Architecture of Jacksonville

The architecture of Jacksonville tells the story of the city’s growth from a business center to a modern urban area. Jacksonville has more buildings built before 1967 than any other city in Florida, showing its long history. Most buildings in the city center were built after the Great Fire of 1901 , which changed the look of the area.

Many buildings in Jacksonville have been some of the tallest in the state, with records dating back to 1902. The city held the state’s tallest building record until 1981, showing how it grew upward over time. The mix of old and new styles makes Jacksonville’s architecture interesting and full of history.

Prominent architects

After the Great Fire of 1901, a young architect named Henry John Klutho from New York helped rebuild Jacksonville. His designs were influenced by famous architects like Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright, creating many buildings in the Prairie Style, which is rare outside the Midwest.

In the 1950s, new design ideas spread across the United States, changing Florida’s growing cities. Local architects like Robert C. Broward, Taylor Hardwick, and William Morgan used styles such as International style and Mid-century modern. Architecture firms like Reynolds, Smith & Hills and Kemp, Bunch & Jackson also helped shape Jacksonville’s modern look.

Residential architecture

Houses

Jacksonville has a few old buildings that have survived, showing different styles of homes. The oldest building is Kingsley Plantation, built in 1797. It looks like homes from old Britain. Other special homes include the Red Bank Plantation House, built in 1854, and the Marabanong Mansion, built in 1876. Many buildings were lost in the Great Fire of 1901, but this also led to new growth in areas like Springfield, Riverside, and Eastside.

After the fire, architect Henry John Klutho helped rebuild the city. One famous home he designed is the Thomas V. Porter House from 1902. After World War II, new styles like Modern design became popular. The Butterfly House, built in 1957, is a good example of this style. Famous architect Paul Rudolph also designed homes in Jacksonville during this time.

• Red Bank Plantation House, Georgian style.

19th century [Napoleon Bonaparte Broward House](/wiki/Napoleon_Bonaparte_Broward_House) on [Fort George Island](/wiki/Fort_George_Island).

[Shotgun houses](/wiki/Shotgun_house) on Cleveland Avenue in Durkeeville, Mid-Westside.

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  Thomas V. Porter House, located downtown.

Home in [Riverside and Avondale](/wiki/Riverside_and_Avondale).

[Henry John Klutho House](/wiki/Henry_John_Klutho_House), a Prairie style home in [Springfield](/wiki/Springfield_\(Jacksonville\)).

[Classical Revival](/wiki/Classical_Revival) residence in [Ortega](/wiki/Ortega_\(Jacksonville\)).

Apartments and condominiums

• 1913 Klutho Apartments, Prairie School, Henry John Klutho

• 1923 John Gorrie, Renaissance Revival, Roy A. Benjamin and Mellen Clark Greeley (originally the John Gorrie Junior High School)

• 1924 310 West Church Street Apartments, Georgian Revival/Beaux-Arts, Hentz, Reid & Adler (originally the Ambassador Hotel)

• 1925 The Carling, Renaissance Revival, Thompson, Holmes & Converse

• 1926 11 East Forsyth, Chicago school/Art Deco, Pringle & Smith (originally the Lynch Building)

• 1949 City Place, Moderne

• 1967 The Commander, Mid-century modern

• 1968 Cathedral Towers, Brutalist, Kemp, Bunch & Jackson

• 1970 Cathedral Townhouse, Brutalist, Kemp, Bunch & Jackson

• 1972 Mount Carmel Garden Apartments, Brutalist

• 1973 Riverside Presbyterian Apartments, Brutalist

• 1974 Cathedral Terrace, Brutalist, Kemp, Bunch & Jackson

• 1974 Hogan Creek Tower, Brutalist

• 2003 Berkman Plaza

• 2006 The Strands at St. Johns Center

• 2006 San Marco Place

• 2008 The Peninsula at St. Johns Center, Postmodern,

• 2015 220 Riverside, Modernist,

• 2016 Brooklyn Riverside Apartments, Modernist,

• 2018 Lofts at LaVilla, Modernist

• 2018 Lofts at Monroe, Modernist

• 2018 Broadstone River House, Modernist

Churchwell Building on East Bay Street

Klutho Apartments in [Springfield](/wiki/Springfield_\(Jacksonville\)).

