The Parkview Inn , Downtown : Its still sitting there :(

[Timkin]

Was wondering if anyone has any updated information on this Place. I thought it was to be developed into lower income housing? Whats the latest? anything?

[jbm32206]

As far as I can see, nothings been happening there....it's still vacant and no work....and yes, it's still sitting there. Downtownparks could probably give you more information on this, when he checks into the forum. I know there's been different possibilities, but there's something about the soil contamination that keeps popping back up.

[jbm32206]

In the meantime...here's a link to the sparcouncil forum, in which it's talked about:
http://sparcouncil.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2871&hilit=parkview+inn

[Timkin]

Sweet. A while back I saw a cleanup happen around it , which was at least nice to see the trash in the yard, gone. now of course it all came back. =(

[jbm32206]

As I said before, Dan could more than likely give you an update :secret:

[Timkin]

Im thinking Downtown Parks still stands by redily with his wrecking ball and me with a dumptruck. :D

[jbm32206]

Personally, I'd like to see this eyesore come down and something better go up in its place.
If you have driven by State and Main Streets downtown, there is almost no doubt that you have seen what neighbors say is one of the city’s biggest eye sores. The Park View Inn has stood in its spot since the mid-60's, but has not seen a guest a years. Now, the city is stepping in to get the hotel’s owners to shape up, or ship out.

“I think it’s neglected property. You have to see who the property owner is to see why it’s been neglected,” Kevin Starkey said. Starkey rides his bike throughout downtown and says he’s seen everything from drug abuse, to homeless, to fires being started inside the old building. “Somebody’s neglected their responsibility.”

The city agrees. We contacted the office of municipal code enforcement. They tell us since February 21, owners of the Park View Inn have been facing a rolling fine of $250.00 a day. They tell us the building is breaking numerous codes right now. They also tell us they have been trying for years to get the property owners to clean up the old hotel, but this latest action is the furthest they’ve come to forcing change to the old building.

Listed on the property appraiser’s site, the current owners are Jacksonville Hospitality Holdings LP. We put calls into their Green Cove Springs office, and one owner’s personal home line. None of our calls were answered.The city tells us on April 21st, they will approach the office of general council and request an order for demolition. If approved, the wrecking balls won’t move in instantly. The city tells us there is an asbestos issue at the hotel that needs to be cleaned up first. They also say there is a lengthy process involved with bidding out the work order and securing a company to do the demolition.

The president of the Municipal Code Enforcement division tells us it’s not the city’s intention to demolish buildings. Kim Scott says ideally, the building’s owners will renovate or bring it up to code before a demolition order is made. If it is determined the building will be torn down, Scott says the city will try to recoup money for the demolition from the hotel’s current owners.
http://www.cbs47.com/content/topstories/story.aspx?content_id=13f20b80-f0a0-459e-8e2e-4874fd6cea11

[Timkin]

After seeing photos of the interior of it and the rooftop view of the city, im inclined to say... if the owner WOULD .... Rennovate and change it greatly from the design it has now, it could probably be turned into something really nice.

All indications are ... its sitting there in a funk, in which case its probably in the community's interest for it to be razed. Contamination below it in the soil is an issue that will have to be addressed , and probably so at an expensive price tag.

It is unfortunate that empty buildings get finished off by vagrants and vandals.. and the Park View has suffered among other things , a pretty extensive fire.

[jbm32206]

If only the city took action to bring this eyesore down, like they have with many of the old houses in Springfield, it would've been down years ago! I'll believe it when I see an empty lot.
A condemned hotel is coming down after nine years of citations. If you work downtown or go to school at FCCJ's Kent Campus, then you know the Park View Inn. Now, after nine years of citations, the city says it's coming down sometime this summer.

It has been a dangerous haven for prostitutes and drug dealers. Back in March, the city gave the owners one more chance. They had sixty days to come into compliance with more than a dozen code violations. It didn't happen, so the city is taking bids for the demolition.

Back in 2005 four firefighters were hurt battling two separate fires there that year. Both fires were set by homeless people living inside.http://www.cbs47.com/content/topstories/story.aspx?content_id=a6a32cd6-7752-45a4-90df-44c7b0c9fccf

[Diane Melendez]

Finally. That is a very unattractive structure and has no historical value. It is great that it will be gone soon.

