LaVilla was once home to many of Jacksonville’s old families and most distinguished citizens. Many stately residences were built for and occupied by African American professionals, doctors, attorneys, business owners, and community leaders. Once characterized by elaborate two-story dwellings, West Monroe Street was an area of the neighborhood where affluent homeowners lived. The houses on this block are representative of LaVilla’s original residential density, scale, and architectural character.

725 West Monroe Street is a seven-bedroom house that was built for liquor company owner Solomon Shad in 1909. Shad was known as “The Whiskey Man.”

The Neo-Classical Revival house was restored by Pedro Mendez, Sr. in 1946. Mendez was a Cuban-born tailor who opened P. Mendez Cuban Tailor at 408 Broad Street in 1927. To protect it from demolition, his daughter Padrica Mendez successfully worked to have the residence designated as a local historic landmark in 1995.

The Queen Anne dwellings on Jefferson Street were built between 1901 and 1903. They were once home to the family of Benjamin Safer. Safer arrived in Jacksonville around the turn of the century and was the first to open a kosher meat market in the city. Safer was also very instrumental in establishing the Orthodox Congregation B’nai Israel and LaVilla’s Jewish enclave that developed around it.