by Richard Prior
Staff Writer
The Dyal-Upchurch Building oversaw the rebuilding of downtown after the fire of 1901 and is now among those older structures taking the lead in a rebirth of the area.
These days, it is surrounded by parking lots, a parking garage, a handful of small businesses and more than a few boarded-up shops. Changes in the neighborhood, already well under way, should be dramatic in the months and years to come.
Renovation projects and new construction have opened a wide variety of apartments on both sides of the St. Johns River. Hundreds more are being built.
“Over the next couple of years, you’re going to start having a critical mass of residential in downtown Jacksonville,” said Gary Husk. “Some support things should start popping up around town — bars, restaurants, art galleries, markets.
“I think that’s what the city envisions. I think that’s why they were so active in trying to get recognition for downtown.”
Husk Jennings Advertising is the sole tenant on the top floor of the building on the corner of Bay and Main streets. It was designed by Henry Klutho and completed in 1902 as the first high-rise to go up after the devastating fire.
It originally housed the offices of Dyal-Upchurch, an investment-lumber company from South Georgia.
It is now owned by East Bay Street Co., formed by Gary and Melanie Husk of Husk Jennings and their partner, Keith Francois. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and the local Historic Register.
The company bought the building about five years ago and immediately began preparing the 7,000 square feet on the top floor for Husk Jennings’ new office. An impressive shot of the Main Street Bridge may be seen through the windows on one office wall. To the other side, Independent Square looms above what was considered a high-rise 100 years ago.
The business opted for a combination of offices and open space, which also allowed for four conference areas plus a breakfast bar.
“We had about a year and a half left on our lease in the Bank of America Tower and renovated this space,” said Husk said. “Then we moved over here and began planning the rehabilitation of the rest of the building.”
During that time, the City made Historic Trust Fund money available, which the East Bay Street Co. received to help pay for the renovation.
Based on the amount of money being spent on the project, the building also qualifies for a federal tax credit.
“We will probably spend about $2.4 million to $2.5 million after everything’s said and done,” Husk estimated.
Architectural work is being done by Rink Reynolds Diamond Fisher Wilson. The contractor is Dana B. Kenyon Co.
“It’s going to be sort of a juxtaposition of old historic building on the outside and very modern relevant, hip, fun on the inside,” said Husk.
What the owners, architects and contractor found was quite a substantial building, inside and out.
Four layers of brick were used for the exterior walls, said David Snead, project manager with the Kenyon Co. Newspaper accounts have claimed more than 1 million bricks were used in the construction of the building, which Husk estimated has “about 46,000-plus square feet of rentable space.”
The original builder also used heavy reinforced floor joists because many of the old buildings were designed to serve as warehouses, if needed.
“It was constructed on 426 wooden pilings driven into the riverbed, with six-inch cast-iron columns and 20-inch I-beam girders supporting the interior,” according to information in “Jacksonville’s Architectural Heritage.”
Five floors now are in various stages of “demolition” and reconstruction as repair work is being scheduled from the top down. The fifth floor is nearly finished and will be ready for the Edwards & Cohen law firm to move in Nov. 1.
The third floor already has two tenants, Securities Research and Southeast Legal Copying. Plans have been made for one more office to go on that floor.
“The two floors that we have on the market for potential tenants are the second and the fourth floors,” said Husk. “The way we refinanced the building is we’re treating this as a new building.
“We have a tenant allowance for build-out. We’re not leasing any space ‘as is.’ We’re giving potential tenants a very attractive allowance to build out the space.”
The second and fourth floors will be cleared of all the changes made during the last renovation, in 1981. The “core area,” including restrooms, will be built. The mechanical work will be upgraded and, perhaps, a drop ceiling installed. Potential tenants will then be able to get a feel for how much space they’re getting and make their own decisions about furnishings and office size.
When the project is complete, the space to the right of the entrance on the ground floor will be the Husk Jennings lobby. Negotiations are now going on with an unnamed restaurant to move into the left side of the entrance.
“I think the vision of our government and the involvement of government certainly has been a catalyst for what’s happening in downtown Jacksonville,” said Husk. “They’ve definitely been instrumental in allowing me to renovate my property.
“Without their involvement, we never would have been able to renovate to the extent we are.”