[jbm32206]

Yeah, I'd rather see an empty lot than that eyesore...I pass it just about every day, it's so nasty looking....I'll be glad to see it gone.

[Timkin]

Its actually a short-lived span for the parkview.. maybe 45 years?? built in the 60s as the Heart of Jacksonville hotel.

Good riddance . Actually I think Downtown Parks and I will bid on the demolition.. He said Id have to fight him over the wrecking ball... I ll use the bulldozer. Its gotta go.

[johnmeeks1974]

I don't get how much of downtown is simply storage for boarded up buildings and white elephants. We CAN do much better with our downtown...

[jbm32206]

You'd think with all of the trips to other cities, (at our expense) that they would've come back with a better vision...instead they continue to be blinded by greed and ignorant to what's important to any major city!

[Timkin]

My opinion...


Greed ...not money .. is the root of all evil.

[Charles Hunter]

Well, the quote from the Bible does not condemn money, but the love of it, aka "greed":
1 Timothy 6:9-11 (New King James Version)

[9] But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. [10] For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

[jbm32206]

Yup...greed is what's behind it all...just ask the boy-prince mayor and his friends

[Diane Melendez]

Very appropriate quote Charles and oh so true. We have all seen that reality manifest too often in our fine city.

[Timkin]

You think its corrupt now???


Wait ! :)

[Ernest Street]

I say knock that old shooting gallery down. But! if they remove structure they will have to deal with that contamination issue..:shocked: Right? The number of Jax structures removed and left flat reminds me of Downtown Atlanta 1997.. it was empty.

[Timkin]

They will and they should.. I belive the contamination there is getting into nearby water ways.. so it should be dealt with.

Look at LaVilla... almost totally vacant.. Brooklyn.. almost totally vacant. downtown.. getting there.. usually when a building is demolished, the foundation is left for surface parking. :( Enough already of Surface Parking.

On the Parkview Site, Im not sure what can/should replace it. Theres alot of vacancy around it in neighboring buildings and I think it would be difficult to put a newbuild in where its surrounded in vacant buildings. It is unfortunate that a reuse for it was never found and that it was not rehabbed, although rehabbing that place , to me would have called for taking it down to one wall standing and "remodeling" it completely. Its unfortunately a beat up , ugly, short-lived structure that only saw a few years , comparatively , of useful life.. then as all vacant buildings experience, in come the vandals , drug-doers, grafitti artists , and what is not damaged by wear and tear, these people finish the structures off . :(

[Timkin]

Is this building not slated for demolition yet? It appears its being scrapped out ..has next to nothing left inside?? is it being remodeled ? hurricane proofed? demolished?? (i hope) :)

[jbm32206]

I've heard it's being demolished, but it's still very much there, the eyesore it's been for years.

[Timkin]

someone loan me a wrecking ball... I ll be happy to demo it .

[Diane Melendez]

It was recently in a news article that it was going to be torn down, but as you all point out, it has not happened. Just more "blah, blah, blah" from city officials.

[CS Foltz]

Gee Ms Diane..........do ya think that if a sign (Large One) were hung on the entrance side saying "Welcome to Mayor John Payaton's Summer Residence"...........would something get done then? I can climb 99.9 % of anything that man can make and I have no problem getting it up there!

[Timkin]

Again...get me a wrecking ball .. I ll demolish it for free.. its hideous.

[Timkin]

Gee Ms Diane..........do ya think that if a sign (Large One) were hung on the entrance side saying "Welcome to Mayor John Payaton's Summer Residence"...........would something get done then? I can climb 99.9 % of anything that man can make and I have no problem getting it up there!


good idea! Im more than ready to see that hideous structure gone.

[Timkin]

You want to talk about not only an eyesore but a huge danger? You think Annie Lytle is dangerous......the dangers are minor there by comparison... this place is standing wide open ...No windows,, everything stripped out , and yet there it sits...

IF the city will provide me a wrecking ball, I will save them a tremendous amount of labor by wrecking it myself.. This place has to go. Its hideous.

[jbm32206]

I'd help you with that

[Timkin]

Sweet....so there is the labor to tear it down covered... Think the city could provide equipment and a landfill or recycle center to take this dump to???


