Brentwood photo tour

The 16.69-acre Catherine Hester McNair Park, also known as Brentwood Park is located at 551 West 25th Street. Created in 1929, it stretches from West 21st to 28th streets and includes a Parthenon-like bandstand designed by Jacksonville architect Roy A. Benjamin in 1932.

Woodbine Street was the path of the Jacksonville Traction Company streetcar line that Brentwood originally developed around in the early 20th century. In 1928, the line had 84 total daily roundtrips with 9.5 minute rush hour headways for the 20 minute ride to downtown. Today, Woodbine Street has commercial buildings that were designed to be setback from the street to allow for the widening of the street, according to the 1930 City comprehensive plan.

Woodbine Street was envisioned to be widened by 1940. The plan and need for widening never came to fruition.

Brentwood Elementary School was constructed in 1915. Now 106 years of age, the historic structure is on the Duval County Public Schools facilities list to be closed and razed.

Built in 1927, Andrew Jackson Senior High School is the architectural twin of Robert E. Lee Senior High School in Riverside. Designed in the Italian Renaissance Style, both schools were constructed to replace the old Duval High School in Downtown Jacksonville.

4003 Pearl Street North opened in 1935 as the Brentwood Baptist Church. Today, the building is occupied by the North Pearl Street Missionary Baptist Church.

In 1938, the newly created Jacksonville Housing Authority acquired 45-acres of old dairy land for the construction of 230 White-only public housing units. The development became known as Brentwood homes. Two years later, 370 additional units where built at Brentwood. Brentwood became the second public housing project to open in Jacksonville behind Durkeeville public housing project, which was completed in 1936. They would be followed by another Davis Street public housing project, Blodgett Homes in 1942.

The crime ridden “barracks-style” public housing complex was demolished in 2004. It was replaced by 325 new apartments and 96 Habitat for Humanity homes for first time homebuyers in 2006. This project was funded by a $20 million federal grant to demolish and rebuild the development.

Located at West 24th & Perry streets, this building was the original location of Fire Station Number 9 when it was completed in 1951.

Pearl Street

In 1930, Pearl Street was designated as a Business A-In Residence zoning district with streetcar access to downtown. By the 1950s, Pearl Street had developed into a walkable neighborhood commercial district for Brentwood.

The Brentwood Theatre opened its doors in April 1941 at 3725 Pearl Street. The Art Moderne style motion picture theater was operated by Paramount Pictures, Inc. In 1957, the theater closed its doors. Today with its marquee still intact, the building serves as the Brentwood Branch Library of the Jacksonville Public Library system.

3118 Pearl Street North was completed in 1956. Early tenants include the Brentwood Auto Parts and Maude’s Beauty Shoppe.

3400 Pearl Street North is a garage that was built in 1963.

3329 Pearl Street North was completed in 1928 and was once occupied by Marchant’s Grocery.

446 Golfair Boulevard was completed in 1925. Early tenants included Quick Service Dry Cleaners, Assad Sabbag grocery and Colvin C. Jenks drugs.