Workers demolish the main building at the George Doro Fixture Co. site April 20 at 128 A. Philip Randolph Blvd. in Downtown’s Sports and Entertainment District.
Rise: A Real Estate Co. President Greg Blais speaks April 20 to attendees at an event at 121 Financial Ball Park to celebrate the demolition of the George Doro Fixture Co. building.
Rise: A Real Estate Co. Vice President of Development Matt Marshall presents Clara White Mission CEO Ju’Coby Pittman with a $40,000 donation. Watching at right, Rise executives Ryan Holmes, Greg Hunter, Mike Hale and Greg Blais.
The demolition of the George Doro Fixture Co. building will clear the property for Rise: A Real Estate Co.’s $65.6 million, 247-unit apartment and retail project.
Bricks from the George Doro Fixture Co. building were offered as gifts during the demolition event.
The Doro Furniture Co. Building before the demolition.
The Doro is near VyStar Veterans Arena and 121 Financial Ballpark.
An artist's rendering of The Doro mixed-use apartment community.
Rise: A Real Estate Co. executives, city officials and others gathered April 20 Downtown as demolition crews began to tear down the remains of the George Doro Fixture Co. building.
Crews started demolition on the Doro block at 128 A. Philip Randolph Blvd. on March 29 to clear the property for Rise’s $65.64 million, 247-unit apartment building with ground-level retail and rooftop amenities.
Valdosta, Georgia-based Rise executives and dignitaries also gathered for a party at neighboring 121 Financial Ballpark for what the company called “The Doro Demo Day.”
Rise President Greg Blais said he expects the company to add at least 30 employees to its 12-person Jacksonville office.
“Talk about a fixture, using a pun off The Doro. They were a fixture in Downtown for a long, long, time,” Blais said.
“Rise is intending to be a fixture in the Jacksonville area for a long, long time.”
Rise Vice President of Development Matt Marshall said the proposed eight-story apartment building and parking garage will take about 22 months to build.
Rise executives also presented homeless services provider Clara White Mission CEO Ju’Coby Pittman with a $40,000 donation.
The George Doro Fixture Co. fabricated architectural woodwork, casework and millwork on the 1.77-acre block, which is bounded by A. Philip Randolph Boulevard and Adams, Lafayette and Forsyth streets.
Demolition crews removed about half of the remaining building April 20 and will complete the work by the end of April.
Realco Recycling Co. Inc. is the demolition contractor.
The first buildings on the Doro block in the Downtown Sports and Entertainment District date to 1914 and additional structures were added through 1954.
Rise bought the property Sept. 30 for $5.2 million from 102 A. Philip Randolph LLC, led by Jacksonville investors Paul and Farley Grainger.
