Historic Springfield Named in Southern Living Magazine
Taren Reed Suzanne Chappell Created: 12/10/2009 5:12:39 PM Updated: 12/10/2009 11:46:35
Historic Springfield has had it’s growing pains, but the national magazine Southern Living will feature the neighborhood, saying the community has changed for the better over the past 10 years.
Take a drive through Springfield and you will see brightly colored, fresh painted homes sitting next to vacant ones in need of repair.
“Things are getting better. It’s a slow process, especially with the economy and the level of investment going down, but it’s still going,” said Andrew Macris, a resident who moved in two years ago.
Macris said Springfield is the best neighborhood he has ever lived in.
Three Layers, A Coffee House located on Walnut and East 6th Street, has been open about two years.
“Springfield had a stigma attached to it for years, decades and that is gone,” said Jeff Wright, Owner of Three Layers.
“Any kind of good press like that is awesome,” said Wright, referring to Southern Living.
Newer residents like Macris and Wright are part of the ”comeback.”
However, one resident who did not want to talk on camera said he lived in Springfield for 60 years and thought changes in the neighborhood still had a long way to go.
“I think it’s rising a lot faster than other people thought although it’s had it’s bumps apparently,” said Wright.
Macris said crime is still a concern in the up and coming neighborhood, but said a tall fence, several dogs, and a weapons permit keep his household safe.
Springfield was established in the late 1860’s and is the largest historic district in Florida. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Source: First Coast News, view news link below:
www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=149364
Watch video of news story:
