Another specialty St. Johns County grocery store is in review, this one at the World Commerce Center.
A roughly 30,000-square-foot store is shown on plans as the anchor for a 39,098-square-foot first-phase retail center on 16.62 acres at International Golf Parkway and Florida 16.
A preliminary site plans show access roads off the parkway as well as Florida 16. The address is shown at 5000 Florida 16.
The project is a venture of Cantrell & Morgan Inc. and Stiles Corp.
“We are talking to a number of specialty grocers and have gotten tremendous feedback and initial responses,” said Cantrell & Morgan CEO Chris Morgan.
Morgan said he expects the venture will decide on the grocery anchor in the first quarter and close on the land in the second quarter. Development would follow.
England, Thims & Miller Inc. is the civil engineer.
A similar-size grocery store is planned in Nocatee in St. Johns County that is expected to be the area’s first GreenWise Market by Publix Super Markets Inc.
The size also is close to the formats of specialty grocers Sprouts Farmers Market and Lucky’s Market, both averaging 30,000 square feet and Earth Fare, which is about 24,000 to 27,000 square feet.
Whole Foods generally is larger, although the Pablo Plaza supermarket planned in Jacksonville Beach is about 35,000 square feet.
Plans in review show the grocery store flanked by two attached 7,000-square-foot retail buildings. There also are six outparcels of 0.73 to 1.71 acres.
Morgan anticipates a total development of 60,000 to 70,000 square feet, including outparcels.
“We are getting a tremendous response,” he said.