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Architecture of Jacksonville

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{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

File:11 East Forsyth, Jacksonville FL, Southwest view 20160706 1.jpg is a Chicago school and Art Deco inspired building designed by the architecture firm, Pringle & Smith. Originally named the Lynch Building, it is located on Forsyth Street, near the intersection of Main Street, in the heart of Downtown Jacksonville.]]

File:JaxFLSouthbank2014.jpg business district]]

The architecture of Jacksonville is a combination of historic and modern styles reflecting the city's early position as a regional center of business. According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, there are more buildings built before 1967 in Jacksonville than any other city in Florida,{{cite web |url= http://www.jacksonville.com/j-magazine/2017-12-17/rich-history-jacksonville-one-you-probably-didn-t-know-about |title=The rich history of Jacksonville - the one you probably didn’t know about |date= December 17, 2017 |work=J Magazine |publisher=Florida Times-Union|access-date=March 2, 2018}} though few structures in the city center predate the Great Fire of 1901.{{cite web |url= http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2007-jan-distinguish-jacksonville-the-great-fire-of-1901 |title=Distinguish Jacksonville: The Great Fire of 1901 |date= January 6, 2007 |publisher=Metro Jacksonville|access-date=April 12, 2016}} Numerous buildings in the city have held state height records, dating as far back as 1902,{{cite web |url= http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-mar-a-century-of-floridas-tallest-skyscrapers |title= A Century of Florida's Tallest Skyscrapers |author=Ennis Davis|date= March 6, 2008 |publisher=Metro Jacksonville |access-date=April 12, 2016}} and last holding a record in 1981.{{cite web |url= http://www.emporis.com/buildings/118945/wells-fargo-center-jacksonville-fl-usa |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160308202842/http://www.emporis.com/buildings/118945/wells-fargo-center-jacksonville-fl-usa |url-status= usurped |archive-date= March 8, 2016 |title= Wells Fargo Center, Jacksonville |publisher=Emporis |access-date=April 12, 2016}}

Prominent architects

Contributing heavily during the reconstruction period following the Great Fire of 1901, a young New York architect named Henry John Klutho would come to influence generations of local designers. Klutho's works exhibit elements influenced by both the Chicago School, championed by Louis Sullivan, and the Prairie School of architecture, popularized by Frank Lloyd Wright. As a result, Jacksonville has one of the largest collections of Prairie Style buildings outside the Midwest.{{cite web |url= http://www.prairieschooltraveler.com/html/fl/lost/Lost-Treasures.html |title=Jacksonville's Lost Treasures |author= Wayne W. Wood |publisher=Prairie School Traveler |access-date=April 23, 2016}}

By the 1950s, modernist design principles would permeate throughout the United States, transforming the rapidly growing State of Florida.{{cite web |url=http://preservation.myfloridahistory.org/identifying-american-architectural-styles-midcentury-modern/ |title=Identifying American Architectural Styles: Midcentury Modern |author=Lesa Lorusso |work=Florida Preservationist |publisher=Florida Historical Society |access-date=April 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427192204/http://preservation.myfloridahistory.org/identifying-american-architectural-styles-midcentury-modern/ |archive-date=April 27, 2016 |url-status=dead }} During this period, local architects Robert C. Broward, Taylor Hardwick, and William Morgan adapted a range of design principles, including International style, Brutalism, Futurism and Organicism, all applied with an American interpretation generally referred to today as Mid-century modern design.{{cite web |url=https://jaxhistory.wordpress.com/tag/mid-century-modern/ |title=When Does Modern Architecture Become Historic? |publisher=Jacksonville Historical Society |access-date=April 23, 2016}} The architecture firms of Reynolds, Smith & Hills (RS&H){{cite web |url=http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2012-apr-the-premature-destruction-of-downtown-jacksonville/page/2 |title=The Premature Destruction of Downtown Jacksonville |author=Ennis Davis |date=April 12, 2012 |work=Urban Issues |publisher=Metro Jacksonville |access-date=April 24, 2016}} and Kemp, Bunch & Jackson (KBJ) have also contributed a number of important works to the city's modern architectural movement. In particular, KBJ has designed more buildings in the contemporary skyline of Jacksonville than any other architectural firm. Of the 30 tallest buildings in the city, 17 are associated with KBJ.{{cite web |url=http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/012408/met_239460969.shtml#.Vxy7Aa5HKRk |title=Architect transformed city waterfront |author=Jessie-Lynne Kerr |date= January 24, 2008 |publisher=The Florida Times-Union |access-date=April 24, 2016}} With the notable exception of works by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, Welton Becket, Paul Rudolph, and Helmut Jahn, many of Jacksonville's modern landmarks were designed locally.

