Last year, Simpson Memorial United Methodist Church moved out of its deteriorating property at Kings Road and Cleveland Street. considered offering the property for redevelopment, Luckey said. But several nonprofits meet at the church, including the Downtown Ecumenical Services Council, which provides food, clothing and financial assistance for the needy. The church is involved with Cathedral District-Jax, a nonprofit started by St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral to foster the redevelopment around the Cathedral. The Cathedral has been involved in Downtown redevelopment since the 1960s, under the leadership of Dean Robert Parks, who left in 1971 to become rector of Trinity Wall Street. Parks built three high-rises for about 650 seniors and a rehabilitation center Downtown. More recently, Dean Kate Moorehead established Cathedral District-Jax, which is spearheading the redevelopment of the old Community Connections (YWCA) property next door to the Cathedral. The Vestcor Company is buying the property and plans to build the Lofts at the Cathedral with mar- rate and affordable housing. Lket ori Boyer, chief executive officer of the Downtown Investment Authority, said the churches are an important player Downtown because they bring people Downtown. But since churches are tax exempt, they haven’t contributed to the economic base of Downtown. “The possibility that some church property could be available for development has the potential for activation on more than Sunday and Wednesday, but five or seven days a week,” Boyer said. “And it would put those properties on the tax rolls and help contribute to the overall tax base.” The unique thing about churches is their architecture. Sanctuaries are not the most adaptable structures but offices and classroom space are. That has been the challenge facing the old Snyder Memorial United Methodist Church property on Hemming Park. The historic church, founded in 1870, is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Gothic Revival building of granite and limestone was constructed in 1903 to replace the sanctuary destroyed in the Great Fire of 1901. The church closed in 1992 and the property was bought in 2000 by the River City Band, which performed in the sanctuary. The city took over the mortgage and has owned the building since the early 2000s after the band moved out. Several ideas have been floated to convert the church into a museum, a visitors center or a club but nothing has materialized. Boyer said Snyder is a high priority for redevelopment. “It’s a wonderfully iconic building in the center of Downtown,” Boyer said. “We have quite a bit of interest. I’m really hopeful we will have some genuine offers within the next 12 months.” At least three groups have expressed interest lately, including one from out of town. Boyer said all of the proposals are revenue-producing. Also generating a lot of interest is the First Baptist property, 12 acres in the Cathedral District that has seen little redevelopment. “I think they’re trying to be deliberate about what they do with the property so they get what they want and not just sell it off to the highest bidder,” Boyer said. “I would love to have a master plan for that property. From a city perspective, there are few places in the urban core that have that quantity of land that is available. There’s an opportunity to do something much bigger, a medical campus or a university presence. It would take time to pull it together, but I’d like to see the possibilities before we lose the opportunity.” First Baptist has not disclosed its plans, but in September, when asking for the congregation to support the sale of the property, Lambert said, “I want to stop the decline of the Downtown church and want to be a better neighbor to Downtown. I think this plan allows us to simultaneously do both.” Downtown, once dominated by the massive presence of First Baptist Church, will have a new look. Lilla Ross, a former Florida Times-Union editor, lives in San Marco. JEFF DAVIS (2) Located across from Hemming Park, Snyder Memorial United Methodist Church closed in 1992. The building remains vacant. 70 J MAGAZINE | WINTER <strong>2019</strong>
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