Sights and Scenes: The CoRK Arts District
While there has been difficulty in forcing an arts district to materialize in Downtown Jacksonville, another real one continues to grow two miles away. This photo tour captures various shares sights and scenes from Riverside's expanding CoRK Arts District.
About CoRK Arts District
An acronym for "Corner of Roselle and King", CoRK Arts District is a network of once abandoned warehouses and underutilized spaces that have become home to several art studios, galleries and production spaces since the 2008 opening of Bold City Brewery.
CoRK's network of warehouses date back to the 1920s, as businesses such as the Atlantic Match Company, Peter Ballantine & Sons, Francis H. Leggett & Company, Schell-Sasse, and Dixon Powdermaker established a presence on the edge of Riverside. The warehouse district employed thousands of residents to manufacture and distribute a variety of products, including matchbooks, beer, wholesale groceries, millwork, and furniture.
As time has progressed and technological advances have been made, this industrial complex, once characterized by buildings that lined the street, has found itself full of structures, obsolete for the major industrial needs of yesteryear. Viewed by most as being nondescript and of little value, many similar buildings have been demolished in and around downtown in favor of a network of urban renewal revitalization dreams that have failed to materialize for a number of reasons.
What downtown lacked was this aging industrial district's prime amenity: affordable and available space, suitable for a variety of uses. We invite you to take a look at what has become Jacksonville's rapidly developing urban arts district.
CoRK West
In 1926, the Atlantic Match Company was one of the original businesses located in what is now known as CoRK West. Ceasing operation in 1937, Atlantic Match Company was a manufacturer of match books. In 2011, the warehouse was converted into CoRK. Today, the seven occupants of CoRK West maintain sculpture, painting, mixed media, and illustration studios and galleries.
CoRK East
For many years, early 20th century businesses such as Peter Ballantine & Sons and the Francis H. Leggett & Company operated local branches of their businesses out of what is know knwon as CoRK East.
At its peak, New Jersey-based Ballantine (1857-1960s) was the 4th largest brewer in the United States. New York-based wholesale grocer, Francis H. Leggett & Company was internationally known for tea leaves.
20 studios ranging from writing, painting and mixed media to wood working, ceramics and glass operate in CoRK East. An additional 12,000 square feet still remains unused. Tentative plans for that space include additional artist studios, gallery space, a live music venue, and a performance art space.
CoRKYard
The rail siding that once shipped beer for Peter Ballantine & Sons and Pepsi products for an adjacent warehouse that was a 1930s bottling works, has been put to use as an outdoor venue known as the CoRKYard.
CoRK North
AMV General Contractors previously operated their business at 603 King Street. In 2012, the warehouse was retrofitted into CoRK North. Today, 15 studios call the 12,000 square-foot building their home.
CoRK South
The warehouses that make up the CoRK South complex were originally a part of the Schell-Sasse Manufacturing Company's operations. Dating back to the 1920s, Schell-Sasse manufactured millwork, sash and doors for a number of clients including George E. Merrick and his Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. After Schell-Sasse, the warehouse complex housed Tinsley White Rucker, IV's Dixon Powdermaker Furniture Company. Today, CoRK South is home to a number of businesses and stuidos, including popular craft brewer, Bold City Brewery.
King Street Studios & Gallery
60 years ago, King Street between the railroad tracks and Edison Street was a different environment with products such as ice cream, milk and furniture being produced in its warehouses. During this era, 600 King Street was the home of the Jax Skating Rink. After the roller rink closed, the building housed the now defunct Duval News Company's printing plant for several years. Since the 2008 opening of Bold City Brewery on Rosselle Street, this district has been reborn as a brewing and arts district. Following the heels of CoRK's recent expansion, the former staking rink will become the new location of the King Street Studios & Gallery (KSS&G).
KSS&G offers an opportunity for artists of all skill levels to be immersed in art and allow their creative juices to flow. Classes are offered in blacksmithing, metal jewelry arts, bead looming, pottery, silkscreen, african drumming, middle eastern drumming, sewing and soon alternative photo processing.
646 King Street
Thomas Beverages bottled soft drinks in this building between 1933 and 1946, when the facility was purchased and taken over by Pepsi-Cola. Pepsi-Cola operated this warehouse as a bottling plant until 1957. After Pepsi moved on, the building was operated as a cold storage warehouse by the Deal-Warren Refrigeration Company. Today, the former Pepsi-Cola plant is home to Flaire Antiques and EverVess Arts Studio.
Intuition Ale Works
In 2010, popular craft brewer, Intuition Ale Works, opened in a King Street warehouse that dates back to 1960. In February of 2012, IAW became the first craft brewery in the state of Florida to can their beers.