Residential architecture

=[[Houses]]=

File:Arthur Milam House, Ponte Vedra, FL, US.jpg (1961)]]

Few structures survive from the earliest period of Jacksonville's history, though there are a handful of notable exceptions. Built in 1797, Kingsley Plantation is the oldest surviving structure in the city and is currently maintained by the National Park Service as part of the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. Located on Fort George Island, the plantation is a unique two-story house that resembles 17th century British gentry homes. The Red Bank Plantation House is a Georgian Revival style structure built in 1854. Marabanong Mansion is a Queen Anne style home built in 1876. Napoleon Bonaparte Broward House, built in 1878, and the Merrill House, built in 1886, are two examples of Victorian style homes in Jacksonville.

The Great Fire of 1901 consumed much of central Jacksonville, leaving thousands homeless, and simultaneously sparked a significant period of growth lasting up until the end of the Florida Land Boom. Springfield, Riverside, Avondale, Eastside, Oakland and Fairfield had been platted and annexed into the city prior to the fire, and experienced much of the related growth after the disaster. Architect Henry John Klutho would become a popular figure in the reconstruction of Jacksonville, contributing his designs to many of the new structures, including dwellings. Built in 1902, The Thomas V. Porter House is a Classical Revival and Colonial Revival style mansion designed by Klutho. He is better known for his works in the Prairie School style of architecture. His own home, Henry John Klutho House, is a prime example. The architecture firm of Marsh & Saxelbye would also establish itself during this period of growth. In 1925, the firm designed the Tudor Revival style Lane-Towers House. More famously, Epping Forest, completed in 1927, is a Spanish Colonial Revival style mansion designed by Marsh & Saxelbye.

Following World War II, suburbs rapidly developed throughout the United States, due in large part to the rise of personal automobile ownership. Following the opening of the Mathews Bridge, Arlington would become the most important of these developments locally. This period also coincided with the popularization of Modern design in architecture. Designed by Robert C. Broward, the Butterfly House was completed in 1957 in the Arlington neighborhood. Its design elements, including the butterfly wing shaped roof, are sometime more broadly categorized today as Mid-century modern design.{{cite web|last1=Reynolds|first1=Tiffanie|title=Broward’s ‘Butterfly House’ restored to former glory|url=http://www.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2017-12-22/broward-s-butterfly-house-restored-former-glory|website=Jacksonville.com|publisher=Florida Times-Union|access-date=7 February 2018}} The Jacksonville Beaches also host a number of modern homes built during this period. Famed architect Paul Rudolph designed the iconic Milam House in 1961, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. William Morgan designed the Williamson House in 1966, and his own home, Morgan House, in 1974. Both are located on the beach.{{cite web|url=http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/arts/2013-05-20/story/university-florida-honors-architect-william-morgan-lifetime |title=University of Florida honors architect William Morgan with a Lifetime Achievement Award |website=Jacksonville.com |access-date=2018-02-11}}

File:Jax FL Red Bank Plantation01.jpg|Red Bank Plantation House, Georgian style.

File:Fort George Island old house06.jpg|19th century Napoleon Bonaparte Broward House on Fort George Island.

File:Cleveland Ave.JPG|Shotgun houses on Cleveland Avenue in Durkeeville, Mid-Westside.

File:Thomas V. Porter House, Jacksonville, FL, US (15).jpg|Thomas V. Porter House, located downtown.

File:Jax FL Avondale HD02.jpg|Home in Riverside and Avondale.

File:Jax FL Klutho House01.jpg|Henry John Klutho House, a Prairie style home in Springfield.

File:Jax FL Old Ortega HD01.jpg|Classical Revival residence in Ortega.

=Apartments and condominiums=

File:Jax FL Churchwell Bldg03.jpg|Churchwell Building on East Bay Street

File:Jax FL Klutho Apts01.jpg|Klutho Apartments in Springfield.

File:Jax FL 310 West Church Street Apts01.jpg|310 West Church Street Apartments (former Ambassador Hotel) in Northbank, Downtown.

File:CarlingHotelJacksonville-2010-07-b.JPG|The Carling (former Hotel Roosevelt) in Northbank, Downtown

File:11eforsyth.JPG|11 East Forsyth

CathedralTerraceJacksonville.JPG|20th century Brutalist style residential towers in Northbank, Downtown.

File:PeninsulaJacksonville-2010-02-a.JPG|High-rise condominiums on the Southbank, Downtown waterfront.

