Plans for new dining options in Downtown Jacksonville are set to move forward after the Downtown Investment Authority board approved incentives for two restaurants Sept. 18.
In a 7-0 vote, the board approved $345,314 in forgivable loans for the Prudential Club on the Southbank and a $173,055 incentive package for Dorothy’s Downtown in the space vacated by the Burrito Gallery at 21 E. Adams St. on the Northbank.
Both items were on the DIA board’s consent agenda after being unanimously approved in committee. The DIA’s votes constituted final action, as the incentives do not require Jacksonville City Council approval.
The Prudential Club
A DIA staff report says The Prudential Club is an upscale establishment with 9,000 square feet of interior dining space, a 6,800-square-foot patio and a lounge with a 15-seat, full-service bar and additional seating for 75 people.
It will receive $272,760 in funding from the DIA’s Core Retail Enhancement Program and $72,554 in supplemental Core REP funds for the patio space.
The Prudential Club is the latest restaurant concept from the owners of the Players Grille, a sports bar with one location in Northeast Florida and another permitted in the newly built Home2 Suites by Hilton at 600 Park St. in Brooklyn.
Applicants for the incentives are listed as Philip Visali, CEO, and Dominic Raices, CFO, of Players Group LLC.
The ownership group, which includes Visali’s wife and business partner, Megan, bought the original Players Grille at 4456 Hendricks Ave., in 2022.
The group then opened locations at 10140 San Jose Blvd. and 1075 Oakleaf Plantation Parkway near Orange Park.
The group sold the Miramar restaurant in June, while the Oakleaf location is no longer listed on the playersgrille.com website.
For the Prudential Club, the DIA staff report lists a build-out cost of $2.1 million.
The restaurant site, 1430 Prudential Drive, is the former We Insurance Jacksonville headquarters and offices for the Jacksonville branch of the American Cancer Society. The Visalis owned and franchised about 250 offices of the We Insurance company in 30 states before selling the business in 2021.
A menu included with the meeting materials lists tapas such as bacon-wrapped dates, octopus and pork belly, with dinner options that include bone-in beef shank, grilled salmon and roasted chicken. Dessert items, teas and espressos also are offered. No prices are listed.
On Sept. 4, the city approved a permit for build-out of the Players Grille in a 3,168-square-foot space at 600 Park St. The permit listed the contractor AVS Builders Inc. Cost of the build-out was listed at $1.2 million.
Dorothy’s Downtown
The incentives for Dorothy’s Downtown comprise a five-year, $167,380 Food and Beverage Retail Enhancement Program forgivable loan and a $5,675 Sidewalk Enhancement grant.
The restaurant would occupy a portion of the space in the building at 21 E. Adams St., which also houses Indochine, a Thai restaurant.
A term sheet included in the packet said the applicants plan to spend $353,167 to build-out the Dorothy’s Downtown space, plus $7,094 to create sidewalk dining space.
The staff report lists the applicants for the incentives as 21 E Adams St LLC and The Hidden District LLC doing business as Dorothy’s Downtown. Elias Hionides is listed as managing member of 21 E Adams St LLC and Felicia Luke and Jorge Gonzalez are listed as owners/operators of The Hidden District LLC.
An Aug. 12 story in the Daily Record identified the owners of Dorothy’s Downtown as Felicia Luke, Jorge Gonzales, Ashley McCaskey and Jim Broy. The restaurant group bought the Walnut Inn at 2026 Walnut St. in Springfield in 2019 and opened The District SPR in 2020.
The story said Downtown investor Hionides bought the 114-year-old building Aug. 2 for $1.6 million.
A dinner menu included in the DIA board agenda lists appetizers at $9 to $22, “second” dishes such as vegan sausage etouffee and shrimp and grits for $18 to $28, a la carte from $4 to $12, and steaks and chops from $34 to $48.
A brunch menu offers appetizers from $9 to $14, entrees from $18 to $38, a la carte items from $6 to $14, and seafood and grits from $25 to $36.