The Client:

We thought we might start by giving you a little background on how we got here. Our clients (we may share who they are later, but for now it is not important) had ideas of living in a cool, modern, New York style loft.  Before we were contacted, the clients made a valiant attempt to purchase a Loft/Condo in Jacksonville, but that fell through.  When initially contacted, the client was interested in having us help them find a place that would allow us to transform it into the modern residence that they were looking to call home. We of course said yes, but upon further interviewing, we found that they might be happier in a new modern home, designed for their lifestyle from the ground up.  The wheels started turning and here we are today. They are close to finalizing the purchase of a lot in Springfield, Jacksonville’s oldest neighborhood and a National Designated Historic District and have selected a builder, more about them soon.

The Plan:

Our goal is multifaceted.  First and foremost is to give the clients the home that not only meets their needs, but also reflects their personalities.  We also want to design and build a home that is environmentally conscious, while being cost effective.  While not tree hugging environmentalist, we are conversationalist. We want to incorporate as many sustainably responsible ideas into the design and still stay in the budget.  Finally, we want to “Revitalize the Revitalization”. Springfield has struggled for decades trying to revitalize itself and live up to its potential.  Springfield had earlier pioneers in the late 70′s and 80′s move in, restoring the neighborhood and the homes  and revitalization always seemed right around the corner in the coming years.  The latest spurt of development came in the middle of this decade, but was slowed down by the  sinking economy. What do we think can give the the revitalization a much needed shot in the arm?  Giving young professionals wanting to live a modern lifestyle in an urban setting an affordable, sustainable alternative to the current lot of available older homes and newer “clones.”  There is an audience in Jacksonville hungry for modern design and urban neighborhood living.   The challenge is, how do we infuse those types of homes in the neighborhoods that surround downtown Jacksonville, where the bulk of the area is Historic Districts.  People that want modern, usually want green.  Therefore, the majority do not want to live in the suburbs, they want to be near the core in a pedestrian friendly fabric.

At a city scale,  it seems like Jacksonville  itself always falls back 0nto the old slogan, “If you always do what you always done, you always get what you always got”.  Well, Jacksonville keeps getting what it has always got! Every time we hear, “It’s good enough for Jacksonville” or “It’s better than it was before,” we can’t help but cringe.  Until we start striving for perfection or at least close to it, we will never even come close to reaching the potential this city holds.

Where we Stand:

We love Jacksonville.  We love historic preservation.  We love modern design.  We love good design.  Our goal is to design and build a modern sustainable home that meets the guidelines set for by the Secretary of the Interiors guide for new construction in a designated historic district. We honestly feel that good modern design next to preserved historic homes not only accentuates the historic home but also adds an eclectic fabric to the neighborhood.

The Journey:

We look forward to sharing this journey with everyone and also look forward to any questions and ideas you might have. Please do not hesitate to send us your questions, comments and ideas.

Thanks,

Greg and Jason