The Seminole and Seminole Road

Here's my third Mediterranean Revival apartment house in a row, and it occurs to me that I might have done better to post these buildings in a different order.  This house and The Parkland (two posts back) are both on Seminole Road in Jacksonville's historic Riverside.  The Clifton (my last post) is on Riverside Avenue...so, I've jumped around the neighborhood a bit when continuity might have been a better idea.  On the other hand, all three buildings share a lot in common, so you might enjoy making a comparison to see for yourself.

The Seminole, 1623-1629 Seminole Road, Jacksonville, built in 1925, architect unknown (at least by me).  This attractive four-plex has been converted to condominiums and is very well-maintained.  It follows the pattern of most of these buildings; the apartments are two bedroom, one bath units.

Arched windows, a shaped parapet, and barrel tiles on the roof over the entrance give this building its Mediterranean Revival character.  As is typical in the neighborhood, a cast stone plaque with the name of the house is centered on the facade.

Doors to the upper units face the street, while the doors to the ground units are next to them facing one another across the front porch.

The apartments' porches and balconies are enclosed.  They would have been open originally, with entrances to the first floor units located inside the porch (see The Clifton, my last post, for an example of this).

The Seminole is a very nice building at the intersection of Oak Street, where Seminole Road begins a transition from apartment buildings to large and impressive single family homes.

Seminole Road is a pleasant street with a number of interesting buildings.  As noted in my earlier post on the Parkland, the stretch of Seminole Road closer to Park Street has one of the nicest oak canopies in the Riverside neighborhood.

In the shade of the massive oaks, ferns and palmettos thrive.

Further along, at the intersection with St. Johns Avenue, you'll find the Kahler apartments, designed by Henry John Klutho, one of Jacksonville's great architects.  You can read more about this interesting building in my post from last year:
http://mikeshistoricbuildings.blogspot.com/2011/10/kluthos-kahler-apartments.html

After Seminole Road crosses St. John's Avenue, the houses become larger and more impressive still, which is no surprise as you are now on the last block of the street as it approaches the river.  A big oak tree divides the street again. 

Finally, Seminole Road ends in a pocket park on the St. Johns River.

One of the advantages of this historic neighborhood, and one of its greatest assets, is the proximity to this beautiful, wide river.  The St. Johns is a short walk from the Seminole apartments and almost every home in Riverside.

Klutho's Kahler Apartments

This Avondale apartment building comes from later in the career of Henry John Klutho, one of Florida's greatest architects, and is one of two known buildings he designed in the Art Deco style.  Klutho's presence is pervasive in Jacksonville, from Avondale and Riverside to Springfield and downtown.  This is not typical of his work, which more often reflected the Prairie school.  Nevertheless, it is a special building.

Kahler Apartments, 3225 St. Johns Avenue, Jacksonville, constructed 1936.  The Kahler Apartments anchor the corner of St. Johns Avenue and Seminole Street, and show how Klutho's work evolved and changed over the years.  The Art Deco style is unusual in Avondale, yet the building does not seem out of place.  It blends nicely into the neighborhood's eclectic mix.

Two sets of tile-accented steps curve up to the front entrance from the sidewalk.  Art Deco lanterns flank the door, which is shaded by a projecting canopy, and direct the eye up the facade to a tower that rises above the roof-line.  The original metal casement windows were replaced in 1984 when the building was converted into condominiums.  It is a testament to Klutho's design that the Kahler holds up today, even with the modern windows.



 
The tiles on the steps add a splash of bright color to the building entrance.  There is more eye-catching tile-work on the back of the planter that separates the stairways.



The detail above shows the glass-block window above the canopy over the door.  Glass-blocks are common in Art-Deco buildings.  Here are closer views of the Art Deco-style lanterns and front door:

The Kahler Apartments face both St. Johns Avenue and Seminole Road.  As you can see, the Seminole Road entrance is identical to the St. Johns, however the Seminole Road side of the building is longer.

The plaque on The Kahler is evidence of the residents' respect for the renowned architect responsible for this important building.  Klutho came to Jacksonville after the great fire of 1901, helped rebuild the city, and, in the process, designed many landmark buildings, including the mammoth St.James building downtown, which was built as the home of Cohen Brother's Department Store, but is today Jacksonville City Hall. 

Although some of Klutho's most important works, such as the Seminole Hotel downtown, have been destroyed, dozens of his other buildings remain to impress and delight us.  The Kahler on St. Johns Avenue in Avondale, with its clean lines, impressive entry, and Deco details, is one of them.