Riverside Preservation recognizes great designs, service, with annual awards
During its annual meeting, Riverside Avondale Preservation (RAP) members recognized the diligent work, careful design and craftsmanship of both homeowners and construction professionals with RAP’s Design Awards, as well as presented its Service Awards in acknowledgement of acts of service and philanthropy by individuals, businesses and organizations.
Here is a list of the award winners in both categories:
DESIGN AWARDS
Commercial
Adaptive Reuse Award 2020
2105 Park Street
The Thomsen Companies – Hans, Patsy, Christian & Dori Thomsen
JAA Architects Inc. – Kali Blais
Duckworth Construction – Jake Chamberlin
This project transformed an inward-focused and run-down office building at the corner of Park and Goodwin Streets with, but not limited to, an extensive interior remodel and significant modifications to the exterior that included enlarged openings and entries on the Park Street façade. Other additions included unique entry features that were integrated into the existing planters, new lighting and an elegant signage package. The developers brought together a unique blend of professional and retail tenants that include a tearoom and a yoga studio.
Architectural Rehabilitation Award 2020
2606 Park Street
Jacksonville Pediatrics
Nathan Bussey
Terry Smalls, contractor
This pediatric practice has operated in the same location since 1965, and over that time, interior modifications allowed the practice to grow and accommodate its current staff of four doctors and two nurse practitioners before a current rehabilitation harmonized the whole. The jury felt this was a good example of how relatively modest changes can create a much more welcoming façade.
Architectural Rehabilitation Award 2020
2717 Riverside Avenue
D.W. Meyers Constructors, Inc.
David Meyers
Richard Skinner & Associates, David B. Case, AIA
Studio M Design, Marsha Faulkner
RAP documents describe the work as a combination of master craftsmanship, design expertise and lots of patience. Together the result is a textbook example of an architectural rehabilitation. The building had been added onto in a piecemeal fashion over the years, that along with neglected systems had left the building in disrepair and in need of a total overhaul. The owner and contractor have been working on the project for five years.
Architectural Rehabilitation Award 2020
3886 Eloise Street
Bold City Properties, Glenn Chandler
The project was a rehab of what RAP members described as a modest-looking home on Eloise Street. They decided that the carefully done work was a great example of what can be accomplished with a home of this scale, and the jury identified several simple moves which resulted in a big transformation, including a simple and refreshing color scheme, exposed rafter tails, a traditional entry door and simple new entry porch that is in scale with the existing façade.
Architectural Rehabilitation Award 2020
2605 Herschel Street
Donny Mak
The project, which has been included on a RAP tour of homes, is a complete architectural rehab of both the main dwelling and the accessory garage. The jury described it as preserving and restoring the exterior of the historic home and all its details but adding elegant contemporary color choices and other touches that brought the historic home into currency.
The RAP jury also agreed that the interior remodel was impressive and maintained the rustic quality of the original materials including trim and flooring but added modern touches
DESIGN AWARDS
Residential
Architectural Rehabilitation Award 2020
2982 St. Johns Avenue
McGregor and Mary Elizabeth Lott
South Quarter Build
Southeastern Subcontractors, Kevin Dougherty
RAP documents describe this home restoration as the work of two passionate homeowners who have worked tirelessly to correctly source and restore key parts of their home. The entire clay tile roof was restored and replaced with tiles from the original manufacturer, Ludowici tile, while all the original door and window hardware was stripped lacquered and reinstalled. The homeowners restored deteriorating portions of the exterior stucco and completely restored the rear riverfront porch and a long list of other items including millwork, lighting, louvers and ductwork, all well-researched and restored or sensitively replaced.
Outstanding New Construction 2020
1881 Powell Place
William Leuthold, architect
Homeowners Maggie and Doug Rowe
John Merrill Homes, Adam Merrill
The existing home on this property was severely damaged during Hurricane Irma and RAP documents indicate the damage was so extensive that demolition was appropriate. That opened the door for a case study of how to build in a historic district and meet all the myriad but necessary requirements of construction in a flood zone, which make for a more resilient structure but create design challenges in an historic district. The homeowners made it work well with several successful design elements including the frame vernacular style, the large exterior steps that visually connect the house to the ground plane and draw the eye toward the entry and the use of wrap-around porches that blend well with the corner lot, which fronts on Powell Place and the river. The porch also integrates the required pilings into the design of the home in an historically appropriate way, while the soft color scheme of the supporting stone piers integrates well with the upper stories.
