by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
As part of National Preservation Month, the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission has honored 18 projects, services and individuals. The awards have been bestowed annually since 1992 as a way to recognize the value of historic preservation and make the public more aware of efforts to preserve Jacksonville’s historic resources and heritage.
One of this year’s honorees is also one of Downtown’s newest residential developments, Churchwell Lofts on East Bay Street. The former dry goods warehouse is more than a century old and where merchandise was once received and stored then shipped to retailers all over the Southeast, there are now luxury condominiums that retain the historic look and include many of the original features and architectural elements.
“During the renovation people would stop by and stick their head in the door and tell stories about how they had shopped in the building,” said Robert Pavelka, who developed the project and has stories of his own about the building’s history. As a child, his grandfather would take Pavelka to work with him. He remembers spending hours playing among the merchandise, particularly just before the holidays when the new season’s toys would arrive from manufacturers.
“You can build luxurious condominiums anywhere and we have some outstanding modern developments here in Jacksonville, but it would be impossible to recreate the things you find in this building. Every time you turn a corner in a hallway or in the units, there’s history,” said Pavelka, referring to the restored heart pine floors and original support beams and ceilings. The original scale used to weigh shipments is part of the decor in the entry lobby, for example.
The preservation of Brewster Hospital in LaVilla was also honored this year. Originally constructed in 1885 as a private residence in Springfield, the structure was later converted to the “Brewster Hospital and Nurse Training School,” the first hospital for African Americans in the State of Florida, through a partnership with the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Boylan-Haven School. The City relocated Brewster Hospital from its original site to the northeast corner of Monroe Street and Davis Streets in September 2005.
City Council members Glorious Johnson and Warren Jones were recognized for their efforts to preserve the building and return it to use, possibly as a museum of Jacksonville’s African-American history in general and the legacy of the Brewster Alumni Community Nurses Association in particular.
“I became interested in saving Brewster soon after I was elected to the Council in 2003,” said Johnson. “Having a museum there would be a wonderful way to show the community the contributions made by the nurses. When Jacksonville burned down in 1901, everybody of all colors went to Brewster and they were treated. Those nurses didn’t care about color, all they cared about was people’s well-being. Having a museum for their artifacts would be a way to help our children understand African-Americans’ contributions to our community.”
Johnson also said Brewster Hospital won’t be her only historic restoration project. Now she’s turning her attention to the Durkeeville neighborhood and Myrtle Avenue.
Kay Ehas received a Preservation Service award in recognition of her efforts to preserve and restore the historic character of the Riverside Avondale Historic District. A resident of Riverside since 1979, she chairs the board of directors of Riverside Avondale Preservation (RAP).
Ehas said she discovered RAP and its work while working for Property Appraiser Jim Overton when he served on City Council and represented the historic neighborhoods.
“RAP is a very active organization. Sometimes it can be exhausting,” she said.
Ehas regards finalizing a zoning overlay for the district and developing a strategic plan for RAP as two of the most important accomplishments of the past year. A tree replacement initiative is also underway that will plant 500 new trees to restore the natural canopy and shade in the two neighborhoods.
“A lot of the trees were laurel oaks and water oaks instead of live oaks,” said Ehas. “They don’t live as long as live oaks so they’re nearing the end of their life and many of the trees have been trimmed away from power lines for years. The tree canopy is fabulous. If we lose that we lose Riverside and Avondale.”
Other projects include studying the feasibility of creating a dog park and creating a master plan for the area’s future transportation, traffic and parking needs.
Ehas said she’s in her second year as board chair and the by-laws limit chairs to two terms, but that doesn’t mean she won’t remain active in RAP.
“It’s a lot of fun and there’s still a lot we can do,” she added.
The Historic Preservation Commission also honored a short film, “The Kiss of Life: the 40th Anniversary,” which documented the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1967 image by Times-Union news photographer Rocco Morabito. It was produced by the Jacksonville Historical Society and PRC Digital Media. Also honored this year were the books “It Was Never About a Hot Dog and a Coke,” Rodney Hurst Sr.’s chronicle of Jacksonville’s civil rights struggles and “A Bold New Revolution: Commemorating 40 Years of Consolidated Government” which recounts the combining of City and County services.
For more information about the City’s Historic Planning Commission, go to http://coj.net/Departments/Regulatory+Boards+and+Commissions/Historic+Preservation+Commission/default.htm.
356-2466