A preliminary site plan for Park Place at San Marco shows the layout of the 143-unit apartment community planned on property to the north and east of South Jacksonville Presbyterian Church.
The 2.87-acre property is bounded by Hendricks Avenue to the west, Alford Place to the North, Mango Place to the east and Mitchell Avenue to the south.
Harbert Realty Services of Birmingham, Alabama, intends to buy 2.1 acres from the church, which will continue to own and worship at the sanctuary and some remaining buildings at 2137 Hendricks Ave.
The site plan shows a four-story, 135-unit apartment building on the north part of the site, with Matthew’s Restaurant remaining on the corner. Matthew’s is not involved in the development.
The apartment building at Alford and Mango places wraps around an amenity area and there also is an amenity area along Hendricks Avenue between the restaurant and the church.
Harbert plans to provide 325 parking spaces, more than the 303 spaces required.
The four-level, 295-space parking garage is planned next to the apartment building and behind the church to the east, along Mango Place and Mitchell Avenue.
The plan said 79 spaces on the ground floor as well as 24 spaces on the second and third floors (12 each) of the garage on the Mitchell Avenue side will be designated for church use.
Total parking provided will be 295 in the garage, 26 on-street spaces and four off-street.
On-street parking comprises 10 spaces along Alford Place, 11 along Mango Place and five along Mitchell Avenue.
Thacker Avenue, which ran through the property, is shown as closed. The four off-street spaces are near the crosswalk at the back of the church where it faces the garage.
Nonresident access to the garage is from Mitchell Avenue. Controlled resident access is from Mango Place.
To maintain a residential feel, eight apartments are on the Mitchell Avenue side of the garage – four on each of the second and third floors.
A residential façade is on the ground floor of the garage facing Mitchell Avenue.
Bill Ware, Harbert Realty Services vice president of development, estimates investment in the development will top $30 million.
The church buildings that Harbert will buy will be demolished for the redevelopment.
Ware said there are plans to relocate the South Jacksonville Presbyterian Preschool to the Southside Baptist Church property a block north at 1435 Atlantic Blvd.
Harbert formed an entity with San Marco-based Corner Lot Development Group, led by CEO Andy Allen and COO George Leone, to develop Park Place at San Marco. Harbert will be the managing partner.
Harbert will close on the purchase after a land use change and rezoning are approved.
Pending approvals, Ware would like to break ground late in the first quarter with completion about summer 2021.
South Jacksonville Presbyterian Church’s campus was built for a membership of up to 2,000 and the congregation is less than 250. Church leadership decided about two years ago to consider another use for the site while hoping to continue to use the sanctuary.
The church property is across Hendricks Avenue from the San Marco Square shopping and entertainment area.
