A San Marco building is in review for renovations for Southern Grounds, a Neptune Beach coffee shop whose owners intend to add a second location.
The city is reviewing a permit application for a $500,000 renovation of the 3,615-square-foot building at 1671 Atlantic Blvd. for the coffee shop and restaurant.
Osterer Construction Co. is the contractor and Doherty Sommers Engineers Architects is the architect.
Southern Grounds anchors The Courtyard at 200 First St. in Neptune Beach.
Owners said in July they intend to add the San Marco location to serve Southern Grounds’ signature coffee products; house-made pastries and desserts; and a breakfast, lunch and evening-fare menu along with beer and wine.
Edward Skinner Jones owns the Neptune Beach and Atlantic Boulevard properties. Southern Grounds partner Mark Janasik said in July he expects the second location to cultivate a community environment in San Marco just as it has in Neptune Beach.
Jones, who goes by Ned, is the sole owner and manager of Atlantic Railroad LLC, which owns the San Marco property.
Jones said he anticipated construction to start in January.
The San Marco building had been leased to B. Langston Antiques & Liquidations.
Janasik and Jones said previously Southern Grounds in San Marco will be designed to accommodate a catering kitchen where staff could prepare the baked goods for both locations.
Southern Grounds opens daily at 6:30 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The San Marco shop will start with that schedule and evaluate whether those hours work best for the community.
Drinks include a wide variety of coffees, including cold brew, along with smoothies, teas and other beverages.
Southern Grounds offers Intelligentsia coffee, a pioneer in the direct trade coffee movement.
Jones and Janasik expect to create a retail space for selling coffees, T-shirts, charcuterie boards, serving plates, wine and accessories and other items.
They also see the location, which backs up to Landon Middle School’s football field, as a spot for students to gather after school and the business as a source of support for donations.
The building sits just west of the Florida East Coast railroad tracks. The long, narrow building was developed in 1967 and the parcel was carved out in 1919.
Jones sees the site as on the fringe of the developed San Marco Square trade area, although that part of Atlantic Boulevard has been attracting redevelopment.