11 East Forsyth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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11 East Forsyth
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | Jacksonville, Florida, USA |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1926 |
| Architect | Pringle & Smith |
| Architectural style | Chicago school |
| MPS | Downtown Jacksonville MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 03001310 |
| Added to NRHP | December 23, 2003 |
The building at 11 East Forsyth in Jacksonville, Florida, has a long history. It was once called the Lynch Building and later the American Heritage Life Building. It's located right in Downtown Jacksonville. A man named Stephen Andrew Lynch first built it.
On December 23, 2003, this special building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the United States. This means it's an important historical site. A company called Vestcor spent over $24 million to fix up the building. They turned the old offices into cool apartments, and people started living there in 2003.
Building History and Design
This tall building has 17 floors! It is about 153,000 square feet in size. When it first opened, it had offices for businesses. It was built by Stephen Andrew Lynch, who was a pioneer in the film industry.
Architects Pringle & Smith designed the building in 1926. They used a style called the Chicago School. The building was made with strong materials like limestone, marble, and brick. The very top of the building had special decorations made of terra-cotta. When it opened, it was the second tallest building in Jacksonville. It was just one floor shorter than the Barnett National Bank Building.
In 1962, the building got a new look and a new name: the American Heritage Life Building. This happened because the American Heritage Life Insurance Company used it as their main office. But in the late 1980s, the company moved to a new headquarters. After that, the building was empty for many years.
Modern Makeover and Use
In 2002, a company from Jacksonville called Vestcor started a big project to save and update the building. They worked to bring back many of its original beautiful features. This included colorful terra-cotta panels and fancy ceilings.
They also made the building modern inside. They updated the elevators, heating and cooling systems, and electrical wiring. A new six-story parking garage was built next to the building. The second floor was turned into a fun community area with a club room, a fitness center, and a media room.
The building was renamed "11 East Forsyth." In 2003, after a year of construction and $24 million spent, 127 new apartments opened. A Starbucks coffee shop also opened on the first floor, but it later closed.
Images for kids
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Lynch Building & Main Street Bridge
