Conversion of the closed Pollo Tropical in Regency Park into Panda Express Chinese Kitchen could soon start pending a city permit now in review.
The city is reviewing a permit application for Candito Construction Corp. of Acworth, Georgia, to retrofit the closed Pollo Tropical into a 3,785-square-foot Panda Express at 9370 Atlantic Blvd.
Plans indicate 68 inside seats and a drive-thru, but no outdoor seating.
CPH Inc. of Sanford is the civil engineer and CPH Inc. of Tampa is the architect.
The Ferber Co. announced Jan. 30 that Panda Express Chinese Kitchen will lease the former Pollo Tropical site in the Regency area of Arlington.
Ferber expects Panda Express to open this year in the building it will lease and renovate.
Ponte Vedra Beach-based Ferber said it bought the property from Pollo.
Duval County Clerk of Courts records show that Ferber, through 2024 Beacon Point Jax LLC, paid $2 million for the property Jan. 24 in a purchase from Pollo Operations Inc. of Miami. Cogent Bank of Miami financed the deal with a $1.95 million mortgage.
Ferber said that it sought to return Panda Express to the area after Pollo Tropical left the building in fall 2023.
Ferber said in a news release that Panda Express had been in nearby Regency Square Mall and relocated in 2019 to the Atlantic North shopping center at northwest Atlantic and Kernan boulevards.
“This is the best stretch of road within the Regency trade area and one of the reasons we were attracted to this site,” said Ferber Executive Vice President Tom Mundy. Ferber is a privately held real estate development and investment company.
The address is between Southside Boulevard and Monument Road. The restaurant site is between Chick-fil-A and Chili’s and is near Starbucks, Panera and Chipotle.
JEA issued a service availability letter Nov. 29 for a 3,858-square-foot quick-service single-story restaurant and drive-thru at 9370 Atlantic Blvd., where Pollo Tropical was built in 2015.
CPH LLC of Jacksonville was the civil engineer and applicant.
Miami-based Pollo Operations Inc. bought the almost 1-acre property in February 2015 from Hess Retail Stores LLC. It had been a Hess gas station.
Duval County property records show Pollo Operations sold the site in September 2020 to B&P Realty and Management LLC and Lenlo Realty LLC, both of New York City, but bought it back Sept. 25, 2023, for $2.4 million.
North Coast Construction Co. built the Pollo Tropical, which focused on Caribbean-inspired citrus-marinated grilled chicken.
Pollo Tropical Citrus Marinated Chicken has three locations in Jacksonville in Town Center, River City Marketplace and near Mandarin Corners.
Ferber said there are eight Panda Express locations in Jacksonville.
Throughout Northeast Florida, Panda Express has at least 15 locations, including at the University of North Florida and at Naval Air Station Jacksonville and Naval Station Mayport.
Rosemead, California-based Panda Restaurant Group is the parent company of Panda Express, a family-owned Asian dining concept.
Pandarg.com says Panda Express was founded in 1983 at the Glendale Galleria in Glendale, California. It has more than 2,300 stores, 47,000 associates and $3 billion in sales.
There are 610 stores in California, 315 in Texas and 121 in Florida, followed by 115 in Arizona and 112 in Illinois.