by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
The long-awaited renovations to historic Brewster Hospital in LaVilla are one step closer to becoming reality.
Monday, the City Council Finance Committee approved a $350,000 Florida Historic Preservation Grant. Combined with the $1.6 million the City already has set aside, the funding should be enough to see the renovations from start to finish.
Council member Warren Jones sat on the Committee as a substitute voting member and was glad to see the project receive funding, but not so happy it has taken so long. Jones, along with Council and Committee member Denise Lee — who was born at Brewster Hospital — said the project was first presented several years ago when he and Lee were on Council for the first time.
“I thought this would have been done by now,” said Jones. “This was started several years ago and I am disappointed to find out we are still trying to restore it.”
Brewster Hospital was built in 1885 at 915 W. Monroe St. and was the only all-black hospital in Jacksonville. Functions of the hospital began to move out of the original building in 1910. In 1966, two years after the Civil Rights Act passed, the hospital closed for good. It has since been placed on the National Historic Registry and slated for renovations.
John Pappas, an engineer with the City’s Public Works Department, said McDaniel Construction has been selected as the design/build firm for the renovations.
“We are working on a contract,” said Pappas, adding he’d like to see work start in about three months. “Hopefully, we’ll be done in about a year (after work begins).”
Pappas said the City owns the building and it will be up to the mayor’s office to decide the best use for the building. He said it will be renovated inside and out and look nearly identical to how it did in 1885.