File:Brooklynjax.jpg|Apartments in the Brooklyn neighborhood

Commercial architecture

{{wide image|Jaxnorthbankskyline.jpg|1000px|align-cap=center|The Downtown Jacksonville skyline}}

=Places of business=

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}

{{colend}}

File:121 Atlantic Place.jpg|121 Atlantic Place

File:Jax FL Barnett Natl Bank Bldg pano01.jpg|Barnett National Bank Building

File:ftuhq.jpeg|The Florida Times-Union Building

File:CSXHQ.JPG|CSX Transportation Building

File:Southbank, Jacksonville, FL 32207, USA - panoramio (1).jpg|Riverplace Tower

File:BCBSBldgJacksonville-2010-07-b.JPG|Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida

File:Wellsfargojax.jpeg|The Wells Fargo Center is one of the city's most iconic buildings

File:BaptistMedicalPavilionJacksonville-2010-07-a.JPG|Baptist Medical Pavilion

File:Suntrusttower.JPG|The SunTrust Tower located on Laura Street in downtown

OneECenter.jpg|One Enterprise Center and Omni Hotel Jacksonville

File:Bofatower.jpg|The Bank of America Tower

=Hotels=

=Shopping centers=

File:StJohnsTCJax.jpg|St. Johns Town Center

File:Jacksonville Landing Dec 2016.jpg|Jacksonville Landing

Institutional architecture

=Government=

File:Jacksonville City Hall (South face).JPG is the current of Jacksonville City Hall, and is a prime example of local Prairie School design.]]

File:Yates Building, Jacksonville.JPG|Yates Building

File:FL-Jacksonville 1933 Ref.jpg|Ed Austin Building

File:CityHAEast.jpg|City Hall Annex

File:Frbjax.jpg|Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department Headquarters (Former Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Jacksonville Branch)

File:Edballjax.jpeg|The Ed Ball Building

File:JaxFederalCourthouse.jpg|United States Courthouse

File:DuvalCountyCourthouse.JPG|Duval County Courthouse

=Education=

File:Carnegie_Library_Jacksonville.jpg|Carnegie Library

File:Jax FL Waters College Admin Bldg sq pano02.jpg|Edward Waters College

File:JU campus Gooding.jpg|Gooding Building on the Jacksonville University Campus

File:Jacksonville Main Library 2008.jpg|Jacksonville Public Library

File:Osprey Plaza at night.JPG|University of North Florida Student Union

=Museums=

File:Cummer Museum, Jacksonville, FL, US (02).jpg (1961), designed by Saxelby & Powell]]

Jacksonville is home to a variety of museums of varied styles. Completed in 1921, the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum is a Classical Revival building originally constructed for the Church of Christian Scientist. It was designed by the local architecture firm Marsh & Saxelbye. Also designed by Marsh & Saxelbye, the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville was originally built in 1931 for the Western Union Telegraph Company, and stands as one of Jacksonville's best examples of Art Deco in architecture.{{cite web |url=https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/historical_architecture_main/2740/ |title=Western Union Telegraph Building (MOCA) |work=digitalcommons.unf.edu |publisher=University of North Florida |access-date=February 11, 2018}} Another example of Art Deco is the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens. Completed in 1961, the fine arts museum was designed by Saxelby & Powell. Constructed in 1965, the Jacksonville Art Museum was predecessor of what is now the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville. Designed by Taylor Hardwick, the building is located in the Midtown Centre office complex. Originally built in 1969 as the Jacksonville Children's Museum, William Morgan's Brutalist designed museum currently houses the Museum of Science and History.

File:Jax FL Karpeles Library Museum05.jpg|Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum

File:10-moca-jacksonville.jpg|Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville

File:Jax FL Museum of SH pano01.jpg|Museum of Science and History

=Houses of worship=

File:Jax FL Immaculate Conception Church sq pano01.jpg|Immaculate Conception Catholic Church

File:First Presbyterian Church, Jacksonville, FL, US (03).jpg|First Presbyterian Church

File:St. John the Divine Greek Orthodox Church, Jacksonville.JPG|St. John the Divine Greek Orthodox Church

File:Jax FL Riverside Baptist Church01.jpg|Riverside Baptist Church

File:The Bethel Church03.jpg|Bethel Church

File:Jacksonville FL St Andrews Episc Church02.jpg|St. Andrews

Cultural architecture

=Entertainment venues=

File:Florida Theater.JPG style Florida Theatre, designed by Roy A. Benjamin, and opening in the 1927]]

