FOLIO
List includes Doro Fixture building slated for demolition
In observance of National Historic Preservation Month, the Jacksonville Historical Society has released its annual list of Jacksonville’s Most Endangered Buildings.
“Historic sites and properties matter to Jacksonville’s people. When historic buildings – such as Fire Station No. 5 and soon the George Doro Fixture Company building – are demolished, we erase another part of the culture, history, and life stories that form our Jacksonville,” said Alan Bliss, the Jacksonville Historical Society’s chief executive officer.
“Historic places lend authenticity to their surroundings, making us all more invested as citizens. In addition, data proves that historic preservation adds value by strengthening economic development. Recognizing this, the Jacksonville Historical Society advocates for preservation through its annual Endangered Historic Properties list.”
Bliss added that the news that Rise Properties LLC is not planning to incorporate the existing Doro Fixture building into its plan for a mixed-use retail and apartment complex came as a surprise to the Society’s Historic Sites Committee. “Unfortunately, the property is not part of the Downtown Historic Register District nor is the building a locally designated landmark,” said Bliss. “The Society’s office is just a couple of blocks away from the Doro Fixture building so we are saddened to learn it will not be part of the downtown fabric for years to come.”
The members of the 2020 Historic Sites Committee include David Chauncey, Esq., committee chair; Michael Fackler, Esq., immediate past board chair; Wayne Wood, Historian At Large; Ed Booth and Harry Reagan, both former JHS presidents; Brian Bush, vice president at the Tom Bush Family of Dealerships, and Amy Palmer, director of grants administration for the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville.
Due to health and life safety concerns, the 2020 List of Endangered Historic Properties – as selected by the Society’s Historic Sites Committee – is being shared via video. Video is available at you tube or visit www.jaxhistory.org to see this important list of two dozen structures and sites.
For more information about this topic or to inquire about interviewing a member of the Historic Sites Committee, call (904) 665-0064 or email communications@jaxhistory.org.
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