Support the Riverside Trolley Service

JTA is hosting a public hearing Friday, July 23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4 - 6 p.m. at the JTA administrative offices at 100 N. Myrtle Avenue. The purpose of the hearing is to present proposed changes to the transit system (including Riverside Trolley) that go into effect September 6, 2010, and get public feedback.

Proposed changes include combining the Riverside Trolley and the WS1 (Ortega-NAS) to create one route from downtown along Riverside Avenue to King Street, then south on St. Johns Avenue to Herschel Street, and west onto San Juan to Roosevelt Boulevard, then north to FSCJ Kent Campus.
The headway would be 30 minutes. During the lunch time, an additional vehicle is being considered to increase frequency to 15 minutes. The Ortega portion between FSCJ Kent and NAS main gate would be served by a Community Shuttle during peak hours only. A new NAS Community Shuttle would operate on base during peak hours connecting at the main gate with the Ortega Community Shuttle.

Support for the proposed Riverside Trolley service is critical to its continued success, so please take a moment to comment on the proposed new Riverside Trolley Service. If you can't able to attend the public hearing, you can submit their comments on the proposed route before the public hearing at the www.JTAFLA.com website or simply by clicking here.

Changes Coing to the RAP Blog

Last night some of the good folks at RAP got together and came up with a plan to improve this blog. Very soon, you should start seeing more frequent posting and on a variety of different subjects – from the expected preservation topics to events in the district ranging from education, politics, culture and food – all the things that interest you. If we don't cover what you are looking for let us know.

A Treat for House Fans – No Not THAT House!

The 5 Points Theatre has a special treat for film lovers as they are screening Obayashi's "HAUSU". The Brooklyn Rail claims the film as "one of the most coveted cult films to emerge from the fantastic realm of Asian cinema." Also described as "hallucinatory head trip about a schoolgirl who travels with six classmates to her ailing aunt’s creaky country home, only to come face to face with evil spirits, bloodthirsty pianos, and a demonic housecat. House seems like it was beamed to Earth from another planet."

This film looks like a Friday night treat that is not to be missed. The film airs Friday, February 19, 2010 at 11:00pm at the 5 Points Theatre in Riverside.

Annual Meeting is Tonight!

Don't miss the meeting tonight at the 5 Points Theatre! Come early for the social hour rub elbows with your neighbors and the board. Find out what RAP has been up to. Hear about what we are planning for the coming year and beyond.

Social starts at 6pm. The meeting commences at 7pm.

Mark Your Calendars

Social 6pm • Meeting 7pm
Location: 5 Points Theatre

The Riverside Avondale Preservation Annual Meeting is February 18. Plan to come early for the social hour. It is a great place to get to know your neighbors and see what RAP has been doing this past year. You will also find out about the current projects and the plans for the future.

Also on tap is the annual election of the Board.
Visit the web site for more information. >>

A Big Weekend for RAP! And RAM!

LUMINARIA

Riverside Avondale Preservation’s "Luminaria" weekend includes the last day of the Riverside Arts Market (Saturday, Dec 19), bike tours Saturday morning and Sunday evening, historic church tours, carolling, $1 trolley tours to see the Luminaria on Sunday evening, and Santa of course. See the “Luminaria schedule” for complete information. There are all kinds of parties going on this weekend both public and private. This year Harpoon Louie's is getting in on the action with FREE hot cider, drink specials from Bold CIty Brewery and live music. And you can catch the trolley Sunday so you won't have to worry about driving!

LUMINARIA NEIGHBORHOOD PARTY
RAP and RAM are hosting a neighborhood party on Saturday night at RAM, with our food vendors, live band, video presentation, free wine tasting, beer and wine bars, and more. 6:30pm to 10pm. Free admission, free parking. It's at RAM under the bridge!

RIVERSIDE ARTS MARKET – Last Day of the Year!
Although RAM will close for the winter on Dec. 19th, RAM's Farmer's Market (FRAM) will still be open every Saturday in January and February. Here's the link to our Artist of the Week, gourmet baker Jon-Claude. He is one of our wonderful vendors at the Market. Jon-Claude is not only a Culinary Institute of America graduate, he was named Club Med's best baker world wide two years in a row based on customer surveys. As usual we have great music. The Mike Shackleford Band is our headliner and will be playing from 1-3:30pm. Also up are Steve Piscitelli, Crashby, Lee Webster and too many to mention! And we have more than just art, food and music! Check out the lineup at RAM's site.

WHERE
Church of the Good Shepherd (located at the corner of Stockton St. & Park St.). The meeting will take place in the Worsham Room (enter parking lot from Forbes St.).

WHEN
Tuesday, September 8 at 7 PM.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
We need all interested residents - homeowners & renters - at the organizational meeting.

Please also consider if you are willing to serve as a Block Captain. The time requirements are minimal (3 to 4 hours a month) but the rewards are great as we work to make Riverside “crime free”.

DOWNLOAD THE FLYER

RAP is working to help establish a Neighborhood Watch Program. This pilot program is for those living in the area north of College Street to I-10 that are located between Stockton Street on the west and Margaret Street on the east are included. Once the program is working smoothly we plan to expand it if there is interest. For now, those in the area mention, please attend this meeting. We need your input.

