More than a year after retired NFL wide receiver Laveranues Coles Jr. bought a two-story Downtown building, the Levels Nightclub he plans there is under construction for a possible opening in early 2015.
Coles said Tuesday he had been shooting for a New Year’s opening but will not rush the work. He estimates he will invest about $1.5 million total in the project.
Coles said other buildings on the block are of interest to a potential buyer. He would not disclose the name, but said the deal was in due diligence.
“I wanted to be part of what’s happening down there,” he said.
The Levels VIP Nightclub page on Facebook shows some of the construction progress. The building at 323-325 E. Bay St., across from the old Duval County Courthouse, is three levels — two floors and a basement.
The city approved a permit in October for Braughton Construction Inc. to cut a hole in the second floor to confirm footings in the basement. It is reviewing another permit for tenant improvements for the project at a cost of $500,000.
Those plans show offices and storage in the basement. The ground floor features a stage, bar and seating and the second level shows lounge and banquet seating, a bar and a catwalk bridge that provides an open view to the first floor.
Both floors feature VIP booths and seating. The second floor has private VIP space, as well.
Jacksonville-based JAA Architecture Inc. is the architect.
The vacant 16,068-square-foot building was developed in 1904 and renovated in 1982. Before Coles bought the building in October 2013, it had been vacant at least five or six years and was used for state offices before that.
John Allmand, president of JAA Architecture, said the group determined it would be better to operate the location as a nightclub only rather than as a bar, lounge and restaurant as initially planned.
“The concept is ‘levels,’” Allmand said. “They thought just having that 5,000 square feet at the top wouldn’t quite do it.”
Coles said the acquisition of the neighboring buildings could present an opportunity for a restaurant that he might develop. “I’m trying to do multiple things,” he said.
The full basement at Levels will serve as back-of-the-house functions such as storage, a green room for visiting performers, a reception and offices.
In February, Allmand estimated the construction phase would take 90-120 days after the city issues the permits.
Coles said he expected to spend $700,000 to $800,000 to renovate and furnish the vacant building at 323-325 E. Bay St. He paid $750,000 for the building.
Coles, 36, is a Jacksonville native and played football at Ribault High School and Florida State University before spending 11 seasons in the NFL. He retired in 2010.
Pierre Pizza opens in Orange Park Mall
Sidy Sant Holding LLC took over the former Sbarro location in Orange Park Mall and named the business The Pierre Pizza.
Sidy Sant Holding founder Cheikh Mboup said it opened Thanksgiving week and will be managed for now by Brittany Tanner, the manager at the Azucena Corner Deli Downtown. He said Tanner has an assistant who can help at Azucena.
Mboup said The Pierre Pizza is the only pizza maker in the mall. “There is going to be someone making the dough from scratch from flour to the presentation of the pizza,” he said.
The menu for Pierre’s includes pizza, stromboli, calzone, pasta and salads.
Mboup’s career is district director for Bi-Lo Holdings Inc. for Jacksonville and Georgia. Sidy Sant Holdings’ restaurant investments are a hobby. In addition to Azucena, he also is a partner in Three Layers Café in Springfield.
Mboup said the three restaurants employ almost 50 workers. “It’s great to have such a large group dedicated to the investment company,” he said.
2nd Menchie’s in review
The city is reviewing a building permit application for Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt in Mandarin in Riverplace Shopping Center at a project cost of $226,000.
It is the second Menchie’s seeking construction approval. The first, in Pablo Creek Plaza at 13672 Beach Blvd., is in review at a cost of $245,000 renovation.
The Mandarin location is 1,700 square feet, near the size of the 1,782 square feet in Pablo Creek.
Adriana and Reinaldo Arreaza own the Mandarin franchise and plan to open it in March. Franchise owners Cory and Catherine Courtney hope to open the Pablo Creek Plaza shop between mid-February and mid-March.
The Menchie’s franchisees plan to open several more locations in the coming years.
Menchie’s offers self-serve yogurt with toppings, syrups and sauces. Menchie’s, based in Encino, Calif., says it expects to
celebrate 500 open stores this year.
It began in 2007 and started to franchise in 2008. There are at least 47 shops in Florida, with six more to open soon.
Restaurants and lounges on the rise
• Subway wants to build-out at 7908 Blanding Blvd. It’s a $55,000 project for 1,500 square feet.
• Droubi’s Coffee Shop is planned in Riverside at 915 King St. It’s a $30,000 project for almost 900 square feet.
• Goodfellas Bar is planned at 3535 St. Johns Bluff Road S. The former site of a furniture store will be converted at a cost of $128,000, according to a building permit under review.
Food bites
Food- and drink-related businesses filed names with the state Division of Corporations under the Fictitious Name Law to operate:
• What’s Cooking, Jonny?, to Jon Andrew Moore, mailing address is 13722 Bromley Point Drive.
• Everbean Hummus, to Imran Stanton Cooper, mailing address is 831 King St., No. 4.
• Sushi Palace, to King Sushi Palace Inc., 626 Marsh Landing Parkway, Jacksonville Beach. Ming En Qiu is president of King Sushi Palace Inc.
• The Candy Apple Café, to Jennifer Earnest and Downtown Restaurant Group, 400 N. Hogan St. Earnest and Alan Cottrill are managers of Downtown Restaurant Group.
• Beer:30 #2, to Brewman Group Jax LLC, mailing address is 505 Lancaster St., Unit 9C. Jeffrey F. Burns, Kevin J. Burns, Susan E. Burns and Brian C. Burns are members of Brewman Group Jax LLC.
• The Loving Cup Hash House, to Johnny Lennon Corp., 610 S. Third St., Jacksonville Beach. John F. Schuler Jr. is president and Matthew J. Lennon is vice president of Johnny Lennon Corp.
• Beech Street Bar & Grill, to Oliver’s Twist Too Inc., 801 Beech St., Fernandina Beach. Tim Lawther is president, secretary and director of Oliver’s Twist Too Inc.
• Cake Cabana, to Michelle Loveland Rogers, mailing address is 137 River Dee Drive, Saint Johns.
Licensed to serve
Duval County Tax Collector Michael Corrigan issued business licenses for:
• Holy Smokes BBQ, to Terry L Koljeski, 280 W. U.S. 90, Baldwin.
• Adan Foods, to Besima Horic, 3864 N. La Mirada Drive, No. 2. Mobile vendor.
• Junior’s Seafood Inc., to Anthony Corstell Sirman, 7185 Crane Ave.
• Wing Heaven, to Sheila Braclet, 6651 San Juan Ave.
• Krispy Kreme, to Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corp., 3814 University Blvd. W.
• Pizza Hermanos 3 LLC, to Brian L. Hall, 8415 Cheswick Oaks Ave., Nos. 3-4.
• Pizza Hermanos 4 LLC, to Brian L. Hall, 5324 Blanding Blvd., No. 11.
• Vagabond Coffee LLC, to William J. Morgan, 2002 Ernest St. Mobile vendor.
• BBQ Barn LLC, to Ronald G. Moore, 14025 Mount Pleasant Road.
• Blue Crabber, to Little Dipper Ice Cream Co., 8700 Beach Blvd. Mobile vendor.
• A and J’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream, to Joshua Aaron Haver, 469 Atlantic Blvd., No. 5, Atlantic Beach.
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