I like the idea of hanging the "Payaton Hilton" on the building....though it would likely get removed quickly ....it also might drive home a message.... I guess I better simmer down or our esteemed mayor and his cronies willl slip in to the darkness and demolish a school that definitely deserves and is far better shape to, restore.

[jbm32206]

At this point, having a pile of debris is better than what's there now...

[Victor711]

I have seen that structure.
My friend told me it was called
Old Heart Of The City Hotel.
Reminds me of a place from Silent hill.
Its still a historic structure though, I believe it could become something nice

[Timkin]

From a standpoint of age, you're right Victor...

From every other aspect ....this building is a lost cause...It had a very extensive fire throughout it , which to me probably has greatly weakened the concrete structure. It is completely gutted...no wiring , plumbing ,railings , doors , windows, etc left...it is almost as if it is being prepared to implode..

Compared to the countless structures we have lost,,,,and those we HOPE to see spared.... This building could go , and I would not shed a tear. It would actually improve the area for it to be a vacant grass lot. Then there is the remedial work needing to be done for the soil contamination below it... The longer that lies there , the more extensive the cleanup will have to be.

I agree ... Like Annie Lytle , someone with really deep pockets COULD probably turn this building into something nice..especially if the extensive soil contamination problem below it were not a major issue,,,.but in the economic situation we presently have...when there are so many vacant homes and sharp decline of residential new construction...when we have 3 (at least ) NICE HISTORIC buildings downtown that could much more easily be renovated and made into condos , I just do not see this Hotel making it. You are correct..... It was built as the Heart of Jacksonville Hotel...but even then... it had not even close to the architectural features of our few , still existing buildings, and the many we have lost....this building had nothing to offer then....and it is far too gone now . Just my honest opinion

[downtownparks]

It was recently in a news article that it was going to be torn down, but as you all point out, it has not happened. Just more "blah, blah, blah" from city officials.

I have been told I am completely, and totally wrong about my belief that place is a toxic sesspool. I have been told time and again Its a fine building, and has a perfectly clean bill of health. It should be labelled a landmark, and saved for future generations. :-D

[Timkin]

Ummmm....If that is so ,,,the owners of Annie Lytle have absolutely no defense for letting that School fall to rack and ruin. There is no comparison to the condition of these two buildings.

I would love to see the person who deems that hotel (and the ground beneath it) move in for 30 days (and nights) . I think they might have a different opinion afterward .

[strider]

The comments about the contamination are from a study done and available on line. It simply has various abatement tasks to be done and the building would have been fine to live in. That is somewhat different from saying that the ground underneath is contaminated or not, it is, just not as badly as some thought. I do believe that once torn down, the issue changes and the contamination will have to be abated fully.

This building could have been saved a year or two ago, but now has been purposely gutted and will eventually come down. But the costs for that demo are high and we tax payers will end up with the tab. Having it abated and saved would have been the better choice in the end.

[CS Foltz]

strider...........your right! Makes me wonder just who will make out if and when it comes down? Maybe one of the "Nifty Fifty" has a finger in the pie!

[Timkin]

It is no surprise at all to learn that the taxpayers will bear the burden of the demolition. I still am not swayed in the opinion that the Hotel needs to be torn down.... It has 20 times the dangers that PS 4 has with regard to unsafe conditions. With all due respect.. I do not know how someone can determine the degree of contamination underneath a 4 story hotel,,,but maybe there is a way, but the fact remains it is there...and it will probably not get better without demolishing the building and doing remedial work to the site. I think eventually it would turn out to be money well-spent, and in any event , the building should go... We have had to look at it in its present state for at least a year.. An eyesore is an understatement. To the owner's credit ...whoever that is ... The parking garage has been boarded up and amazingly , not compromised nearly as much. ( I guess the Hotel is not nearly the adventure that PS # 4 is to invade and destroy ..and its a good thing , because there are no railings or anything else to prevent people from falling off the edge of a floor... from 4 stories up , that would probably kill them. ) To me we are putting very good money after bad , whether or not there is soil contamination, to let it remain, for police personnel to have to monitor it, the city having to do due process before finally demolishing it , and billing the owner who probably will get away without paying for the demolition. The fact ( it is a fact ) that there was a very extensive and hot fire in that building to me, means the structure is greatly weakened...Obviously I am not a structural specialist or a building inspector.... For that reason alone , if none other (and there are many) the building needs to go.. and the sooner, the better. Id rather see surface parking there , than the mess of a structure that presently is .

