Exploring Downtown's Cathedral District
It can be said that the Cathedral District is Jacksonville's one lost and forgotten walkable neighborhood that actually still exists. Situated on the crest of Billy Goat Hill and sandwiched between the elevated ramps of the Commordore Point and Mathews Bridge Expressways, a walk in this section of downtown provides a glimpse of what a true walkable urban neighborhood looks like.
Situated on the crest of Billy Goat Hill, the Cathedral District derives its name from the cluster of historic churches located in this section of the Northbank. It's also an example of historic preservation through the use of unintended consequences. Due to it being the long time home of the Duval County Jail and its proximity to early 20th century industrial uses and railyards, it's a section of downtown largely ignored by the City's demolition happy redevelopment gimmicks.
Other than its biggest threat of demolition for Jaguar game day parking, the Cathedral District largely exists because for decades, it was seen as a dumping ground for the necessary but unwanted uses of an urban community. Many of its century old structures live on as bail bonds, attorney's offices and social service centers.
Due to the reuse of existing building stock, the character of old Jacksonville, which included a mix of uses, limited building setbacks, interesting architecture, high density residential around a gridded street network, has been preserved.
While much of downtown's revitilization focus continues to overlook the Cathedral District, it may provide the city its best hope of providing urban pioneers and thrill seekers a place where a true mix of old and new can be easily accommodated.
Here's a brief tour of downtown Jacksonville's Cathedral District.
The Cathedral District of Yesteryear
The St. John's Episcopal Church in 1894. Courtesy of the Florida State Archives.
Looking at the Cathedral District from the Adams Street viaduct over Hogans Creek in the 1910s. the Duval Street viaduct and St. Johns Terminal Company railyard can be seen in the background. Courtesy of the Florida State Archives.
The Cathedral District's Seneca Hotel in 1919. The Seneca was located on the SE corner of Ocean and Duval Streets. Courtesy of the Florida State Archives.
Jacksonville's fire and police departments at Liberty and Beaver Streets in the early 20th century. Courtesy of the Florida State Archives.
The Duval County Criminal court and county jail before 1920. Built in 1913, this H.J. Klutho Prairie School designed structure was situated on the SE corner of Liberty and Beaver Streets. This property has remained vacant and undeveloped since this impressive building was demolished in 1968. Courtesy of the Florida State Archives.
Intersection of Liberty and Monroe Streets in the Cathedral District on June 3, 1948. Courtesy of the Florida State Archives.
Aerial of the Catherdal District in 1958. Courtesy of the Florida State Archives.
The Central Grammar School was built at the intersection of Liberty and Church Streets shortly after the Great Fire of 1901. Before it was demolished, it served as the campus of Florida Junior College. In the early 2000s, the Parks at Cathedral townhome development was constructed on the site of this former public school. Courtesy of the Florida State Archives.
Next Page: Today's Cathedral District
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Attorney's offices in two preserved early 20th century houses on East Ashley Street. After the Great Fire of 1901, the Cathedral District was rapidly rebuilt as a residential neighborhood that was within walking distance of commercial and industrial uses along East Bay Street and the St. Johns River Terminal Company railyards along Hogans Creek. The city's rapid early 20th century development, led to the commercialization and redevelopment of most of the Northbank. Much of this growth bypassed the Cathedral District. Instead of demolition and replacement, many of its structures built during the aftermath of the Great Fire of 1901 have been repurposed for uses serving the courthouse and county jail.
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Urban living in the Cathedral District was akin to what one would expect in a dense city. Multifamily buildings and apartments abutted the sidewalk and were designed in a variety of architectural styles.
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East Church Street, between Liberty and Washington Street contains the largest remaining intact collection of early 20th century residential uses in downtown Jacksonville. With the lack of driveways and its buildings tightly hugging the street, this is a scene that is difficult to find in Jacksonville's other remaining
urban core neighborhoods.
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A row of large frame residential buildings that survive as attorney's offices on East Monroe Street.
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Tightly packed apartment buildings on East Duval Street. In the decades immediately following the Great Fire of 1901, this type of housing dominated the Cathedral District's streets.
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A view of the St. Johns River from the crest of Billy Goat Hill.
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The Elena Flats building at 122 East Duval Street is being converted into four apartment units. The conversion of this former abandoned rooming house is a step in the right direction of bringing diversified living opportunities back to downtown.
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The Parks at Cathedral is the only townhome/rowhome type development in downtown Jacksonville. This is an idea use for many vacant lots in the Cathedral District that will fill a major void in Jacksonville's urban living options.
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During the Cathedral District's early years, a portion of the Parks site was the home of downtown's Central Grammar School. Central Grammar also served as an early home to Florida Junior College during the 1960s. Florida Junior College is now known as Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ). Its Downtown Campus, located a few blocks northwest of the Cathedral District, opened in 1977.
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The Immaculate Conception Catholic Church is one of Florida's finest examples of Gothic Architecture.
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The St. John's Episcopal Cathedral and Cathedral Park sit in the heart of the Cathedral District. Since the original church was located on the outskirts of town, as the city grew, it was allowed to remain in place, leaving a permanent quirk in the city's grid system.
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The Mount Zion A.M.E. Church has been a dominate anchor at the intersection of Beaver and Newnan Streets since 1870. Located in a former 19th century African-American section of the Cathedral District, the original building was destroyed by the Great Fire of 1901. This structure was built between 1901 and 1905.
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The Otis Elevator building is one of the few commercial buildings constructed in the early 20th century that was only one-story tall.
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This 52-unit apartment building at 605 Ocean Street was originally built in 1907 as the Duval High School. It's one of the grand examples of adaptive reuse of historic building stock in the Cathedral District.
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For much of Jacksonville's history (until the 1970s), 711 North Liberty Street was the Jacksonville Police Headquarters.
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Hidden behind the Duval County Jail, this Washington Street structure was built after the Great Fire of 1901 as the Doty Apartments. At one time, the first floor of this building was filled with retail shops serving Cathedral District residents. Businesses located here included Washington Street Sundries, Deluxe Laundry & Dry Cleaners and Red's Barber & Beauty Shop.
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For much of the 20th century, the Cathedral District's east border was home to several industrial uses lining the former St. Johns Terminal Railroad yards, that once served downtown's wharves. The Sulzbacher Center, Jacksonville's only comprehensize homeless facility, is located in the former St. Johns Trading Post Liquors warehouse, which sits adjacent to the old railyard.
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The Young Women's Christian Association building on East Duval Street.
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The Branch Apartments building at 417 North Liberty.
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The Cathedral District is also home to several highrise apartment buildings.
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The 185' tall Cathedral Townhouse building was completed in 1969.
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The Cathedral District's Winn-Dixie is the only full-line grocery store in downtown Jacksonville's Northbank.
Article and images by Ennis Davis, AICP. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com