This Weekend at RAM

Summer's in full swing and we've got some pretty cool stuff (again) at RAM this weekend. Jacksonville's very own River City Band Satin Swing Ensemble jazzes things up on the River Stage starting at 10:30. Then at 1:30 we're proud to have Warren Floyd rock the house. Floyd has played with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and shared the stage with a long list of rock royalty--from The Marshall Tucker Band to Bonnie Raitt to the Dixie Chicks. When you're walking around the market, look out for yoga demos by Tara Rawson, local honey, fresh tomatoes, belly dancers, orchids, ripe peaches, goat cheese, olive bread and chocolate croissants, beignets, shaved ice and lots of cool art to inspire and enjoy. Take a pedicab ride to Five Points, visit the Cummer or stroll the Riverwalk when you're done. It is sure to be another great Saturday.

Dancing in the Streets

Saturday, June 20th

Avondale comes alive in this yearly event! Line music with The BayStreet Band 5 - 8 pm
Vintage cars, dining, shopping and of course dancing!

Hosted by the Avondale Merchants Association. For more information call 338-3194 or visit their site.

3rd Thursday Celebration

The third time is the charm, if you missed the 1st Wednesday Jacksonville Art Walk and the 1st Friday Walk in 5 Points, then do not miss Avondale’s newest excuse to party.

Join us this and every third Thursday of the month from 5-8.

Featuring art being created on the streets, amazing food & drink specials at our fine and casual dining restaurants, complimentary cocktails and wine tastings in many of our historic shoppes, incredible one-night-only boutique sales and MORE. Plan a date for this wonderful new monthly event!

19 Studios… One Colorful Party!

Saturday, May 30, 10am–6pm and Sunday, May 31, noon–4pm

The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville will be touring the studios of artists working in Downtown, San Marco, Riverside, Avondale and Ortega this Saturay and Sunday. Most of the stops are in Riverside and Avondale! Many of Jacksonville’s best known and emerging artists have been convinced to let you into their studios to let you see where they create their work. They are offering optional guided or self-guided tours. And once you have been inspired, there is a great after party and auction at our very own Bold City Brewery. If you haven't been to their brewery on Rosselle Street this is the perfect time to give it a try! Tickets can be purchased by calling MOCA at 366-6911 ext. 208 or stopping by R. Roberts Gallery.

So join MOCA for an inside view of the creative life.

ShAdCo Meeting - May 28

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

Painting Historic Interiors

Click image to make larger. Image courtesy of the Arts & Crafts Society forum.

The paint Americans used in the past is undeniably part of a technological and commercial record. But beyond that, the colors we have chosen and continue to select for our interior living and working spaces--bright and exuberant, purposefully somber, or a combination of hues--reflect our nation's cultural influences and our individual and collective spirit. Paint color is a simple, direct expression of the time, and of taste, values, and mood. To consider paint only as a protective coating is to misunderstand its meaning as an important aspect of America's heritage.

This brief from the National Park Service is about historic interior paints and choosing new paints for historic interiors if repainting is necessary or desirable. It addresses a variety of materials and features: plaster walls and ceilings; wooden doors, molding, and trim; and metal items such as radiators and railings. It provides background information about some of the types of paint which were used in the past, discusses the more common causes and effects of interior paint failure, and explains the principal factors guiding decisions about repainting, including what level of paint investigation may be appropriate. Careful thought should be given to each interior paint project, depending on the history of the building and its painted surfaces. Treatments may range from protecting extant decorative surfaces, to ordering custom made paint that replicates the original paint color, to using today's paint straight off the shelf and out of the can.

Finally, stripping old paints or applying new oil/alkyd paints poses serious health and safety concerns; the State Historic Preservation Officer should be contacted for current legal and technical information on removal, disposal, and health and safety precautions.

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

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.

ShAdCo Meeting - March 26

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).

This month's special guest:
Jacksonville Sheriff Office’s Gang Unit

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

Community Meeting – John Gorrie Junior High

Please make plans to attend a community meeting regarding the future use of John Gorrie Junior High. The meeting will be held Monday, March 16 from 6:30 -8:30pm in Craig Hall in the Church of the Good Shepherd located at the corner of Park and Stockton.

For those of you who haven't heard, the Duval County School Board recently sold the school to Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver and his wife, Delores Barr Weaver, under the name John Gorrie Investment Group LLC. This meeting has been called to get community input as to the possible future use. Working with architect Jack Diamond, the Weavers are considering converting the facility into affordable housing for nurses and teachers. Another option is to convert the facility for charter school use.

The Stockton Street Vision Plan has been approved and is in the works. John Gorrie Junior High will have a considerable impact on the entire area. Now is your chance to be heard. Bring your ideas. This is an important meeting.

Exterior Paint Problems on Historic Woodwork

A cautionary approach to paint removal is included in the guidelines to the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation. Removing paints down to bare wood surfaces using harsh methods can permanently damage those surfaces; therefore such methods are not recommended. Also, total removal obliterates evidence of the historical paints and their sequence and architectural context.

This Brief from the National Park Service expands on that advice for the architect, building manager, contractor, or homeowner by identifying and describing common types of paint surface conditions and failures, then recommending appropriate treatments for preparing exterior wood surfaces for repainting to assure the best adhesion and greatest durability of the new paint.