The city host a number of music and performance venues, most notably the Florida Theatre. Designed by local architect Roy A. Benjamin, the Mediterranean Revival style theater opened in 1927. Benjamin designed a number of other local venues, including the Renaissance Revival style Riverside Theatre in 1927 and the Art Deco style San Marco Theatre in 1939. Designed by Jefferson Davis Powell in 1929, the Ritz Theatre is another local example of Art Deco architecture in Jacksonville entertainment venues. The Mid-century modern Jacksonville Coliseum was built in 1960 and designed by A. Eugene Cellar and George Ryad Fisher. Demolished in 2003, the building exhibited what is now coined as Googie architecture. Built in the International Style in 1962, the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts is one of many examples of buildings designed locally by the firm of Kemp, Bunch & Jackson. The newest addition to the local entertainment venue stock is the Populous designed Daily's Place. Completed in 2017, the venue is attached to the southern edge of Everbank Field.

File:Jax FL Ritz Theatre02.jpg|Ritz Theatre

File:Cine San Marco.JPG|San Marco Theatre

File:JacksonvilleMemorialColiseum.PNG|Jacksonville Coliseum (demolished)

File:Tupacjax.jpg|Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts

=Sports venues=

Jacksonville is home to several major sports venues, most notably EverBank Field, home stadium facility of the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). Completed in 1995, it was designed by the architecture firm HOK Sport. Opening in 2003, the Postmodern styled Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville and Veterans Memorial Arena were both designed by the architecture firm Populous.

File:EverBank1.jpg|EverBank Field

File:Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.JPG|Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville

File:Jacksonville_Veterans_Memorial_Arena.JPG|Veterans Memorial Arena

Transportation architecture

File:JAXTicketing.JPG|Interior of Jacksonville International Airport

File:PrimeOsborneCenterJAX.JPG|Jacksonville Terminal

File:Hemmingplazastation.JPG|James Weldon Johnson Park station

File:Downtown Jacksonville, New Acosta Bridge.jpg|Acosta Bridge

File:Meetup DamesPt 6-14-10-9419.jpg|Dames Point Bridge

File:Fuller Warren Bridge, Jacksonville FL 2 Panorama.jpg|Fuller Warren Bridge

File:Hart Bridge in Jacksonville.jpg|Hart Bridge

File:MSBJaxFL.jpg|Main St Bridge

File:Mathews Bridge.jpg|Mathews Bridge

Parks and historic sites

File:KingsleyPlantationSunset2.jpg|Kingsley Plantation

File:OldStLukesJax.PNG|Old St. Luke Hospital

File:Memorial Day 2014 v2.jpg|American Red Cross Volunteer Life Saving Corps Station

Tallest buildings

{{Main|List of tallest buildings in Jacksonville}}

The 10 tallest standard structures:

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; background:#eef5ff;"
bgcolor="ddeeee"

! bgcolor="ccdddd"|Std.
rank

! Name

! Year

! Location
(Downtown)

! Floors

! Standard
height
ft

! Std.
hgt
m

!class="unsortable"| Notes

bgcolor=e9e9e9
{{Right|1}}

| Bank of America Tower

| 1990

| North Laura Street & West Bay Street

| align="right"|42

| {{convert|617|ft|m|disp=table}}

|

{{Right|2}}

| Wells Fargo Center

| 1974

| Laura Street & Independent Drive

| align="right"|37

| {{convert|535|ft|m|disp=table}}

|

{{Right|3}}

| EverBank Center

| 1983

| West Bay Street & Pearl Street

| align="right"|32

| align="right" |447

| align="right" |136

|

{{Right|4}}

| The Peninsula at St. Johns Center

| 2006

| 1401 Riverplace Boulevard

| align="right"|36

| align="right" |437

| align="right" |133

|

{{Right|5}}

| Riverplace Tower

| 1967

| Riverplace Boulevard & Flagler Avenue

| align="right"|28

| {{convert|432|ft|m|disp=table}}

|

{{Right|6}}

| SunTrust Tower

| 1989

| Laura Street & Independent Drive

| align="right" |24

| {{convert|357|ft|m|disp=table}}

|

{{Right|7}}

| The Strand at St. Johns Center

| 2006

| 1401 Riverplace Boulevard

| align="right" |28

| {{convert|328|ft|m|disp=table}}

|

{{Right|8}}

| Eight Forty One

| 1954

| 841 Prudential Drive

| align="right"|22

| {{convert|309|ft|m|disp=table}}

|

{{Right|9}}

| Two Prudential Plaza

|1985

| Museum Circle & San Marco Boulevard

| align="right" |21

| {{convert|305|ft|m|disp=table}}

|

{{Right|10}}

| One Enterprise Center

| 1986

| Water & Hogan Streets

| align="right"|21

| {{convert|299|ft|m|disp=table}}

|

Chronology of the tallest buildings in Jacksonville:

