by Michele Newbern Gillis
Staff Writer
The halls of Southside Elementary in San Marco once echoed with the sounds of school children laughing and playing. Soon, the building could be filled with lawyers talking about cases, artists discussing their latest work or a family discussing dinner plans.
If all goes according to plan, San Marco will soon have its first loft residences, The Lofts San Marco, located at 1450 Flagler Ave. Work is scheduled to begin this spring and the developers hope tenants will be moving in by the end of the year.
Barbara and William Cesery Jr., a brother/sister team who own Cesery Companies, a property management and developer company, purchased the property from the Duval County School Board in August 2001 for $393,000 and are developing it into residences.
Their father, William R. Cesery, was a developer in Jacksonville since the 1940s. They inherited the business when he passed away in 1994.
“William R. Cesery Company is a real estate company, Cesery Properties is the general contractors and then we have many other entities that own buildings in Jacksonville,” said William, adding the company owns several shopping centers and office and apartment complexes in the city, which the Ceserys manage. They also purchase older properties, which are then renovated and leased.
“We were looking for an investment opportunity in San Marco and we just happened to find it,” said William Cesery. “It is a wonderful building and a great location.”
When they learned the School Board was selling the property, the Ceserys made an offer. In addition to being an elementary school the building, which was constructed in 1916, once housed classrooms for Florida Community College of Jacksonville campus, served as an administrative building and was a depository for everything donated to the School Board.
The building is under consideration for a listing on the National Register of Historic Places because of its educational and architectural significance.
Currently, there are patches of oak floors exposed, showing the possibilities to come. The building will be completely gutted and renovated.
Lofts are usually conversions of commercial buildings to residential units. They usually are known for their large windows, high ceilings and large open spaces.
The 48,000 square-foot school is centrally located and within walking distance of San Marco Square and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s Kings Avenue Skyway Station. The school sits on two acres and takes up a full city block.
When complete, there will be 38 live/work spaces, nine of which will be two levels, with lofts ranging from 500 - 1,400 square feet.
“There is a wide range of people that could live there. It will be geared for young professionals as a live/work building, but we don’t want to discriminate against anyone,” said Barbara Cesery.
The residents will be able to get an occupational license without getting an exception because the building is zoned commercial, residential office (CRO) and live/work in the building, but the building will be primarily residential.
“All of the units will have kitchens and washer/dryer units,” said William Cesery.
One of the main lures will be the central San Marco location.
“The residents will be able to walk to nice restaurants and shopping,” said Barbara Cesery. “I think more and more retail will be coming into the area.”
The property will feature two courtyards, one with a pool and jacuzzi, and the other with a fountain and gardens, fitness room and a limited number of garages. Three of the units that will be built over the garages will feature terraces.
William said the live/work spaces will be appropriate for a variety of professionals, including graphic artists, writers, therapists, architects, engineers, interior designers, artisans, attorneys, personal trainers, photographers, filmmakers and web designers.
The building was toured recently by about 700 people during the San Marco Candlelight Tour of Homes.
Tom Fisher is the architect and Larry Wilson is the designer. Both are from Rink Reynolds Diamond and Fisher Wilson.