The sign

If you are at all unsure about what happens at 1468 Hendricks Avenue, the mystery has been solved. The building was originally home to South Jacksonville City Hall. Once upon a time, South Jacksonville was its own city. South Jacksonville eventually incorporated into Jacksonville and no longer needed its own city hall. Recently San Marco Preservation Society successfully preserved and restored the historic building.

1468 Hendricks Avenue now houses the San Marco Preservation Society and Greenscape of Jacksonville. The sign says it all.

Almost there

Sign prep

This Thursday, March 25th, the San Marco Preservation Society will be celebrating their 35th anniversary. To commemorate the event, San Marco Preservation Society will be hosting an open house at South Jacksonville City Hall from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Neighbors who have lived in San Marco for 35 years will be honored. The event is free and open to the public. Join your neighbors to celebrate San Marco and all the San Marco Preservation Society does to keep this neighborhood one of the best places to live in Jacksonville.

Since there is a chance it might snow on Saturday, or at least be way too cold, the San Marco Preservation Society has decided to cancel this weekend’s Market in the Square. The Market will be back on Saturday, Janaury 16th.

The San Marco Preservation Society has announced new hours to purchase luminaria kits this week. In anticipation of one of the neighborhoods favorite traditions, Luminaria and the live nativity, representatives of the San Marco Preservation Society will be selling luminary kits at T.A.G. this week. Kits will be available on Thursday (4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.), Friday (4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.), and Saturday (10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.). Kits are $12 and include 12 bags, 24 candles, sand and matches. Cash and personal checks only.

Greenscape, the non-profit leading the way for landscape change in Jacksonville, has recently moved into South Jacksonville City Hall. Greenscape was located on Emerson Street before moving into South Jacksonville City Hall.

“It is an honor to be in this building that was so respectfully and lovingly restored by the San Marco Preservation Society. We are delighted to call this office our home,” said Anna Dooley, Executive Director of Greenscape.

Since 1975, Greenscape has been hard at work planting trees and shrubs to improve Jacksonville’s tree canopy. In San Marco, Greenscape planted a significant number of Bradford pear trees and crape myrtles along San Marco and Hendricks Boulevard.

“We have improved the landscaping in many areas of San Marco over the years and look forward to future projects in our new neighborhood,” said Dooley.

San Marco Preservation hosted two fabulous events this weekend–Concert in the Park and Market in the Square.  Pili Pili entertained a huge crowd at Fletcher Park on Friday night.  For those who didn’t stay up too late enjoying the music, mingled with neighbors at Balis Park Saturday morning. The second weekend for the Market welcomed a few new vendors. Kathy Mease of K.M. Mease Landscape Design, Inc.  showcased her talents and beautiful array of plants as she demonstrated the “how to’s” of container gardening.

The next Market in the Square is scheduled for Saturday, October 17th from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.  Come enjoy fresh produce, delicious  baked goods, beautiful plants and much more.  Participating vendors include:

• Boylan’s Sodas
• Cross Creek Honey Company
• Dips to Go
• Floral Inspirations
• Green Schemes
• Go Green Fresh Produce
• Jacksonville Art League
• Jaxma Orchids
• Magnolia Farms
• Maria’s Bakery
• K.M. Mease Landscape Design
• Reed’s Citrus

Check out week photos in the gallery.

San Marco Preservation Society has just announced the date for the Fall Concert in the Park. Friday, October 2nd  PiliPili will bring reggae beats to Fletcher Park. The Fall Concert is the place to be to meet up with neighbors and catch-up. Blankets and picnics cover the Park, kids run through the park dancing and laughing, and the bands always rock. The concert is free for the public. San Marco Preservation Society is selling tables for $100 or $90 for San Marco Preservation Society members. Contact Diane Martin at  614.7814 to reserve your table.

Chefs For a Night will be catering so you can pack a picnic or buy one at the Park.

San Marco Preservation Society has hired Karen Sistare to oversee operations at South Jacksonville City Hall.  Karen arrives to work two days a week on bus B7. It’s the last leg of her commute from Mandarin.  Her trip begins with a two mile bicycle ride from her home to the JTA Park n’ Ride facility on San Jose Boulevard where she catches the CT1 bus to Baymeadows Road.  From there, she changes to the connecting bus that drops her off in San Marco. She conceded that the trip takes approximately twice the time that it would take her to drive.  “It takes me about 30 minutes in the car”, she said.  Karen doesn’t mind spending a little more time commuting to work as she enjoys the benefits of not driving her own car–less stress, fuel savings, and good for the environment.  She also gets in some of her daily exercise from the bike ride.  “Yes, I am definitely more relaxed when I arrive at the office,” she says.  “I also notice a lot more of the scenery and I have discovered places that I never new existed.  Driving this route daily was a bit of a blur from my car.”

Karen describes the environment on the bus as pleasant, “most everyone seems to be going to work and the cool AC is great in the summer!  When the weather is cooler, I’ll put my bike on the bus in the mornings and cycle all the way home in the afternoons.  It will be great training for the MS Bike Ride.”  Karen is an avid cyclist and has participated in the MS 150 Bike Ride each of the last eight years.  Although Karen does not live in San Marco, she finds it a great place to work and loves being able to walk to the square for errands and lunch.

To find out more about the renovations of South Jacksonville City and its historic significance to our community visit www.smpsjax.com

For more information on communing to work visit the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization website at www.firstcoastmpo.com and look at commuter services. Information on bus schedules and routes can be obtained from the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) website at www.jtafla.com.

San Marco Preservation Society was honored with a 2009 Outstanding Achievement Award for Restoration for their renovation of South Jacksonville City Hall. This prestigious award is the highest honor awarded by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation.

The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation has been protecting Florida’s historically significant properties since 1978. The Restoration Award acknowledges the proper restoration of a structure to an earlier original appearance. All projects honored with this award must fully demonstrate adherence to the Secretary of the Interior’s standards. Previous recipients include The Chrysler Building in Miami Beach, the Marion Theatre in Ocala, the Markland Cottage at Flagler College in St. Augustine, and the Merrill House in Jacksonville.

San Marco Preservation Society would like to extend thanks to all the neighbors involved in this amazing project. Neighbors contributed time and money and skills to this project and without your help we would not have succeeded.  We look forward to future projects with all of you.