Rallying the troops

[1647 Pearl Street North in Historic Springfield needs YOU!]

As you may have noticed, I'm all over the beautiful historic houses, restored and yet waiting for somebody to love on them alike, in our historic district.

Yet, time and time again it's like a punch in the stomach when one of these "Grand Old Ladies" are being threatened by the wrecking ball through a city ordered demolition.

In a nationally registered historic district.

If you're just as baffled about how a city government can order a demolition of a historic structure in a historic district because the owner is neglecting to renovate, to slow to renovate, and would rather see a blighted weedy lot than a house, here's your chance to help:

The house on the picture stands at 1647 Pearl Street North. It is slated for demolition, not because it's in danger of falling on top of an innocent bystander due to severe structural issues, but because the investor has not done anything to it in a decade. Now the house and a national historic district are supposed to pay the price for this wanton neglect. We all understand the necessity for emergency demolitions, say, after a fire, but flaky paint, loose shingles should not warrant the death sentence.

So, if you're anywhere near your email and feel like raising your voice with us here in Historic Springfield to save some history, you could email the following people here in Jacksonville, FL, to point out that this house and others in similar situations in Historic Springfield need to be saved, that demolition is not the answer to negligent investors, that mothballing a structure costs the fraction of a demolition (Which city can afford to pay thousands of dollars on frivolous things anyways?) and that this nationally registered historic district needs protection and patronage and NOT more demolitions (since its inception, Historic Springfield has lost more than 400 contributing structures ... of, you know, a whopping 1,800+)

Historic Preservation Commission:
dcase@rs-architects.com
mansfield@comcast.net
joe_thompson@gspnet.com
johnallmand@gmail.com
sheppard@coj.net
amartina@coj.net
mceachin@coj.net

Our City Council Representative
gaffney@coj.net

And our city's mayor
mayorbrown@coj.net

Thank you!