Riverside Avondale Preservation is pleased to honor individuals, organizations and businesses within our historic district that exemplify outstanding achievement in historic preservation and the welcoming and inclusive nature of our neighborhoods.
There are two award categories: Design & Construction Awards and Services Awards.
Design & Construction Awards
Design Awards are open to built projects of all sizes and classifications including new construction, historic preservation, additions, remodeling, renovations, adaptive reuse, landscaping and interiors.
The purpose is to celebrate the excellent work of builders, designers, craftsmen and homeowners who preserve and enhance the beauty and integrity of our district.
Service Awards
Service Awards are presented to projects, programs or people that have improved our neighborhood in 2021. This awards recognizes acts of service and philanthropy by individuals, businesses and organizations. We recognize a range of activities from a small act of neighborliness up to large programs of stewardship and patronage.
To nominate a project you will need names, and address if applicable, a description for why you are submitting a nomination and photos if applicable.
Judges reviewed each nomination this year with an eye toward how the nominee reflected RAP’s Core Principles:
- Preserving and promoting the historic fabric.
- Supporting vibrant, independent, local businesses.
- Supporting quality of life improvements.
- Honoring our community.
- Promoting respectful, mutually-beneficial relationships.
Design Awards
Architectural Rehabilitation Award
1085 Cherry Street
Roseprop LLC
3691 Herschel St
Bold City Properties
2165 Oak Street
Clay Ziegler & Christina DiLoreto
South Quarter Build Company
1422 Rensselaer Avenue
Sarah & Mario Magliano
Architectural Restoration Award
Trinity Lutheran Church
Presented to “From this Foundation Ministry Grows”
Landscape Award
Garden Restoration at The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
Presented to The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens and WLA Studio
Native Park II
Presented to Nicholas Freeman and the Ixia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society
Placemaker Project of the Year Award
Lomax St. in 5 Points
Riverside Avondale Preservation, Five Points Merchants Association, Tocknell Planning Services, Envision Design Plus Engineering, Flagg Design Studio, Waitz and Moye, Kirby Development, Inc., Black Sheep Restaurant, COJ Office of the Mayor, COJ Planning Department, COJ Public Works Department, FDOT Complete Streets – Office of Statewide Coordinator, Kay Ehas, former Council Member Jim Love and Council Member Randy DeFoor.
Individual Service Award
Alice Jones, JaxParks
Alice Jones, Project Manager for the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department of JaxParks is a champion for the Riverside Avondale park system, which includes 26 of the city’s 497 parks. Alice is the person we turn to help keep our parks operating at peak performance. She knows who to call to request repairs, maintenance, and the resources needed to improve our parks quickly and effectively.
Alice takes on every issue as if our parks are her backyard, whether it’s an overflowing trash can or supervising a team of landscapers who have misidentified recently-planted azaleas as overgrown weeds. Alice recognizes the challenges our neighborhood parks face, determines the solution, executes it, and follows up with a phone call to make sure you’re happy. We are so lucky to have Alice Jones care so passionately for our parks.
Riverside Arts Market Maker of the Year
Crystal Israel, Little Black Box
Little Black Box is a micro-bakery based in Jacksonville, with a regular presence at the Riverside Arts Market. Owner, Crystal Israel, uses locally sourced seasonal produce whenever possible to make the best baked goods, jams and jellies, available at area farmers’ markets and online. Little Black Box is an endeavor of love. Their jams are handcrafted in small batches and made by artisans with a focus on local ingredients whenever possible. Little Black Box sources locally and reinvests in other small businesses including purchase of their jars, ingredients, and labels.
During the Covid-19 outbreak, Little Black Box quickly changed direction and assembled an online group for RAM Makers to sell their products, discuss challenges and explore opportunities. Crystal continues to influence RAM’s marketing efforts to be effective and efficient. Her continued leadership this year has helped bring makers together, and has made RAM’s community impact even stronger than before.
Community Impact Award
Art Bikes Jax
Art Bikes Jax isn’t just a person or a business. It is a concept that has fundamentally improved our neighborhood. Combining tourism, art, and recreation, Art Bikes Jax celebrates local art and local artists in a way that is completely unique to our neighborhood. While highlighting local art is the main goal, Art Bikes Jax has also created a new recreational outlet for tourists and people from all over Jax to experience our neighborhood. We recognize Ron Rothberg and Open Road Bicycles for bringing this wonderful project to our community.
Planning for the Future
RAP Arts Task Force
RAP had a broad objective for this Task Force: develop an approach to encourage public art, support local artists, and create events that celebrate art in our community. Chaired by long-time art advocate Bob White and supported by RAP Board Member Perry Reynolds, the two recruited an advisory committee of local artists across all mediums and began a series of year-long meetings and discussions. The outcome is a series of proposed support activities and events to be managed by the newly created RAP Placemaking Committee. Soon the committee will share the events and programs planned for 2022. We recognize Bob White, Perry Reynolds, Lana Shuttleworth, Rick Pariani and Cindy Guy for their work on this task force.
Featured Art
“The Pond” at Willowbranch Park
The motivation for the Willow Branch Park basketball court mural, was a joint decision by the Board of Directors of the AIDS Memorial Project (AMP), along with a group of young artists, coordinated by Keith Doles. The primary focus is the protection, restoration and beautification of this historic park. The basketball court was identified as an ideal location for a prominent public art project. Local artist Keith Doles and his team presented AMP with a design concept that was later approved by JaxParks and supported by RAP. This undertaking was fully funded by AMP with the generosity of the larger community. We are extremely proud of this public art project and enjoy watching children play on the painted water lilies, marvel at the gold fish and manatees that are vividly displayed on the court and “walk on water”. This was truly a most outstanding, unique and exemplary community beautification of an unban core park, that continues to be in dire need of citizen advocates.
We wish to recognize the artists: Keith Doles; Adrian Rhodes; Hanna Hadzic and Ramses Spyder Allen as well as the project leader and funder, The AIDS Memorial Project of Northeast Florida.
New Business Spotlight
Mixed Fillings Pie Shop
In recognition of the businesses that make our neighborhood unique, preserve and promote its historic fabric, and create a sense of community, we want to recognize Natasha Burton and Mixed Fillings Pie Shop. While this self-described “speakeasy for pie lovers” is a bit off the beaten path on Oak St. in Riverside, the line quickly forms to the right as fans arrive to purchase sweet and savory pies. This small business belongs in Riverside, and we hope to see more just like it grow, flourish and strengthen our community.
Wayne Wood Award
Dr. Iris Eisenberg
The Wayne Wood Award recognizes outstanding service to the Riverside Avondale Historic District. This year RAP recognizes a long-time advocate, board member, committee member, and community voice, Dr. Iris Eisenberg. A pediatrician and emergency room physician, Iris cares not only for patients, but historic sites and their preservation. Since she first arrived in Jacksonville nearly five decades ago, Iris has been involved with RAP. Among her first efforts: She helped save the Martha Washington Hotel from demolition. Over the years, Iris has served as a RAP Board Member, Committee Member, helped protect historic homes, and has even restored several homes. She is a standout volunteer for Luminaria, the RAP Home Tour and Winefest. Iris helps preserve RAP’s institutional memory and serves as an essential component in all the work we do. This year, we recognize Dr. Iris Eisenberg as the Dr. Wayne Wood Award recipient.
