by Monica Chamness
Staff Writer
Creativity is the core of artistic expression, but having money doesn’t hurt either.
Craig Van Horn, CEO of Symbiosis Investments, a real estate development company, is putting his money where his interest in art is through his still-in-the-works enterprise at the corner of Ninth and Main streets in Springfield.
Once a condemned building, Van Horn is renovating the 8,000 square-foot property adjacent to the historic Klutho Apartments into space for artists, retailers and restaurateurs. The grand plan is to subdivide the lot into three sections.
The northern quadrant of the facility will be reserved for a 3,000 square-foot local eatery. In the middle, there will be space for different events such as a farmer’s market, an antiques show or corporate parties. The rear of the building is intended to be a 60-seat theater for live performances or vintage or independent films. Behind the building there will be an open courtyard with outside seating and available access to all of the tenants and their customers.
“I want all three pieces to work together in a symbiotic relationship,” said Van Horn, which explains the name of his business and the puzzle-like motif on the exterior of the building. “My mission is to invest in communities in order to promote a more sustainable future — balancing social, economic and environmental concerns.
“I want to make money, but I want to do it the right way. Ultimately, you’ll have better projects because of it.”
Formerly an Atlanta resident, Van Horn saw the potential in Jacksonville and moved his operations here. In the fall of 1998, he began buying property north of downtown.
“In December 2000, they passed a zoning overlay for Springfield,” he said. “That was an important reason why I’m investing there. They got rid of the building setbacks and parking restrictions. I like Springfield because it’s a nice, contained area with nice, natural barriers. The housing stock with all these beautiful, turn-of-the-century houses is unbelievable.”
Neighborhood planning has allowed him to obtain a liquor license for his venture even though it is two doors down from a church.
Van Horn is banking on the improvements to Main Street’s appearance and the 2005 Super Bowl to propel his endeavor to success. The Main Street project kicks off in November with the summer of 2003 as the anticipated completion date. Infrastructure upgrades such as new wiring for street lighting and the resurfacing of the roadway are part of the scheduled enhancements. Aesthetics such as decorative lighting and landscaping are also included in the plan.
“Obviously, the Better Jacksonville Plan will affect Springfield a lot,” he said.
“It will give us money and the Super Bowl gives us a time frame. It could take six years, but I think it will happen sooner because of the Super Bowl.”
According to Van Horn, the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission approved him for a $40,000 loan in mid-September.
“The challenge of operating in Springfield is there is so much you have to buy and renovate with cash,” he said. “If you look at Jacksonville as a whole, it has so much land that we’ve got to gain control of, otherwise we’ll have the same problem with sprawl as Atlanta or Dallas.”
A far cry from suburban strip malls, Van Horn’s vision is to build a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood where people can both live and work. In addition to his work at Ninth and Main streets, he is also putting together plans for loft space
“Jacksonville doesn’t really have a developed in-town area,” he said. “I don’t like going to Regency and seeing the big box commercial centers with the big parking lots and no trees. I want this to have a local, organic flavor.”
Exploring the artistic component of the project also tweaked Van Horn’s attention. A mural depicting the area’s former silent film era is being painted along the back wall of the development.
“The arts are important to the revitalization of Springfield,” he said.
Instead of installing traditional storefronts during renovations, Van Horn had garage doors inserted in both the front and back of the building to add flexibility.
“I didn’t want a fixed space,” he explained. “We’re still going to have our anchors but I want this to be a fun place to go. This setup is more lively.”
Glass will be going in next week and concrete is ready to be poured. Landscaping in front of the venue remains. Construction on the structure is scheduled to be complete by December.