Jayson Evans of Blu Hair Salon In Five Points added bright silver aluminum outside his door to draw attention to the business and he says it's working
City says it alters the features of a historic building and is against the historic preservation guidelines for the area
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A Five Points businessman is upset over a city ruling that is ordering him to remove some recent storefront improvements because they are inappropriate.
Jayson Evans has owned the Blu Hair Salon on Post Street for eight years. He recently added some aluminum to the walls outside his storefront and painted them silver to " give the place some pop" and "to attract attention" he said.
"I have received no complaints, in fact the opposite", said Evans. "People have told me it looks awesome. It makes the place look better."
Jackleen Akel manages Gina's Deli next door and said she likes it.
"I don't have a problem with it, there is nothing wrong with it, to me it stands out and brings attention. It brings the customers in."
But the city has ordered Evans to take it down.
"I don't understand why they don't think this wouldn't be correct. This is an eclectic area. We have lizards on the wall on the other side of the building. Everybody has their unique look. I love it. It is what brought me to this area. It is puzzling to me."
But it turns out that his business is just inside the city's Riverside-Avondale Historic District, established years ago. It is governed by the city's historic preservation guidelines and federal standards for rehabilitation of historic buildings. The code clearly states that "alteration of features and spaces shall be avoided." In this case, the aluminum covers the brick facade of the historic building.
"It is not about making something look good or bad," said City Planner Manager Joel McEachin." It is about preserving fabric as much as possible, and not to cover that fabric. That is why sometimes it is very difficult for a person to understand. They say it looks ok to me. I think it is fine, and, yeah, it probably is fine from an aesthetic point of view. But from a historic point of view we look at the building itself and its historic fabric."
McEachin said Evans needed to apply for a Certificate of Appropriateness with the city planning department before ever doing the project. The city gets about 600 such applicants each year from people in the district as well as the Springfield historic district.
Evans can appeal the city's decision to the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission if he pays a $325 fee.
"I don't know what I will do," says Evans. " I hate to pay the money then lose and have to take it down anyway. I will think about it, I don't have to tell the city my decision until March. "
More information about the historic districts are available on the city's website.
First Coast News