by Bailey White
Staff Writer
Jacksonville is losing another one of its older buildings, but not because of a lack of effort to save it.
The old Mendelson Printing Company building on West Adams Street in LaVilla was meant to be the site of law offices for Harold Lippes and Russell Smith, two local attorneys who wanted to renovate the building and turn it into office space for their own firms and other small law firms.
“When we envisioned this project, we envisioned renovation,” said Smith. “But there is extensive water and fire damage. The bricks are so soft you could virtually push a pin through them. And much of the historical elements were gone; the tin roof had been stolen, the transoms and dental molding were gone.”
After several inspections by code inspectors and engineers, the building, which dates to the early 1900s, was deemed too far gone to be saved.
Lippes even had his sister, a historical preservation architect for the City of Philadelphia, examine the building. She agreed with the opinion that the building couldn’t be saved.
So the pair, along with Ocean Boulevard Development, has decided to construct a new building, this one with 11,000 square feet of office space.
Salvage companies have already started removing the old wood from the building and, according to the City’s Public Works Department, demolition should take place within a week.
At Wednesday’s Downtown Development Authority meeting, board members moved to proceed with the sale of City-owned land at $5 per square-foot to 752 West Adams, LLC, the group Smith, Lippes and Ocean Boulevard Development are in the process of forming.
“We’re going to keep the style of the new building consistent with the style of the original,” said Lippes. “And we’re thrilled about being in LaVilla. We believe so strongly in the area and the proximity to the new courthouse will be great.”
“We’ll be able to offer smaller firms affordable legal offices,” said Smith, who currently practices from an office on Newnan Street. “We’re excited about the plan and ready to move forward.”