JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Demolition crews are actively working at the old Solomon Auction Building in Jacksonville’s Urban Core after the building collapsed Monday evening.
The Solomon Auction Building, while old, is not considered historic; however, its recent destruction raises questions about the criteria for preserving buildings and when it might be time to let go.
Michael Haskins, executive director of the Springfield Preservation and Revitalization Council, emphasized the importance of preserving historic buildings in a community like Springfield.
“The Springfield area is the historic community in the City of Jacksonville, was the first suburb of Jacksonville,” Haskins said. “What we want to see for this community is preservation of the historically significant structures and then revitalization of those spaces that are vacant and not being used well right now.”
Haskins also expressed excitement about the efforts in the Phoenix Arts District, where spaces are being redeveloped for artists and small businesses.
The old Solomon Auction Building was not deemed an integral part of Springfield’s history, but it was included in the Future of Cities plan to revitalize the area, according to reports from News4JAX’s partners at the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Jacksonville Councilmember Matt Carlucci, who led a historic building task force in 2001, stressed the balance between preservation and practicality, echoing much of Haskins' sentiment.
The biggest part of those efforts, Carlucci says, was the Laura Street Trio.
“They are the ones that really, really prompted the whole study, and 23, 24 years later, still waiting,” Carlucci said, referring to the Laura Street Trio, a group of historic buildings in Jacksonville.
He also noted that not every old building is worth saving, especially if it lacks historical or architectural significance.
“You just find out it may be a furniture store for many years, didn’t have a real story, no architectural features, it’s going to be tough to landmark that,” Carlucci said. “But that’s not to say it’s not worthwhile readapting it, because, you know, the greenest buildings are the ones that are already built, right?” he said.
An example of this played out this week as Jacksonville leaders discussed the future of getting a historical designation for the neighborhood of LaVilla, which has been dubbed the Harlem of the South.
Both Haskins and Carlucci agree that it’s crucial to save important parts of history, like what is playing out with the LaVilla neighborhood, while letting go of others without regret, as is the case with the old Solomon Auction Building.