It appears that Downtown will gain a Daily’s gas station and convenience store in LaVilla, not far from the Northbank end of the Acosta Bridge.
First Coast Energy L.L.P. paid almost $3.3 million on Aug. 21 for the 1.4-acre block bounded by Forsyth, Jefferson, Bay and Broad streets.
First Coast Energy owns and operates 37 Daily’s stores across the state, according to its website. They sell Shell gasoline.
Daily’s also has developed its Dash fast-casual cafe concept that sells breakfast and lunch sandwiches, subs, paninis, tacos, soups, salads, baked goods, ice cream and drinks, including coffee and smoothies.
The Buffalo Chicken BLT is one of the offerings, comprising crispy Buffalo chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, blue cheese and ranch dressing on grilled ciabatta.
Two deeds recorded Aug. 25 with the Duval County Clerk of Courts show that Jacksonville-based First Coast Energy, which develops Daily’s stations, paid almost $2.4 million for five parcels that include the site of a closed bank drive-thru and $900,000 for the land where the Kartouche nightclub recently was demolished.
First Coast Energy bought the 0.23-acre nightclub site from Law Building L.L.C.
It bought the bank site and four vacant parcels, totaling 1.17 acres, from lawyer Mark L. Rosenberg.
“I think it’s great for the area,” Rosenberg said Aug. 25. He declined additional comment.
Jake Gordon, CEO of Downtown Vision Inc., said Aug. 25 that he had a mixed reaction when the Kartouche was demolished, but realizes what Daily’s would bring Downtown, although he has not confirmed it will be a gas station and convenience store.
“More amenities for Downtown is what Downtown needs,” he said. “We are always of a mind that the historical part of Downtown can continue but at the same time, Downtown is about progress.”
A March 25 request to JEA to determine service availability at the site identified the block for First Coast Energy.
JEA reviewed the availability of electric, water, sewer and reuse services.
At the time, a former bank drive-thru at 60 N. Broad St. built in 1976 and the three-story former Kartouche nightclub at 618 W. Forsyth St. built in 1914 were on the site, along with vacant land.
Elev8 Land Clearing & Demolition razed the 106-year-old Kartouche nightclub building Aug. 1. Property records show Law Building L.L.C., at Jacksonville-based Pine Street/RPS LLC, owned the property.
Mark Wainwright with Pine Street/RPS said July 10 the property was under contract. “We are not allowed to disclose any information concerning the contract,” he said at the time.
First Coast Energy said in April it didn’t have ownership of property in that area and has not responded to questions since then.
“I was simultaneously disappointed to see the building and mural not there anymore, but I think Daily’s will be a great amenity for Downtown, and people will go there,” Gordon said.
He said local investment Downtown means Jacksonville companies see potential. Daily’s, led by First Coast Energy President and CEO Aubrey Edge, invested in the Daily’s Place amphitheater next to TIAA Bank Field.
“The idea that people are investing Downtown, we support that,” Gordon said. “We don’t want Downtown to be all gas stations and convenience stores.”
DVI and the Downtown Investment Authority recently released data that found 6,137 residents living in Downtown’s Northbank and Southbank as of June, up 18% from last year.
“LaVilla is an area of great growth Downtown and I think more amenities will help that area,” Gordon said.
