Editor’s Note: “If These Walls Could Talk” celebrates the rich history hidden within the structures that shape our Resident communities – from beloved family homes and neighborhood churches to stately mansions and iconic gathering places. Each building has a story, and through this column, we aim to preserve and share the people, moments and memories that have lived within their walls. Because these stories often reflect the shared history of Jacksonville as a whole, readers may occasionally see features from across both Resident News markets. Whether on one side of the river or the other, these historic places help tell the larger story of our city and offer readers the opportunity to discover the fascinating histories of neighboring communities.
Stunning original features, a functioning 100-year-old elevator and a basement ghost that was apparently placated with a cardboard cutout companion – don’t let the modest size of 1534 Avondale Avenue fool you into thinking the home doesn’t have big stories to tell.
The ivy-covered Mediterranean Revival house was built in 1926, situated on a wedge-shaped lot, looking out onto a pair of pocket parks in Telfair Stockton’s new development, Avondale. The home’s architect, Albert N. Cole, was a partner at the firm of famed architect Henry Klutho.
The property was originally valued at $10,000, worth about $190,000 in today’s money. It was first occupied by James Darby, who sold insurance policies and bonds out of the Dyal-Upchurch Building downtown.
The home still features original wrought-iron elements, including a tension rod spanning the vaulted ceiling, a chandelier, and an internal metal gate that guards the entrance to the great room. There is also an internal Juliette balcony overlooking the great room, which once hosted a memorable performance by an opera singer who visited the home during a Luminaria open house.
The building materials are equally eye-catching, like the pecky cypress boards milled from local swamps and tributaries by the Cummer Lumber Company. The floor ranges from terracotta to oak and heart pine to checkered Venetian black-and-white tile.
But by the time Rick Pariani and his wife, Susan, first toured the house nearly a decade ago, the realtor had some advice for them.
“You don’t want this home,” he’d told them.
The driveway was badly cracked. The garage was dilapidated beyond repair and topped by an upstairs apartment that had been built without permits. The eerie, junk-filled basement was even purportedly inhabited by a ghost, which previous owner Gail Bachman had named “Darby.”
The couple wasn’t deterred, though.
“Susan immediately fell in love with this house – she saw through all the problems and knew this was going to be her dream home,” said Rick.
Rick was a landscape architect; his son also works as an architect, and his wife and daughter are both involved in the arts. Together, their attention to detail, commitment to historic preservation, and passion for art and design have helped them restore the home into the manicured gem it is today.
The front door, layered with countless coats of paint over the decades, was stripped layer by layer to reveal the original wood texture and light color. When lightning struck the original barrel tile roof and knocked off the chimney, Pariani had the cracked pieces carefully replaced with identical tiles salvaged from other old homes. Simply put, he believes in doing the job right, even if it takes more time and costs more money.
The restoration work wasn’t always easy, however, even meeting some supernatural resistance according to Rick. When he experienced a prolonged stretch of bad luck and accidents – hammering his fingers, falling down, breaking things – Rick speculated Darby might be the culprit.
A few friends suggested exorcising the ghost, but Rick had a different plan. He cleaned out the basement, hauled out the ancient oil-burning heater, repaired all the cracks, and applied a fresh coat of paint. Finally, he addressed Darby directly, speaking out loud.
“I said, ‘Darby, we’re the new owners, and we’re going to live here with you. I hope you realize how nice I’ve made it for you down here, and I just want you to appreciate it. I want you to leave me alone so we can live together,’” recounted Rick.
For good measure, he also provided Darby a “friend” – a cutout of Rick that his son had made in art class years ago, which he hung up in the basement. The trouble soon stopped and has never resumed, and to this day, the school project still keeps Darby company in the basement.
With all otherworldly spirits seemingly content, Rick has since turned his attention to replacing 11 non-original windows with architecturally appropriate casement windows. Meanwhile, the garage has been carefully rebuilt so that its plaster walls are indistinguishable from those of the main house, and the century-old sliding garage door tracks were even salvaged and reused.
Over the years, the rebuilt guest room over the garage, nicknamed “the birdhouse,” has hosted Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, and William Clark – all played by reenactors visiting town for educational events sponsored by the Colonial Dames. Actors performing at the Florida Theatre and Theater Jacksonville have also been guests.
“That’s been a nice way to give back to the neighborhood,” said Rick.
When it comes to their neighbors, Rick and Susan have no shortage of appreciation. Rick said they made more friends in their first three years living in Avondale than they did in the 20 years they lived in Ponte Vedra. He recounts the time an antique, ornamental hitching post was stolen from the front yard. Within days, a neighbor from down the street had gifted them a metal horse head so they could have a new post made.
On another occasion, a friend of the late Mrs. Bachman stopped by to present Rick a lamp identical to one that already adorned the house. He and Bachman had purchased matching lamps years ago, and wanted to honor her memory by reuniting the two lamps at 1534 Avondale Ave.
“That’s the kind of neighborhood we moved into,” said Rick.
He beams when he pulls back a drape and sees his granddaughter, visiting from New York, drawing with chalk in the garden, with Rick’s wife and daughter at her side. The backyard, which has been a stop on the Riverside Avondale Preservation Garden Tour, was Susan’s vision and is no less thoughtful than the home’s interior. It includes neatly arranged raised vegetable beds and a table Susan assembled, using balusters saved from Memorial Park as legs and covered in tiles arranged to depict the flowing St. Johns River.
It seems safe to say 1534 Avondale Avenue – and Darby – are in very good hands.