[310 West Church Street Apartments](/wiki/310_West_Church_Street_Apartments) (former [Ambassador Hotel](/wiki/Ambassador_Hotel_\(Jacksonville,_Florida\))) in [Northbank](/wiki/Northbank_\(Jacksonville\)), [Downtown](/wiki/Downtown_Jacksonville).

[The Carling](/wiki/The_Carling) (former [Hotel Roosevelt](/wiki/The_Carling)) in [Northbank](/wiki/Northbank_\(Jacksonville\)), [Downtown](/wiki/Downtown_Jacksonville)

[11 East Forsyth](/wiki/11_East_Forsyth)

20th century [Brutalist](/wiki/Brutalist_architecture) style residential towers in [Northbank](/wiki/Northbank_\(Jacksonville\)), [Downtown](/wiki/Downtown_Jacksonville).

High-rise condominiums on the [Southbank](/wiki/Southbank_\(Jacksonville\)), [Downtown](/wiki/Downtown_Jacksonville) waterfront.

Apartments in the [Brooklyn](/wiki/Brooklyn_\(Jacksonville\)) neighborhood

Commercial architecture

The Downtown Jacksonville skyline shows many different building styles.

Places of business

Jacksonville has many important buildings from different times. Some old buildings were built before 1967, showing the city's history. After a big fire in 1901, many new buildings were constructed in many styles, including Classical Revival, Chicago school, and Art Deco. Some famous buildings include the El Modelo Block from 1889, the Old Florida National Bank from 1902, and the EverBank Center from 1983.

Hotels

Jacksonville also has had many hotels over the years. Some older hotels, like the St. James Hotel from 1869, were destroyed in a fire in 1901. Newer hotels include the Omni Jacksonville Hotel from 1987 and the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront from 2001.

Shopping centers

Jacksonville has several shopping centers built in different styles. These include Gateway Town Center from 1959, Regency Square Mall from 1967, and St. Johns Town Center from 2005.

Institutional architecture

Government

Jacksonville has many important government buildings with different styles. Some early buildings were lost in a big fire in 1901. Notable buildings include:

• The Godbold Building from 1909, designed by Henry John Klutho in Chicago school style.
• The St. James Building from 1912, also by Henry John Klutho.
• The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Jacksonville Branch from 1924, designed by Henrietta Cuttino Dozier and A. Ten Eyck Brown.
• The Fire and Rescue Headquarters Building from 1952, originally the Federal Reserve Bank, in Art Deco style.
• The Old Duval County Courthouse from 1958 in International Style.
• The City Hall Annex from 1960, formerly the City Hall, in Mid-century modern style.
• The Edward Ball Building from 1961, originally the Florida National Bank Building.
• The Charles E. Bennett Federal Building from 1966 in Brutalist style.
• The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Headquarters from 1977.
• The Bryan Simpson United States Courthouse from 2002 in Postmodern style.

Education

Jacksonville has many educational buildings too. Some important ones are:

• The Carnegie Library from 1905, designed by Henry John Klutho in Classical Revival style.
• Centennial Hall from 1916 in Georgian Revival style.
• The Bolles School from 1925 in Mediterranean Revival style.
• The J. Henry Gooding Building on the Jacksonville University campus from 1974 in Brutalist style.
• The Main Library Building from 2005 in Postmodern style.
• The University of North Florida Student Union from 2009, designed to be green and modern.

Museums

Jacksonville is home to many museums with interesting architecture. Some examples include:

• The Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum from 1921, originally a church, in Classical Revival style.
• The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, originally a telegraph company building, showing Art Deco style.
• The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens from 1961, also in Art Deco style.
• The Museum of Science and History, originally a children's museum, designed in Brutalist style.

