thelakelander
12-05-2005, 12:42 AM
http://www.jacksonville.com/images/120505/105794_300.jpg
By MARY KELLI PALKA
The Times-Union
In its heyday of the 1940s, the building at Ashley and Jefferson streets in downtown Jacksonville hosted musical performances by jazz greats Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday.
More than $715,000 in city and state money and five years has been invested in renovating Genovar's Hall, but today the building looks old and decrepit. The most noticeable features now are the large steel posts surrounding the outside of the gutted shell.
"I think it's coming together, but it's taking a lot longer than anyone wanted it to," said City Councilman Reggie Fullwood, who has been a supporter of the restoration project.
The Nu Beta Sigma chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. had hoped to restore the three-story building back to its old glory and in the process help revitalize the LaVilla neighborhood that is home to Genovar's Hall.
But fraternity members said the city has delayed the process by withholding grant money for longer than necessary. City officials said they were just trying to iron out some details over use of the building.
Fraternity members are waiting for $100,000 from the city they were promised a couple years ago. They're also asking for an extension on the deadline to finish the building.
"It's a white elephant now, but it'll be a jewel in the crown once it's completed," fraternity President Prentis Clayton said.
He still does not know how much the project will cost to complete. But the fraternity is also looking for private sources of funding.
In 1998, the fraternity started working with the city on a deal to renovate the building, then in the city's surplus property inventory. In March 2000, the city gave the property deed to the fraternity at no cost. The project was supposed to be completed within two years.
The city has given the fraternity about $229,000 in grants to help with the work. The fraternity has also spent about $487,000 in state historical and environmental grants on the project.
In 2003, the fraternity sought an extension on its deadline through April 28. The council approved the extension in January 2004, but the contract between the city and fraternity didn't get signed until March 9, 2005.
In a letter dated March 10, fraternity member and attorney Reginald Estell asked for another extension through Oct. 31 to complete the exterior work.
That new deadline was never agreed to, but the city and fraternity have been working on a new deal since the March letter.
Both sides blame the other for the delay in reaching a new deal. City attorney Tim Dunham said Estell had been slow since August to respond to the city's questions. Estell informed the city it was the increased demands from the February Super Bowl and the General Counsel's Office being short-staffed that delayed a new contract.
Clayton said he doesn't think the city has purposely attempted to delay the project.
Under a draft agreement in the works, the city would be able to use the second floor of the building through 2013 for recreational and meeting space, as well as special events and conferences. The fraternity has plans to turn another portion of the building into a jazz-themed restaurant.
The draft also calls for an extension through next Aug. 31 for exterior work and Aug. 31, 2008, for the completion of the interior.
Mayor John Peyton's office has been working on extending the project deadlines in deference to Fullwood, Chief of Staff Steve Diebenow said.
When asked whether the administration thought the project was important to the revitalization of LaVilla, Diebenow didn't answer. He said Peyton is deferring to Fullwood because the councilman believes it's an important project.
"We're doing it because Reggie asked us to," Diebenow said.
Diebenow said he has seen improvement on the project.
"You can certainly see by driving by that there's a roof on it, that the site has been cleared and that there has been work that's gone on there," Diebenow said. "I think when the project originally started it was just crumbled facades."
On Thursday, the fraternity filed its annual report to the Florida Division of Corporations. It hadn't been filed on time in September, but the city said it needed to be updated prior to the fraternity receiving more grant money.
mary.palkajacksonville.com, (904) 359-4104
This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stor..._20477056.shtml (http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/120505/met_20477056.shtml).
By MARY KELLI PALKA
The Times-Union
In its heyday of the 1940s, the building at Ashley and Jefferson streets in downtown Jacksonville hosted musical performances by jazz greats Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday.
More than $715,000 in city and state money and five years has been invested in renovating Genovar's Hall, but today the building looks old and decrepit. The most noticeable features now are the large steel posts surrounding the outside of the gutted shell.
"I think it's coming together, but it's taking a lot longer than anyone wanted it to," said City Councilman Reggie Fullwood, who has been a supporter of the restoration project.
The Nu Beta Sigma chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. had hoped to restore the three-story building back to its old glory and in the process help revitalize the LaVilla neighborhood that is home to Genovar's Hall.
But fraternity members said the city has delayed the process by withholding grant money for longer than necessary. City officials said they were just trying to iron out some details over use of the building.
Fraternity members are waiting for $100,000 from the city they were promised a couple years ago. They're also asking for an extension on the deadline to finish the building.
"It's a white elephant now, but it'll be a jewel in the crown once it's completed," fraternity President Prentis Clayton said.
He still does not know how much the project will cost to complete. But the fraternity is also looking for private sources of funding.
In 1998, the fraternity started working with the city on a deal to renovate the building, then in the city's surplus property inventory. In March 2000, the city gave the property deed to the fraternity at no cost. The project was supposed to be completed within two years.
The city has given the fraternity about $229,000 in grants to help with the work. The fraternity has also spent about $487,000 in state historical and environmental grants on the project.
In 2003, the fraternity sought an extension on its deadline through April 28. The council approved the extension in January 2004, but the contract between the city and fraternity didn't get signed until March 9, 2005.
In a letter dated March 10, fraternity member and attorney Reginald Estell asked for another extension through Oct. 31 to complete the exterior work.
That new deadline was never agreed to, but the city and fraternity have been working on a new deal since the March letter.
Both sides blame the other for the delay in reaching a new deal. City attorney Tim Dunham said Estell had been slow since August to respond to the city's questions. Estell informed the city it was the increased demands from the February Super Bowl and the General Counsel's Office being short-staffed that delayed a new contract.
Clayton said he doesn't think the city has purposely attempted to delay the project.
Under a draft agreement in the works, the city would be able to use the second floor of the building through 2013 for recreational and meeting space, as well as special events and conferences. The fraternity has plans to turn another portion of the building into a jazz-themed restaurant.
The draft also calls for an extension through next Aug. 31 for exterior work and Aug. 31, 2008, for the completion of the interior.
Mayor John Peyton's office has been working on extending the project deadlines in deference to Fullwood, Chief of Staff Steve Diebenow said.
When asked whether the administration thought the project was important to the revitalization of LaVilla, Diebenow didn't answer. He said Peyton is deferring to Fullwood because the councilman believes it's an important project.
"We're doing it because Reggie asked us to," Diebenow said.
Diebenow said he has seen improvement on the project.
"You can certainly see by driving by that there's a roof on it, that the site has been cleared and that there has been work that's gone on there," Diebenow said. "I think when the project originally started it was just crumbled facades."
On Thursday, the fraternity filed its annual report to the Florida Division of Corporations. It hadn't been filed on time in September, but the city said it needed to be updated prior to the fraternity receiving more grant money.
mary.palkajacksonville.com, (904) 359-4104
This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stor..._20477056.shtml (http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/120505/met_20477056.shtml).