Contact: Michael Haskins FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Phone: 904-353-7727
Email: executivedirector@sparcouncil.org
SPRINGFIELD PRESERVATION AND REVITALIZATION ANNOUNCES
REHABILITATION OF HISTORIC DREW RESIDENCE
JACKSONVILLE, FL, December 8, 2025 - Springfield Preservation and Revitalization (SPAR) is excited to announce its acquisition of the historic Drew Residence at 245 W 3rd Street.
The Drew Residence, located in Historic Springfield, features a mix of architectural styles and characteristics including Tudor Revival, Queen Anne, Spanish Colonial Revival, and a belvedere, and serves as a gateway into the neighborhood from Downtown. The residence was built in 1909 for Dr. Drew Horace, grandson of early Jacksonville leader Columbus Drew.
The acquisition marks an important step in preventing further deterioration of the structure. Despite the home’s landmark status, the Drew Residence has fallen into disrepair in recent years. SPAR intends to rehabilitate the building, with plans for a publicly accessible community living room and archive as well as a small business incubator with low-cost office space for businesses receiving support from Springfield’s business association.
According to Tyler Grant, SPAR Board President, “The Drew is quintessentially Springfield: historic, quirky and the front porch of Jacksonville. The way we have acquired the property and our plan to renovate it represent a novel approach to avoiding demolition by neglect and ensuring historic preservation that we hope will be replicable for our architectural treasures both in the Springfield community and throughout Jacksonville. We’re grateful to our community partners, City leaders, and benefactors who took this risk with us. We look forward to creating a community asset that we can enjoy and be inspired by for years to come.”
Because rehabilitation will cost approximately $1.5 million, SPAR is launching the Drew Rehabilitation Fund to support capital and related operating expenses. SPAR is working to secure grant funding at the national, state and City level and seeking donors to support grant match requirements. Contact Michael Haskins, SPAR Executive Director, at executivedirector@sparcouncil.org or visit sparcouncil.org/drew_fund to give to these efforts.
Credit to Jacksonville’s Architectural Heritage by Wayne Wood for historic context and thank you to our partners at the City of Jacksonville, Atlantic Engineering Services, Avant
Construction Group, and JAA Architecture for their support in preparation for this acquisition. Special thanks to the Mayor’s Office of the City of Jacksonville, Council Member Miller, and Council Member Peluso for their support of and investment in the project. Once rehabilitated, the Drew Residence will serve as a long-term community space and small business incubator in Jacksonville’s Urban Core.
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Springfield Preservation and Revitalization (SPAR) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated since 1974 to improving the quality of life in the Springfield Historic District. Gifts to the Drew Rehabilitation Fund support capital and related operating expenses for the rehabilitation of the Drew Residence.