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Unbuilt Jacksonville


Captain Obvious

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I've always been interested in "dead" projects. It often seems like 10 projects are proposed for every 1 built.

I hope that this can become a sort of index thread, where people post pictures and information about major unbuilt structures in Jacksonville. I'm mostly interested in concrete proposals that were more than just a vision (i.e. there was a professional rendering and a specific site location). But whatever people have to share would be most appreciated. Since we have several architects on the forums, I hoping that there are some really interesting projects that few people have heard of.

I'm also particularly interested in the names of the architect and/or developer, which is information I don't often have, even for the renderings I will post ...

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Let me start out with some older "unbuilts."

The Dodge was basically an extortion scam. This large, slender tower was meant to block the view from the windows of the Heard Bank building. The Heard owners bought the property from the scammers, so nothing was built.

th_dodgemap.jpg

th_dodge.jpg

This was an alternate design for the Lynch building (1927), now 11E

lynch.jpg

I have no earthly idea what this is, other than the pic is labeled "Carter." I probably knew what it was, once upon a time, but have since forgot.

carter.jpg

The Masonic temple in LaVilla. Basically the same design as the existing structure, but several floors taller.

masonic.jpg

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The 3 losing proposals for the new Main Library site. (Even with the ugly brick, I think Stern's winning design is far better than these 3) Designed by Vitetta, HHPA(?), and Graves, respectively.

th_met_libraryvitetta_664.jpg

th_met_libraryhhpa_12_662.jpg

th_met_librarygraves__661.jpg

Old St. Johns Center twin tower proposal circa 1998-ish. This was the sucessor to the failed Jacksonville world trade center proposal back in the 80s. Now, the site is obviously where the Strand/Penisula condos are being constructed.

th_Stjohns.jpg

This ugly parking garge/office was proposed for the surface parking lot across Main St. from the new library. It was proposed by the owner of the Amsterdam Sky Cafe. Quite ugly, but better than a parking lot. I think the city is putting a pocket-park there.

th_met__tentant_inter_170.jpg

Okay ... so I'm breaking my own rule. This last one isn't a real project at all. It's just some grad-student's vision for that tiny surface parking lot off the south end of Heming Plaza. Pretty cool though.

th_model-one.jpg

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I have no earthly idea what this is, other than the pic is labeled "Carter." I probably knew what it was, once upon a time, but have since forgot.

carter.jpg

The W.R. Carter Building was designed by Klutho, for The Metropolis (an investment company), but never built.

The Masonic temple in LaVilla. Basically the same design as the existing structure, but several floors taller.

masonic.jpg

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This Masonic building wasn't in LaVilla, it was on Main Street. It was originally announced as an 11 story building in 1912 on the corner of Main & Monroe St. It was built as a six story building and was eventually torn down for surface parking.

Another building that was proposed and never built was the Jacksonville City Hall, another Klutho design. This project would have turned Kings Road into a straight main boulevard that would have ended at city hall grounds. The site was the current location of the city waterworks.

cityhall.jpg

cityhallmap.jpg

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The 3 losing proposals for the new Main Library site. (Even with the ugly brick, I think Stern's winning design is far better than these 3) Designed by Vitetta, HHPA(?), and Graves, respectively.

I think Stern's front facade looks better than the other proposals. However, the way it meets the street on the other three sides is downright horrible, which from an overall design sense, makes it worse than all of the other ones, which at least added windows along the side streets.

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Anyone know whatever happened to the Jacksonville Mixed-use Tower project, which was to be Jacksonville's tallest at 675 feet? Was this initially a part of the Shipyards project before Tri Legacy became involved? Does anyone have a recent photo proposed rendering of this building? It's funny that this project just seemed to die, however, it is still listed on emporis/skyscrapers.com as planned, not proposed; but you never hear anything more regarding this project. Someone please advise or educate us on anything involving this building/project.

FLORIDA SKYRISE ORDER

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The project they are refering to on Emporis was a proposal offered for the current courthouse site on Bay Street. Since our bonehead mayor has scuttled the courthouse project for the time being, any redevelopment of the Bay Street property is on hold. I believe Steineman proposed this building (among several responses to a Request For Proposals).

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Wow, that's a really cool design. Why was this rejected just out of curiousity?

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I believe there was a change in developers in which the new developers decided not to go with KBJ Architechts but with Arquitechtonia out of Miami thus scaling down the project.

However, as Lakelander mentioned in a previous thread, this does not necessarily mean that it won't be Jacksonville's tallest; it depends on what Arquitechtonia comes up with....i.e., slender with the need to add more floors which would equate to more tallness; or shorter twins or a wider building but shorter which would not be conducive to the space provided next to the Aetna building (very little space for a large building).

In my opinion the new design will be slender and taller, possibly rivaling one of Miami's three tallest and certainly dethroning BOA....this is just my opinion and my hope.

FLORIDA SKYRISE ORDER

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In my opinion the new design will be slender and taller, possibly rivaling one of Miami's three tallest and certainly dethroning BOA....this is just my opinion and my hope.

I hope so too. I know some of y'all think desiring height is juvenile, but it does make for an overall better skyline and provide some city recognition. I think with the small parcel they will have to build a tall slender tower and hopefully it will be 700+ feet. We will see. Anyone know when they are set to release the initial renderings??

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One "unbuilt project" I have found interesting is the Timuquana bridge, which would have crossed the St. Johns at Timuquana over to the Lakewood area and University Blvd. I believe this proposal was put forth in the 1970s but was quashed by wealthy landowners on the river. I'm not sure if it got to the design phase or not, but if built it certainly would have changed development patterns on both sides of the river.

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One "unbuilt project" I have found interesting is the Timuquana bridge, which would have crossed the St. Johns at Timuquana over to the Lakewood area and University Blvd.  I believe this proposal was put forth in the 1970s but was quashed by wealthy landowners on the river.  I'm not sure if it got to the design phase or not, but if built it certainly would have changed development patterns on both sides of the river.

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That must have been the bridge that brought RAP (Riverside Avondale Preservation) into being. Opposition to a highway that was going to cut through Riverside/Avondale and cross the river was what led to RAP's formation. Supposedly a public hearing was held for the project and hundreds of residents showded up in opposition, the politicians backpedaled immediately and dropped it. At least that's how I heard it.

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That must have been the bridge that brought RAP (Riverside Avondale Preservation) into being.  Opposition to a highway that was going to cut through Riverside/Avondale and cross the river was what led to RAP's formation.  Supposedly a public hearing was held for the project and hundreds of residents showded up in opposition, the politicians backpedaled immediately and dropped it.  At least that's how I heard it.

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That might have been a different bridge project. The Timuquana bridge was supposed to connect JTB accross the river to .... Timuquana! ;) ... which is loosely the name of some areas further South, around NAS Jax.

Nevertheless, I could still imagine Avondale residents opposing the project because, even though a couple miles away, it would have greatly altered their sweeping river views - and I suppose could have led to noise.

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Does anyone have a larger pic of the original San Marco Place rendering, something larger than a thumbnail with decent resolution that they could post? It looks like a great design, wonder why it changed?

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it would have never fit. the building is a tight squeeze as it is now. i was just over there today watching stone columns being installed. pretty interesting process. i work at haskell, btw, just moved here from iowa (not my fault i lived there)

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