A $3 million build-out is in city review for the proposed Pour Taproom and Pizza Jeans restaurant in the VyStar Credit Union garage Downtown at 61 N. Laura St.
The restaurant also has been called Pizza Dynamo in previous plans.
The construction cost can change as plans proceed, and one document refers to a $3.65 million price.
The self-serve beer venue and the pizza restaurant are planned on the ground floor of the garage at Forsyth and Laura streets. They have separate entrances but a shared kitchen and other common space.
The permit application says the work includes the interior build-out of the two new restaurant/bar concepts in 7,634 square feet of space on the street level of the seven-level, 759-space parking garage.
The garage is at 28 W. Forsyth St., between Main and Laura streets.
Both concepts have indoor/outdoor bars and seating as well as interior bars and seats.
There also is mezzanine seating in the taproom.
The project team comprises owner Gather Tap LLC of Jacksonville, property owner VyStar Credit Union, architect Terminus Design Group of Atlanta and interior designer Mariel Ramos, among others.
Danis Construction LLC in Jacksonville is shown as the construction manager.
VyStar announced April 4, 2023, that Atlanta-based Pour Taproom signed a letter of intent to lease nearly 9,000 square feet of indoor and patio space along Laura Street.
It said the venue plans an open environment for entertainment and a mezzanine for private event rentals and catering.
Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation letters dated Feb. 1 identify Urban Dough LLC at 28 W. Forsyth St. and Gather Tap LLC/Pour Taproom at 61 N. Laura St. as the owners/operators.
The Downtown Investment Authority Retail Enhancement and Property Disposition Committee approved incentives April 11 for the projects. On those plans, the restaurant was called Pizza Dynamo.
The incentives were:
• $207,350 for Pizza Dynamo, comprising a $192,350 grant through the DIA’s Food & Beverage Retail Enhancement Program and a $15,000 grant to help create a sidewalk dining area.
• $215,000 for Pour Taproom, comprising a $200,000 in FAB-REP grant and a $15,000 sidewalk improvement grant.
The DIA’s targeted FAB-REP grants aim to spur development of food and beverage establishments in targeted Downtown areas.
A DIA staff report said the Pizza Dynamo-Pour Taproom tandem will occupy 7,600 square feet of the parking garage’s ground floor plus 2,500 square feet on the mezzanine level. An indoor-outdoor bar and sidewalk seating also are planned.
That report said that together, construction costs for build-out for Pizza Dynamo and Pour Taproom were estimated at $3.67 million. Sidewalk enhancements were estimated at $20,656 for the pizzeria and $50,609 for the taproom.
Hours for the adjoined Pizza Dynamo and Pour Taproom will be 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
The DIA staff report says Pour Taproom will offer views of the corner of Laura and Forsyth streets through large bay windows and plans to add an entertainment stage and open mezzanine for regular seating and private events.
Pizza Dynamo
According to the DIA staff report, Urban Dough LLC and VyStar Credit Union filed the Pizza Dynamo application.
The restaurant would be the first expansion of the Pizza Jeans restaurant in Atlanta, a New York-style pizzeria that started as a pop-up inside the James Beard-nominated chef Chris Wilkins’ Root Baking Co.
“The décor at Pizza Dynamo Jacksonville will transport customers back to the days of grabbing a slice and a cola with friends,” the report says.
“They compose an atmosphere that evokes a sense of nostalgia, creating an immersive experience that brings back memories of simpler times. From vintage arcade games to retro-inspired artwork, every detail is designed to enhance the overall ambiance and take guests on a journey through their favorite moments.”
Plans call for the restaurant to employ two or three full-time managers plus a staff of 20 full- or part-time employees.
Pour Taproom
Pour Taproom will offer more than 80 beers and wines available through a self-service system that allows patrons to draw 1 to 16 ounces of beverages at a time. The flexibility lets customers sample different beers, create their own flights or pour themselves full pints.
The system is activated through a bracelet that must be reauthorized by staffers after two drink equivalents are dispensed.
The taproom, part of an Atlanta-based chain, also will offer food items.
The establishment would employ 20 workers.