Houses of worship

Jacksonville has many beautiful churches and places of worship built in different styles over the years, including Gothic Revival, Romanesque Revival, and Mid-century modern designs. Some notable examples are:

• St. George Episcopal Church from 1883 in Carpenter Gothic style.
• St. Andrew's Episcopal Church from 1887 in Gothic Revival style.
• Snyder Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church from 1903 in Late Gothic Revival style.
• Bethel Church from 1904 in Greek Revival and Romanesque Revival styles.
• Mount Zion AME Church from 1905 in Romanesque Revival style.
• St. John's Cathedral from 1906 in Gothic Revival style.
• Basilica of the Immaculate Conception from 1910 in Late Gothic Revival style.
• Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church from 1917 in Late Gothic Revival style.
• Riverside Baptist Church from 1927 in Romanesque Revival style.
• St. Paul's by-the-Sea Episcopal Church from 1967 in Mid-century modern style.

Cultural architecture

Entertainment venues

Jacksonville has many places for music and shows. One famous spot is the Florida Theatre. Built in 1927, it has a special style called Mediterranean Revival. Another theater from the same year is the Riverside Theatre, designed in a Renaissance Revival style. The San Marco Theatre, opened in 1939, shows off Art Deco style. The Ritz Theatre, also in Art Deco, was built in 1929. In 1960, the Jacksonville Coliseum was built in a Mid-century modern style. It was torn down in 2003. The Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts, built in 1962, shows International Style. The newest venue is Daily's Place, finished in 2017, and connected to Everbank Field.

[Ritz Theatre](/wiki/Ritz_Theatre_\(Jacksonville\))

San Marco Theatre

Jacksonville Coliseum (demolished)

[Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts](/wiki/Times-Union_Center_for_the_Performing_Arts)

Sports venues

Jacksonville has big sports places too. The most famous is EverBank Field, where the Jacksonville Jaguars play. It was finished in 1995. Two more recent spots are the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville and Veterans Memorial Arena, both opened in 2003.

[EverBank Field](/wiki/EverBank_Field)

[Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville](/wiki/Baseball_Grounds_of_Jacksonville)

[Veterans Memorial Arena](/wiki/Veterans_Memorial_Arena)

Transportation architecture

Jacksonville has many important transportation buildings and structures. In 1895, the Flagler Depot was built, though part of it was torn down in 1918. In 1919, Union Station was created in a grand style called Beaux-arts, designed by Kenneth M. Murchison and W.B.W. Howe. In 1968, the Original Jacksonville International Airport Terminal opened, and in 2005, the new Jacksonville International Airport was completed.

Other key spots include the interior of Jacksonville International Airport, the Jacksonville Terminal, the James Weldon Johnson Park station, the Acosta Bridge, the Dames Point Bridge, the Fuller Warren Bridge, the Hart Bridge, the Main St Bridge, and the Mathews Bridge.

Parks and historic sites

Jacksonville has many special places to visit, including parks and historic sites. Some of these places date back to the 1500s, like Fort Caroline, which was destroyed long ago but rebuilt later. Others, like Kingsley Plantation and James Weldon Johnson Park, show us how people lived in the past.

Some of these places have unique styles, like the American Red Cross Volunteer Life Saving Corps Station, which has a special look called Art Moderne. Each of these spots tells a part of Jacksonville's interesting history.

Tallest buildings

Main article: List of tallest buildings in Jacksonville

Jacksonville has many tall buildings, and some of them have been the tallest in the city for many years. You can see which buildings were the tallest over time below.

Accolades

"Florida Architecture: 100 places, 100 years" was put together by the Florida chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

Styles and schools

Jacksonville architects used many different design styles and belonged to many architectural schools. Some of these styles and schools include:

• American Four-Square
• Art Deco/Moderne
• Beaux-Arts
• Brutalism
• Chicago School (also known as Commercial Style)
• Classical Revival (also known as Neoclassical architecture)
• Colonial Revival
• Craftsman (also known as American Craftsman)
• Dutch Colonial
• Eastlake/Stick
• Egyptian Revival
• Gothic Revival
• International
• Mediterranean Revival
• Modern
• Prairie School
• Queen Anne
• Renaissance Revival (also known as Neo-Renaissance)
• Shotgun
• Spanish Revival (also known as Spanish Colonial Revival)
• Tudor Revival