JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – LaVilla, established in 1866, is the oldest neighborhood in Jacksonville and is the heartbeat of the city that would become Jacksonville.
This community made so many significant contributions to the city’s early history and national history, influencing American music, arts, culture, and commerce.
After many years of work, the National Register Nomination is expected to be completed by winter 2025. The goal is to get state and national recognition.
Mayor Donna Deegan, LaVilla Preservation, Community First Credit Union, Corner Lot Development, Community Planning Collaborative, Faver Gray, Gateway Jax, and the Brookins Brown Blodgett Corporation held a news conference on Tuesday afternoon to brief the community about plans to seek and secure designation of LaVilla’s remaining historic resources on the National Register of Historic Places.
“I would like to thank everybody that came out to support this mission,” Adrian Swanigan said as he greeted supporters and community leaders interested in LaVilla getting historical recognition.
Swanigan is a driving force in that mission.
“[My] grandfather came to LaVilla in the 30s and my grandmother came in the 20s,” said Swanigan, who adds that he’s seen plenty of changes in the beloved community.
LaVilla was a significant cultural center for blues, jazz, and ragtime. It was home to the first public blues performance held at LaVilla’s Colored Airdome in 1910, and the largest train station south of Washington, D.C.
It was also considered the Southern Headquarters of what became known as the Chitlin’ Circuit. LaVilla also played a foundational role in what became known as the Great Migration.
Fast forward to the 1990s and many of the homes of multi-generational families are gone. However, many buildings of historic significance remain.
“Over 500 buildings lost in 30 years,” Swanigan explained. “It was a mix of residential and commercial [buildings]...We had a large residential population as well as a large commercial population for a number of buildings.”
But LaVilla is redeveloping, and the history remains deeply rooted.
One of the newest additions is the “This Is the Life Every Voice and Sing Park,” which honors James Weldon Johnson and John Rosamond Johnson, who both grew up in the community.
Just a few feet away are new townhomes, named the Johnson Commons, in honor of the two brothers.
The LaVilla Preservation organization has been working on raising needed funds and supporters for the pursuit, which includes the LaVilla Historic Resources Survey Update and Application for National Register in two phases.
Phase I provides an updated Historic Resources Survey for the neighborhood, which is nearly complete. The second phase is the development of a National Register nomination.
Businesses and developers are backing this initiative.
“For more than two decades, Community First has been rooted in this neighborhood, said Sam Inman, CEO of Community First Credit Union. ”Since 2002 our headquarters has been at Beaver and Lee streets.“
The company has 300 employees and over 90,000 sq. feet of space in the community.
“Gateway Jax we are thrilled about this nomination process,” said Eric Shullman, vice president of development with Gateway Jax.
Jacksonville’s Mayor Donna Deegan has a connection to the historic community too.
“Every time I’m here it feels like home,” the mayor said. “It was at Ashley and Davis streets, now the LaVilla grounds of the School of the Arts, where my grandfather, everybody called him pop - opened the Roosevelt Grill more than 70 years ago.”
She continued, “LaVilla is not only the oldest neighborhood in Jacksonville it was also our cities very first melting pot: Greek, Chinese, Cuban, Bahamian, Italian, Eastern European and Arab immigrants made LaVilla their home.”
Deegan also reflected on her great-great-grandfather, Jacob Hazouri, who, in 1905, immigrated to LaVilla to build a business.
It’s an exciting time for LaVilla, and once the nomination is approved, the community will be able to preserve its history, culture, and influence on the state of Florida.
For more information about LaVilla Preservation visit www.lavillauptown.org.
LaVilla Preservation, Inc. states on its website that it “is a non-profit organization established in 2023 to guide the revitalization process, develop a strategic plan, promote neighborhood assets, and encourage inclusive reinvestment in business and property development while also protecting the historic character of the LaVilla neighborhood.”
