By Karen Brune Mathis, [email protected]
If there was any question whether more property might be developed near St. Johns Town Center, the answer is yes.
Members of the Skinner family want to rezone about 45.2 acres south of Topgolf, west along Interstate 295, for apartments and commercial and retail development.
Called the Hanover Town Center Mixed Use Planned Unit Development, the property would be developed in two phases.
The first phase would comprise up to 400 multifamily residences — typically apartments — on about 19.4 acres at the southern end of the site.
The second phase, immediately south of Topgolf, would consist of up to 150,000 square feet of retail commercial development and/or up to another 400 multifamily units on about 12.2 acres.
The remaining acreage is for roads, drainage and a JEA easement.
The Arthur Chester Skinner Jr. Trust proposes the rezoning from one Planned Unit Development district to another to permit a mixed-used development.
The site is on St. Johns Bluff Road North between I-295 and Brightman Boulevard. Topgolf is at 10531 Brightman Blvd.
According to hanoverco.com, its project mix totals almost 44,000 units across the country and more than $8 billion in project costs.
East San Marco project coming closer to reality
Work is expected to begin in the spring for the long-awaited East San Marco development, featuring a Publix Super Markets Inc. store.
The city issued seven permits in December for the project at 1532 Atlantic Blvd., including for the shell of the long-awaited grocery store.
The contractor is Cambridge Swinerton Builders Inc. of Atlanta for the structures at Hendricks Avenue and Atlantic Boulevard.
The buildings include the 33,481-square-foot Publix and 13,524 square feet of retail space on the ground level. Tenant build-out work will be separately permitted.
There are three buildings for the 239 apartments — two at four stories and one at five. And there are two parking garages — one providing the ground-level retail parking and the other a six-story deck for the residents.
Jason Jacobson, regional partner of developer ArchCo Residential LLC, said last month work probably will begin about April, with completion in about two years.
Jacobson said he hopes to have another 27 rental townhomes completed then, too.
East San Marco was first announced in 2006 by Regency Centers and The St. Joe Co., a former developer on the deal, but it stalled along the way.
Common area next up for Sadler Point
With The Loop Pizza Grill and Talon Marine LLC signing on as its first tenants, owners of Sadler Point Marine Center are preparing for more leases and designing a common area for tenants and community events.
Owner Brooks Busey and consultant Jack Shad, an urban redevelopment specialist with Windmill Consulting LLC, are working on plans for the central common area of the former Pier 17 marine store.
Preliminary designs for the $100,000 renovation show conference rooms, seminar/gallery space and a café and lounge area with an outdoor covered patio.
Busey also envisions hosting training classes, such as boating safety and engine maintenance for boat owners.
Sadler Point Marine Center is at 4669 Roosevelt Blvd.
The Loop will lease almost 3,200 square feet and Talon Marine, which will sell Garmin electronics and other boating gear and accessories, will lease about 800 square feet.
Busey expects the two businesses to open about April 1, pending permits and build-out. That leaves about 7,500 square feet for other retail uses in the more than 17,000-square-foot center.
The total build-out investment is estimated to be at least $1 million.
Branan Field Village planned in Clay County
Transportation, housing, jobs and medical expansion are driving new development in north central Clay County.
Citing those factors, developers of the proposed Branan Field Village bought 92 acres at southeast Branan Field and Old Jennings roads in the Middleburg area.
The anticipated $105 million project comprises apartments, hotels, and commercial and medical uses.
That combination could catalyze the need for apartments, commercial tenants and restaurants to serve employees at the large companies — like Amazon.com — developing in the business park.
Branan Field Village LLC bought the vacant land from LPP Mortgage Ltd. for $1.8 million, according to John Kiddy, a manager and partner in the company.
He said 70 acres will be developed and the other 22 acres will be preserved.
Of the development acreage, 40 acres will be for multifamily residential, estimated at a $55 million build-out, and 30 will be for commercial uses, anticipated to be $50 million.
Kiddy said Branan Field Village will comprise 600 apartments on the 40 acres, consisting of two phases of 300 units each; four hotels on 10 acres; and retail, restaurant, professional and medical offices on 20 acres.
Florida Baptist site to be redeveloped
The Florida Baptist Convention Inc. bought the Northeast Florida Regional Council building near Southpoint for $2.3 million.
Based at 1230 Hendricks Ave., the convention intends to move to the 6850 Belfort Oaks Place building and sell its San Marco site for redevelopment.
The convention plans to move its corporate offices and about 30 employees to the Belfort site early this year. It is near Butler Boulevard and Interstate 95.
The regional council relocated to WJCT Studios Downtown.
Jacksonville-based Block One Ventures wants to buy and clear the 3.45-acre Hendricks Avenue property to develop a multistory structure with up to 345 residential units and 30,000 square feet of retail and commercial uses.
The Baptist Building is on a full city block near the Downtown Southbank.