SPRINGFIELD, Fla. – A beloved piece of Jacksonville’s history is now gone.
The Glorious Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, which stood for more than 80 years in the city’s Springfield neighborhood, was demolished in June after city officials declared the building structurally unsound and too dangerous to remain standing.
The demolition, classified as an “emergency demolition by neglect,” has left residents reflecting on the loss and questioning whether more could have been done to save the historic sanctuary.
A Painful Loss for the Community
Built in 1940, the Glorious Church of the Lord was more than just a place of worship. Over the decades, it served as a low-cost summer camp, a polling place, and a gathering spot where lives were changed.
But years of termite damage and structural decay left the sanctuary unsafe. According to neighbors, one engineer even fell through the floor while assessing the damage.
“It was sad. Of course, we don’t want to see something come down, but there was no way to save it,” said Michelle Gilliam, a Springfield resident who lives across the street from the church. “It was brick veneer covering wood, unlike the structure over here, which is actually three layers of brick, and termites had completely eaten the wood.”
Gilliam says church leadership did everything they could to save the sanctuary, applying for local, state, and federal aid, holding fundraisers, and keeping the congregation informed. But the cost of repairs would have run into the millions.
Could More Have Been Done?
Not everyone agrees that the demolition was inevitable. Preservation Commissioner William Hoff believes the building’s decline could have been prevented with better upkeep and earlier intervention.
“Demolition by neglect is not something that happens rapidly, so there’s thankfully lots of time to intervene,” Hoff said. “If you own a historic structure that is either a landmark or that is contributing to a historic district, then you have a special responsibility to maintain that property at least to a very basic level. If you don’t, then please think about alternatives to just owning it until it falls down.”
Hoff also emphasized the importance of community involvement, urging residents to speak up when they notice signs of neglect in historic properties.
A Troubling Trend
For many in Springfield, the loss of the church is part of a larger pattern of historic buildings disappearing from Jacksonville’s landscape.
“Since I’ve lived in Jacksonville for the past 15 years, I would say it’s sadly losing so much of the historic structures,” said resident Jessica Bone. “Once the history is gone, it’s gone. We don’t want to become a city of strip malls and fast food chains, and sadly, that’s what a lot of neighborhoods turn into once the historic structures are no longer there.”
For now, the future of the remaining fellowship hall is uncertain. Locals hope it can be preserved, but no decisions have been made. The congregation continues to worship in the parsonage, which is inside the fellowship hall building.
Pastor Michael Girard says the church plans to turn the demolition site into a greenspace, and has launched a GoFundMe campaign to support their efforts.
Donations can be made by clicking this link.
As Springfield residents reflect on the loss, the hope is that what remains of the church—and the neighborhood’s historic character—can be preserved for future generations.