The $2.5 million Bay Street Town Center project includes wider sidewalks, landscaping and new street lights. The project should begin in about two months and take 35 weeks to complete. It should be ready in time for the 2005 Super Bowl. New entry signs will be installed, marking the Bay Street district.
by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
When Leonard Pavelka first took over the Churchwell building, the only traffic on Bay Street were trolleys, the only other business nearby was a laundry two blocks to the east, and workers for hire would line up across the street, hoping to be picked up and put to work.
Pavelka stood Wednesday, 55 years later, surrounded by reporters, developers and City officials, all craning their necks to get a look at Bay Street’s future. The hum of conversation carried promises of nightclubs, restaurants, loft apartments, grocery stores. The line of unemployed labor has been replaced by lawyers and judges shuttling to and from the Duval County Courthouse. The trolleys are untracked and gasoline–powered.
Pavelka’s eyes popped wide when he saw the crowd gathered to hear the City’s $2.5 million plan to turn Bay Street into the City’s front door. Having lingered on Bay Street during its time as a dusty corridor, Pavelka now plans to leave the street at the start of its turnaround. The move leaves him with mixed feelings.
“This is certainly a lot more going on down here now than when I first got here,” said Pavelka. “There’s a lot of nostalgia for me, looking at this building. But I’m glad to see downtown come back. Jacksonville should have a vibrant downtown.”
The sales price should help Pavelka get over any wistful feelings. Pavelka and son Robert have been offered $2.8 million for the building, contingent on the City coming up with $900,000 to renovate the 99-year-old, 40,000 square-foot building.
A development group led by area nightclub owner Bob Green would use the money to bring the building up to code. Churchwell Lofts LLC would spend an additional $3.1 million to build about 20 loft condos in the building and to provide parking. The ground floor would hold retail.
High ceilings make the Churchwell, “the only true loft building downtown,” said Green. He’s had success with clubs Square One in San Marco and Club Five in Five Points, and Green said he sees the potential for Bay Street to attract a similarly eclectic mix of businesses.
He said Bay Street would need more than bars and restaurants to become viable. He said housing would be the key to success on Bay Street and downtown.
“The City’s commitment to residential development was one of the key factors to our decision,” said Green. “If the City can get a critical mass of residents, retail and entertainment, then this can become the kind of neighborhood they’re talking about.”
Green said he wasn’t discouraged by the struggles of The Shipyards. The luxury condos are projected to house hundreds of well-heeled residents just down the road. However, the mayor’s office has been reviewing whether the developer misspent City funds.
“I’m not familiar enough with what’s going on in that project, but there’s enough going on in the rest of downtown that I’m not concerned by it,” said Green.
Both Pavelka and Green said the building’s unique architecture was an important part of downtown. Green hopes to use $900,000 from the City’s Historic Preservation Trust Fund to restore the building. Green said the City encouraged him to apply for the money.
If the funding can be found, Pavelka said he’s looking forward to seeing his old building restored to its 1950s glory, even if all the surroundings have changed.
“This building is a classic,” said Pavelka, “You know there used to be a canopy running the length of the building, but it was damaged and we weren’t allowed to put up another one,” he said.
“But I’ve seen their plans and they have the canopy back up there. It’s what they want now.”