When he returned
to Jacksonville two years ago and moved into the downtown space he
dubbed The Loft, Stephen Dare's plan was to be an urban pioneer in
the effort to revitalize downtown.
The Loft served both as Dare's home and as an arts venue, hosting
exhibits of art and photography and performances by actors, poets
and dancers.
In the opinion of Dare, who was born William Stephen Griffin 35
years ago, it was a success. "There was no other venue in
Jacksonville doing the things we were doing," he said.
But The Loft was in the wrong place at the wrong time, located in
a block of West Duval Street that is scheduled for demolition, to be
replaced by a parking garage for the new downtown library and the
new Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art.
Despite that, Dare will continue his role as urban pioneer by
moving to Springfield next month. And this time, he has a powerful
ally in his effort to create new venues for artists and performers.
That ally is City Hall, which is not only paying a handsome
relocation fee but also is helping Dare secure various city, state
and federal grants to create new arts venues.
Audrey Moran, Mayor John Delaney's chief of staff, speaks
glowingly of what she expects Dare to accomplish in the
revitalization of Springfield. "What impresses me most about Stephen
Dare is that not only does he have a vision for change but, wherever
he lands, he makes it happen," Moran said.
She said Dare first came to her attention in the early 1990s,
when he operated the Fusion Cafe in Five Points. Dare, who adopted
his name in the late '80s while editing Dare, a funny, irreverent,
gossipy arts magazine, ran the Fusion from 1991 to 1993. He quit the
cafe, he said, because he got tired of battling neighbors who blamed
him for the strange-looking kids overrunning the Riverside
neighborhood. "I didn't have the energy to keep fighting for the
rights of Gothic kids to stand on the street," he said.
Dare left Jacksonville but returned in late 1999. "I was really
homesick," he said.
From the moment he secured the lease on The Loft, he said, the
plan was to include an arts venue. "What I liked about the Fusion
was the energy that goes into creating the arts," he said. "When I
got back to Jacksonville, so many venues had closed. I've always
believed we have just as many talented people here as any other
city. What we don't have are places for them to perform."
Once it's renovated, an old fire station at the corner of Eighth
and Hubbard streets will be the new Loft. The second floor of the
12,000-square-foot building, which Dare has already purchased, will
be his living space. The first floor will be a performance space.
Dare has also leased a store in the 700 block of Main Street, which
will house an art gallery operated by Lee Harvey, a Jacksonville
artist who once operated a gallery in Five Points. Dare is also
eyeing a storefront across Main Street that he thinks could become a
popular coffee shop/cafe.
The goal, he said, is to convince artists that Springfield, with
its relatively inexpensive real estate, is an affordable place to
live and work. "We want to set up businesses that can give money to
the artists. Because until we start paying the arts, we won't be
able to retain all these talented performers."
If that's accomplished, Dare said, it will contribute to the
revitalization that, after a quarter of a century of talk, seems to
be gathering momentum in Springfield. Moran said she's counting on
Dare to play a crucial role in that. "He doesn't only invest his
money, he invests himself."
Charlie Patton's column appears on Wednesday, Friday and
Sunday. Contact him at cpatton
or (904) 359-4413.
