We came to Eutaw Place to build. New framing. New spaces. A new chapter for an old house. But before the new began, the house had a few things it wanted to say.

It was probably the early summer of 2023 and we had been contacted by a group that owned several buildings in the Riverside warehouse district of Jacksonville. This particular building was a 1930 elongated structure of 22,000 square feet with wood trusses and concrete block walls and a stucco exterior.

As a construction company we value green building and sustainable practices. This ties into Avant’s values as we focus on historic restoration and adaptive reuse.

National Philanthropy Day was celebrated this past week to recognize individuals, organizations, and businesses for their contributions to the community.

For many years, the historic home at 1106 Eutaw Place was more than just a neglected old building; it had become a bit of a local worry, a magnet for vandalism and a safety concern. Today, as we restore this beautiful 1930s brick house and add thoughtful new spaces, we’re doing much more than just a renovation, we’re helping to lift up the entire neighborhood.

Back in architecture school at Florida International University, we spent a lot of time focused on design—concepts, aesthetics, sustainability, creativity. All of it was important. But there was one thing I didn’t fully grasp until I got out into the real world: how much the success of a design depends on strong collaboration with the people actually building it.

The home at 1106 Eutaw Place has always had character – what it lacked was balance. Today, that balance is being built one beam at a time at the rear of the house, where a new two-story addition is rising that feels less like an expansion and more like the completion of an idea that began nearly a century ago.

The question that started it all was simple: What is historic preservation? But as I’ve come to learn through research, coursework, and field experience in the University of Florida’s Historic Preservation Program, the answer is anything but.