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; background:#eef5ff;"
bgcolor="ddeeee"

! Years tallest (Florida)

! Years tallest (city)

! Name

! Std.
hgt
ft/m

! Floors

! Year completed

!class="unsortable"| Notes

bgcolor=e9e9e9
1902-1909

| 1902–1909

| Dyal-Upchurch Building

| 82 / 25

| 6

| 1902

|

1909-1912

| 1909–1912

| 121 Atlantic Place

| 135 / 41

| 10

| 1909

|

1912-1913

| 1912–1913

| Florida Life Building

| 148 / 45

| 11

| 1912

|

1913-1926

| 1913–1926

| Heard National Bank Building

| 180 / 55

| 15

| 1913

|

| 1926–1954

| Barnett National Bank Building

| 224 / 68

| 18

| 1926

|

| 1954–1967

| Eight Forty One

| 309 / 94

| 22

| 1955

|

1967-1972

| 1967–1974

| Riverplace Tower

| 417 / 127

| 28

| 1967

|

1974-1981

| 1974–1990

| Wells Fargo Center

| 535 / 163

| 37

| 1974

|

| 1990–present

| Bank of America Tower

| 617 / 188

| 42

| 1990

|

Accolades

"Florida Architecture: 100 places, 100 years", compiled by the Florida chapter of the American Institute of Architects.{{cite web|title=Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places.|url=http://www.aiafltop100.org/Current-Standings.cfm|publisher=American Institute of Architects Florida|access-date=May 7, 2013}}

class="wikitable sortable"
Rank

! Building

! Architect

align=center|4

| University of North Florida Student Union

| Dasher, Reynolds & Belyea

align=center|6

| St. Paul's by-the-Sea Episcopal Church

| Blake Ellis

align=center|14

| Bolles School

| Marsh & Saxelbye

align=center|26

| Florida Theatre

| Roy A. Benjamin

align=center|48

| Epping Forest

| Marsh & Saxelbye

align=center|51

| Jacksonville Public Library

| Robert A. M. Stern

align=center|55

| Unitarian Universalist Church

| Robert C. Broward

align=center|57

| Haydon Burns Library

| Taylor Hardwick

align=center|64

| St. James Building

| Henry John Klutho

align=center|68

| Chart House Restaurant

| Kendrick Bangs Kellogg

align=center|70

| Riverside Baptist Church

| Addison Mizner

align=center|87

| Riverplace Tower

| Welton Becket

align=center|92

| Florida Life Building

| Henry John Klutho

align=center|96

| Westminster Woods

| Robert C. Broward

Styles and schools

Jacksonville architects used many design styles and belonged to a variety of architectural schools. Below is a list of those styles and schools.

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See also

{{Portal|Florida}}

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

Further reading

  • Wood, Wayne W., Davis, Judy (1989). Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage: Landmarks for the Future. University Press of Florida. {{ISBN|0-8130-0953-7}}
  • Broward, Robert (1984). The Architecture of Henry John Klutho. University Press of Florida. {{ISBN|0-8130-0731-3}}
  • Hochstim, Jan (2005). Florida Modern: Residential Architecture 1945-1970. Rizzoli. {{ISBN|0-8478-2603-1}}
  • King, Joseph (2005). Paul Rudolph: The Florida Houses. Princeton Architectural Press. {{ISBN|1-5689-8551-7}}
  • McCarter, Robert (2002). William Morgan, Selected and Current Works. Images Publishing Group. {{ISBN|1-8769-0702-9}}
  • Taylor Hardwick (2014). Taylor Hardwick: 60 Years of Design. Taylor Hardwick. {{ISBN|0-6159-7671-9}}

External links

  • [http://www.coj.net/departments/planning-and-development.aspx/ Jacksonville Planning and Development Dept.]
  • {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20050313034439/http://www.aiajacksonville.org/ America Institute of Architecture - Jacksonville]}}

{{City of Jacksonville}}

{{Jacksonville skyscrapers}}

{{Architecture of North America}}

{{Architecture in the United States}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Architecture of Jacksonville}}

Category:Jacksonville, Florida

Category:Jacksonville, Florida-related lists

Category:Buildings and structures in Jacksonville, Florida

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