Click Herefor more information on the history of this warehouse district.
Photo tour by Ennis Davis, AICP. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com
An acronym for "Corner of Roselle and King", CoRK Arts District is a network of once abandoned warehouses and underutilized spaces that have become home to several art studios, galleries and production spaces since the 2008 opening of Bold City Brewery.
CoRK's network of warehouses date back to the 1920s, as businesses such as the Atlantic Match Company, Peter Ballantine & Sons, Francis H. Leggett & Company, Schell-Sasse, and Dixon Powdermaker established a presence on the edge of Riverside. The warehouse district employed thousands of residents to manufacture and distribute a variety of products, including matchbooks, beer, wholesale groceries, millwork, and furniture.
As time has progressed and technological advances have been made, this industrial complex, once characterized by buildings that lined the street, has found itself full of structures, obsolete for the major industrial needs of yesteryear. Viewed by most as being nondescript and of little value, many similar buildings have been demolished in and around downtown in favor of a network of urban renewal revitalization dreams that have failed to materialize for a number of reasons.
What downtown lacked was this aging industrial district's prime amenity: affordable and available space, suitable for a variety of uses. We invite you to take a look at what has become Jacksonville's rapidly developing urban arts district.
CoRK West
In 1926, the Atlantic Match Company was one of the original businesses located in what is now known as CoRK West. Ceasing operation in 1937, Atlantic Match Company was a manufacturer of match books. In 2011, the warehouse was converted into CoRK. Today, the seven occupants of CoRK West maintain sculpture, painting, mixed media, and illustration studios and galleries.
CoRK East
For many years, early 20th century businesses such as Peter Ballantine & Sons and the Francis H. Leggett & Company operated local branches of their businesses out of what is know knwon as CoRK East.
At its peak, New Jersey-based Ballantine (1857-1960s) was the 4th largest brewer in the United States. New York-based wholesale grocer, Francis H. Leggett & Company was internationally known for tea leaves.
20 studios ranging from writing, painting and mixed media to wood working, ceramics and glass operate in CoRK East. An additional 12,000 square feet still remains unused. Tentative plans for that space include additional artist studios, gallery space, a live music venue, and a performance art space.
CoRKYard
The rail siding that once shipped beer for Peter Ballantine & Sons and Pepsi products for an adjacent warehouse that was a 1930s bottling works, has been put to use as an outdoor venue known as the CoRKYard.
CoRK North
AMV General Contractors previously operated their business at 603 King Street. In 2012, the warehouse was retrofitted into CoRK North. Today, 15 studios call the 12,000 square-foot building their home.
CoRK South
The warehouses that make up the CoRK South complex were originally a part of the Schell-Sasse Manufacturing Company's operations. Dating back to the 1920s, Schell-Sasse manufactured millwork, sash and doors for a number of clients including George E. Merrick and his Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. After Schell-Sasse, the warehouse complex housed Tinsley White Rucker, IV's Dixon Powdermaker Furniture Company. Today, CoRK South is home to a number of businesses and stuidos, including popular craft brewer, Bold City Brewery.
King Street Studios & Gallery
60 years ago, King Street between the railroad tracks and Edison Street was a different environment with products such as ice cream, milk and furniture being produced in its warehouses. During this era, 600 King Street was the home of the Jax Skating Rink. After the roller rink closed, the building housed the now defunct Duval News Company's printing plant for several years. Since the 2008 opening of Bold City Brewery on Rosselle Street, this district has been reborn as a brewing and arts district. Following the heels of CoRK's recent expansion, the former staking rink will become the new location of the King Street Studios & Gallery (KSS&G).
KSS&G offers an opportunity for artists of all skill levels to be immersed in art and allow their creative juices to flow. Classes are offered in blacksmithing, metal jewelry arts, bead looming, pottery, silkscreen, african drumming, middle eastern drumming, sewing and soon alternative photo processing.
646 King Street
Thomas Beverages bottled soft drinks in this building between 1933 and 1946, when the facility was purchased and taken over by Pepsi-Cola. Pepsi-Cola operated this warehouse as a bottling plant until 1957. After Pepsi moved on, the building was operated as a cold storage warehouse by the Deal-Warren Refrigeration Company. Today, the former Pepsi-Cola plant is home to Flaire Antiques and EverVess Arts Studio.
Intuition Ale Works
In 2010, popular craft brewer, Intuition Ale Works, opened in a King Street warehouse that dates back to 1960. In February of 2012, IAW became the first craft brewery in the state of Florida to can their beers.
Click Herefor more information on the history of this warehouse district.
Photo tour by Ennis Davis, AICP. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com