The Original Lila’s Seafood & Steaks, a closed restaurant in a 52-year-old building at Beach Boulevard and Parental Home Road, is coming down.
The city is reviewing a permit for Realco Recycling Co. Inc. to demolish the 3,725-square-foot building at 7546 Beach Blvd. in the Beach Boulevard Shopping Center.
Property records show it was built in 1971.
It is at the base of the Hart Expressway ramp into the Hogan area.
The property owner is 1980 Union Port Associates LLC of New York City.
Landlord representative Barry Goldstein, president of Goldstein Commercial Properties Inc., said Oct. 30 the site will be offered to tenants for a ground lease or a build-to-suit.
“We don’t have anybody lined up for it yet,” he said.
The owner also is considering developing a 7,500- to 8,000-square-foot multitenant building, Goldstein said.
Lila’s previously was St. Johns Seafood & Steaks.
The Lila’s Seafood and Steaks Facebook page, created April 15, 2014, said that for more than 30 years, St. Johns Seafood “brought you the best service and food that Jacksonville has to offer.”
“Lila Rukab who gave that to you is back with Lila’s Seafood and Steaks,” it says.
“We bring to you a family experience unlike anybody else,” it said.
“We welcome you back to the place where you are treated like family,” it said.
St. Johns Seafood & Oyster Bar Inc. was incorporated at the site in 1986. State records show it was registered by Lila Rukab and Robert, Maurice and Lori Rukab.
The name changed in 2004 to St. Johns Seafood & Steaks, which was administratively dissolved Sept. 26, 2014.
Lila Rukab registered Lila’s Seafood & Steaks Inc. with the state Feb. 18, 2014.
Now shown as inactive, the company was administratively dissolved as of Sept. 29, 2018, records show.
A Lila's sign facing west is missing some letters spelling out parts of "Thank you for your support" and "closed." The eastern-facing sign doesn't include that wording.
Lori Rukab Grassi recalls it had been Denny's and Bob Ayers and another use that she cannot remember.
Beach Boulevard Shopping Center was built in 1971 on almost 10 acres.
Among new tenants are RD International Market, which is building-out in a Winn-Dixie store that closed in 2017. The market owner hopes to open it by Thanksgiving, but it might be later.
The Asian and international supermarket will include fresh produce, a bakery, food-court operators, hot food bar, groceries and – its specialty – 80 fish tanks for live seafood, including lobster, shrimp and crab.
The first market opened four years ago in Lake Worth. It has 30 live seafood tanks.
River City Science Academy and Citi Trends anchor the property.
Goldstein said he is working with a children’s activity center to lease the closed Bailey’s Health & Fitness gym.
It is the second decades-old restaurant building to be slated for demolition this year.
The Lila’s razing comes after the Beach Road Chicken Dinners building, about 3 to 4 miles northwest of Lila's, was demolished Oct. 25 at 4132 Atlantic Blvd.
Crews from J.B. Coxwell Contracting Inc. demolished what was last called Beach Road Fish House and Chicken Dinners.
The restaurant, which started in 1939, closed in February.
Jacksonville-based Corner Lot intends to develop apartments at the more than 7-acre site at Atlantic Boulevard and Art Museum Drive.
