Tag Archives: Independent Life Insurance Company

The Strange Florida Gothic Epic of Kelnepa

Posted on May 2, 2021 | Leave a comment

Click below for this week’s story, or navigate the city through the search bar or the direction buttons at the top of the page:

The original house exists beneath the house poured on top. Raymond Saleeba remembers his grandmother’s Lebanese cooking and playing with his siblings here as the happiest times in his life. The strangeness came later, with the house redubbed “Tuscan River Estate.” The sports car bought with worthless stock. Multi-million dollar con jobs. Brides who had to find other venues for their weddings.

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged Aaron Riley, Anthony Saleeba, Antonia Brown, Art and Ornamental Stone Company, Bernard Close, Betty Jean Louis, Beulah Saleeba, Brent Brown, Classic Homes Today, CLS Asset Management, Dan Scanlan, Deluxe Cleaners, Ella Canipa Keller, Epping Forest, Epping Forest Yacht Club, Florida Gothic, Florida Gothic Tim Gilmore, Independent Life Insurance Company, jax psycho geo, Jenna Bourne, Kelnepa, Kelnepa House, Lattitude 360, Linda Stanley, Matt Stroud, Miami Marble, Michael Johnigean, Mitchell McDaniel, Old House Journal, Raymond Saleeba, Renee Saleeba Crabtree, Rex Gryphon LLC, Saleeba House, T.M. Keller Lumber Company, Thomas Keller, Thomas Saleeba, Tim Gilmore, Tom Saleeba, Tuscan River Estate, Tuscan River Estate LLC, Victor Zambetti

The Independent Life Building / Wells Fargo Center

Posted on May 8, 2020 | Leave a comment

Click below for this week’s story, or navigate the city through the direction buttons at the top of the page:

From lightning strikes to the locomotive buried in its foundation, from loyalty to President Nixon to overtures to the National Football League, from the architectural sketches of Wah Yo Eng to the immigrant family of Bulgarians, Haitians and Jamaicans, the Independent Life Building (now the Wells Fargo Center) has reflected Jacksonville back to itself since 1974.

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged Accustaff, Accustaff Building, Bay Street, Beth Dunlop, Bill Ectric, Bill Ectric King, Bill Foley, Bill Kinh, Bob Irsay, Bud Adams, C.J. Holmes, Colt Fever, Consolidation, David Eisenhower, Doug Eng, Drew Company, Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad, Florida Gothic, Great Fire of 1901, H. and W.B. Drew, Henry Flagler, Independent Life Building, Independent Life Insurance Company, J.H.W. Hawkins, J.M.W. Hawkins, Jacksonville Bulls, Jacksonville Businessmen’s Club, Jacksonville Colts, Jacksonville Oilers, Jacob Bryant III, jaxpsychogeo, JMW Hawkins, John C. Christian, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, KBJ, KBJ Architects, Kemp Bunch Jackson, Lyubomira Lazarova, Mayport, Mayport Naval Station, Mayport Navy Base, McConihe Building, Modis, Modis Building, Richard Nixon, River Club, Southern Gothic, Tim Gilmore, United States Football League, USFL, Veliko Tarnovo, Way Yo Eng, Wayne Wood, Wells Fargo Center

New Story: The Lions of Drew and McConihe

Posted on November 30, 2019 | 1 comment

Click below for this week’s story, or navigate the city through the direction buttons at the top of the page:

The lions looked out on Bay Street, facing north, four stories high, for 70 years. Irony brought them down: the life insurance company cut short their reign. Now they stand beneath the glass giant that for years so awkwardly dwarfed the city and await our pilgrimage.

Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged Drew Building, Florida history, Great Fire of 1901, H. and W.B. Drew, Independent Life Building, Independent Life Insurance Company, J.H.W. Hawkins, Jacob Bryant III, jax psycho geo, Louise Sullivan, Luther McConihe, Main Street Bridge, McConihe Building, Tim Gilmore, W. Stokes Boyd