mural art provides a dynamic collaboration amongst a wide variety of visual artists. 

CoRK's gallery space will be open during the tour and will feature works by resident CoRK artists, Madeleine Peck Wagner and a collection of pieces from Jen Jones Art Consulting.  Dolf James, one of the driving and sustaining forces in the development of CoRK, has an expansive studio space in CoRK West that will be available for view on Saturday only.  As a bonus, the exhibition space will showcase a multi-sensory light and sound installation piece by UNF artists.  Tour attendees will also be able to tour select CoRK East and CoRK West studio spaces. 

Refreshments will be served in the gallery space at CoRK East on both Saturday and Sunday.  Coffee will be provided by Riverside's own Bold Bean Coffee Roasters and treats come courtesy of Peace, Love and Confection bakers.

Paintdancer, Sister Feathertoe

On Saturday at 12PM and 2PM, performance painter, Sister Feathertoe, will be Paintdancing in her studio space #13, CoRK East.  This will be a truly unique opportunity to witness an encore of Sister Feathertoe's "elaborate 60's-centric Be-In/ Go-Go Paintdancing show" that was performed at MOCA for their ReFocus: Art of the 1960s exhibition.  For more information about this artist, visit: http://siennajoy.tumblr.com/