Sunday, May 6, 2012

A Nice Mediterranean Revival

What?  Another Mediterranean Revival apartment house?  Well, considering that there must be dozens, maybe even hundreds of these charming old buildings in Jacksonville's historic Riverside neighborhood, yes, here's another one.  I've presented many examples of the alternate vintage architecture that abounds in this area, but there's no getting around the fact that you can't go far without finding one of these familiar structures that are so much at home in Florida.



3201 Riverside Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida, built in 1926, architect unknown (at least to me).  As is usually the case, the building is constructed in an H-shape, with two apartments up and two down.
  

The front doors to the upstairs units are straight ahead.  The downstairs entrances are to the right and left off the front porch.  Overhead, a barrel-tile roof provides shade.  You'll note that one of the residents was studying me as I took my pictures.


He came out for a closer look, but was friendly enough.  A few minutes later his owner came out too.  She told me the apartments are one bedroom, one bath arrangements, and retain the architectural charm you hope for in a 1920's building.


Each apartment has a balcony or porch.  Upstairs, the enclosures are framed by columns and topped by an archway.


There's no archway or columns downstairs.  The cross-hatch brickwork allow for ventilation.


Here's a closer look at one of the downstairs units and details of the lighting, followed by a detail of the upstairs columns.




In this view of the back of the building you can see the other side of the "H" that allows for interior exposures and back stairs.


A small courtyard separates the building and the garage.  The garage (on the right) has been converted into another apartment and is occupied. 


3201 Riverside Avenue continues to provide interesting living space more than eighty-five years after it was built. 

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