[Diane Melendez]

Surprise, surprise, surprise. You know the plans to tear this building down? Well it seems those plans have changed. Now the city claims that the money that was available to remove the eyesore is no longer available. How about that? Even more amazing is the revelation that the owners have paid up the past tax bills and now have control of the stucture again. So what is next? Kind of hard to say because the city council was clueless about the changes surronding the property and the now unavailable funds. No one seems to know what the company that let the property decay to it's current state has in mind now that they are back in the picture. On the surface, it looks like we get to look at that monstrosity for a long time to come.

[Timkin]

Greeaaaat. :(


Unbelievable :(

[Victor711]

I say it goes and someone adopts one of my small tower ideas and build it there.. Theres enough space for it! And since that its on Ocean Str, I decided to name it Ocean Str Tower.. Perfect Name lol



http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn111/Skylegend90z/OceanStrTowerRendering.jpg

[Ernest Street]

I think it should be shopped around motion picture production companies as a disposable action movie prop...That way it will be demoed and we get to see some spectacular explosions.

[Diane Melendez]

Now that would be cool Ernest, very cool.

[Timkin]

I say it goes and someone adopts one of my small tower ideas and build it there.. Theres enough space for it! And since that its on Ocean Str, I decided to name it Ocean Str Tower.. Perfect Name lol



http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn111/Skylegend90z/OceanStrTowerRendering.jpg


I love it!! Demolish all but a corner wall of the existing building....then incorporate it into the new tower.. This way... you can do remedial work to the ground below it, and you can "repair" this hideous eyesore of a "landmark" without having to pay an impact fee for completely tearing the entire thing down and building a tower.

Seriously Victor..... This is a huge improvement to the existing building. Good rendering . :)

[Diane Melendez]

Oh goodie. The Parkview has been saved and so our downtown will get yet another lovely structure to enhance the skyscape. A parking garage. Exciting isn't it?

avoids wrecking ball

Posted: May 3, 2010 - 7:13pm

http://us.bc.yahoo.com/b?P=7efd18b4-5715-11df-bf0b-a397817c9f0a&T=19c583t56%2fX%3d1272933568%2fE%3d2022775853%2fR% 3dncnwsloc%2fK%3d5%2fV%3d8.1%2fW%3d0%2fY%3dPARTNER _US%2fF%3d3736597766%2fH%3dYWx0c3BpZD0iOTY3MjgzMTU 0IiBzZXJ2ZUlkPSI3ZWZkMThiNC01NzE1LTExZGYtYmYwYi1hM zk3ODE3YzlmMGEiIHNpdGVJZD0iMTA2NjU1MSIgdFN0bXA9IjE yNzI5MzM1NjgwODQ1NTQiIHRhcmdldD0iX3RvcCIg%2fQ%3d-1%2fS%3d1%2fJ%3dEC8D0D4C&U=128h753d9%2fN%3dYpuzEEwNjZU-%2fC%3d-1%2fD%3dLREC%2fB%3d-1%2fV%3d5



By Tia Mitchell (http://jacksonville.com/authors/tia-mitchell-0)
Jacksonville’s plans to demolish the old Park View Inn in downtown have been thwarted by the property owners’ latest plans to renovate.

The city had planned to use $1.5 million in federal dollars to demolish the boarded-up, graffiti-covered building and clear the corner on State and Main streets that has attracted vagrants and vandals for the past few years. That money was approved by the City Council in June.

But by August, owners Robert Van Winkel and David Muyres had approached the city with a plan to keep much of the existing structure intact to re-purpose the building as mainly a parking garage.

For more: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-05-03/story/park-view-inn-property-avoids-wrecking-ball

[downtownparks]

Im sure the first baptasties love the idea of that shithole being left standing. More parking for them. Yeaaaaaaa

[Timkin]

Only in Jacksonburg. :(