SERVICE AWARDS
Friends of the Parks 2020
For Service in Boone Park
Bill Jones
If you visit Boone Park South often, you are likely to see Bill Jones, a Friends of Boone Park South volunteer, picking up trash and limbs, checking the park for unsafe conditions, or fixing a broken fence. He’s in the park once or twice a week and always has a smile despite the frustration of the never-ending trash cleanup. You know when he’s been working because a large pile of limbs accumulates on Van Wert Ave, which allows for easy pick up by the city. He calls the park maintenance chief regularly about hazardous dead trees and hanging limbs, and about light poles needing new bulbs in order to keep park visitors safe.
Friend of the Parks 2020
For Service in Riverside Park
Walter Bryant
Bryant is an active member of the Men’s Garden Club of Jacksonville, the Historic 5 Points Collaborative, and a founding member of the recently formed group Friends of Riverside Park. He is dedicated to the beautification of Riverside Park and in addition to picking up trash in the park every week, Walter regularly works with the City’s tree stewards to trim trees in the park and help raise the tree canopy. Walter is an inspiration to those around him. He is passionate about the Camellia Garden and is actively involved in the activation of Riverside Park. Recently, Walter was instrumental in the dispersal of seven cubic yards of dirt for the planters at the southeast entrance to the park. Walter has also secured funding and a grant to cover the cost of purchasing the plants for the two planters at the main entrance to Riverside Park.
Friend of the Parks 2020
For Service in Willowbranch Park
Richard Ceriello
The AIDS Memorial Project of Northeast Florida is a nonprofit dedicated to building and maintaining a memorial to people who have died from complications of AIDS and a living monument for those infected/affected by AIDS. The group is leading efforts create the “Love Grove” in Willowbranch Park and the planting of 100 flowering trees with the help of the City of Jacksonville. The group also hopes to raise funds for a memorial that would revamp the bridge of the park’s center sidewalk (from the stairs at Willow Branch Avenue to the library) using the amazing fallen tree design by Scott Farris. The organization also plans to fund a sunflower mural on the northwest side of the Park Street overpass by local artist Keith Doles.
Award of Merit 2020 for RAP ReLeaf
Richard Leon, City of Jacksonville
Kathleen McGovern, City of Jacksonville
Richard and Kathleen were instrumental in communicating the need to replace trees at the end of their life cycle in the historic district. They worked closely with Riverside Avondale Preservation to make the process of requesting trees for rights-of-way as easy as possible. Over 350 trees were planted as part of the RAP ReLeaf program.
Wayne Wood Preservation Award
An award for long-term preservation leadership and stewardship of historic resources
Pamela Telis
Pamela Telis is a former RAP board member who actively worked to develop the Riverside Arts Market in the early days and continues to serve the community through her love of parks. Pamela founded the Friends of Boone Park South support group and gives oversight to regular clean-up days and an annual tree planting intended to replace many of the trees lost to age and storms in this park, planting and nurturing over 60 new trees. Pamela, ‘the mayor of Boone Park South’, as she is called, working with the Parks Department, regularly sees to maintenance, repairs and social activities in the park.
This past year, Pamela also led a small task force to review all 26 parks in Riverside Avondale. The study included a historical review, an assessment of each park and a list of recommendations for RAP to consider. This includes a permanent RAP committee recommendation that would work with the Parks Dept on certain major projects and upgrades to certain parks, coordination of volunteer Friends of the Parks groups and additional ways to more effectively communicate and celebrate our neighborhood parks. The intent is to give similar attention to our parks just as RAP does with the preservation of our architecture in Riverside-Avondale. That report will be released soon by the new parks committee.