Site clearing starts this week for the Gate Petroleum Co. store in the Brooklyn area near Downtown, continuing redevelopment of the trending neighborhood.
Jacksonville-based Gate spokeswoman Misty Skipper said the store should open by late fall.
As a privately held company, Gate does not disclose financials, but permit applications and the company’s $2 million site purchase in September total about $4 million.
The city is reviewing permit applications for the vertical construction, car wash, hardscape and other work, including the canopy for 24 fueling positions.
It will feature the Gate Fresh Kitchen, as does the company’s other new stores.
Gate will build at 444-450 Park St., the site of the former Two Doors Down restaurant, which has been demolished along with other structures on the site.
The location, at Park and Forest streets, is just off Interstate 95.
It is near the Brooklyn Station on Riverside retail center, anchored by The Fresh Market, and 500 apartments and another 300 planned. It’s also near the Unity Plaza outdoor amphitheater and urban park.
Not far away are the Winston Family YMCA along Riverside Avenue and the proposed Burlock & Barrel whiskey distillery.
Bebe closing at Town Center
The Bebe Stores Inc. women’s clothing retailer will close its remaining 168 stores by the end of May, including the Jacksonville location at St. Johns Town Center.
“Store Closing” and “Everything Must Go!” signs are in the window. The Brisbane, Calif.-based company targeted women ages 18-35, “who are contemporary, stylish & sexy and are looking for affordable luxury.”
Fashion company BCBG Max Azria Group LLC also recently closed its St. Johns Town Center store as it filed for bankruptcy and shut 120 stores around the country.
Kraft Heinz lands building expansion
Westside Industrial Park owner Stone Mountain Industrial Park Inc. landed a permit to build an almost $4.4 million expansion to a building leased to The Kraft Heinz Company.
Dana B. Kenyon Co. is the contractor for the 124,425-square-foot project, expanding the 183,000-square-foot building to more than 300,000 square feet.
The building is north of Pritchard Road and east along Bulls Bay Highway.
Bay95 shopping center in review
Bay95, the Skinner family retail center planned by Property Theater LLC, is in for engineering review.
The 14,816-square-foot shopping center is planned on almost 2 acres at the Baymeadows Road East extension at northeast Baymeadows Road and Interstate 295.
The plans show 5,100 square feet of restaurant space, with 113 seats, and more than 9,700 square feet for retail shops.
Charles Skinner, vice president of Property Theater LLC, said previously he will develop the site for Bay95 LLC, which is a real estate investment company owned by his brothers, Russell R. Skinner and Bryant B. Skinner Jr.
They are the descendants of the Skinner family, which owned thousands of acres of agricultural land that eventually became the St. Johns Town Center and other developments.
Charles Skinner said he has a signed lease for one of the nine retail spaces at the new project and three more are in negotiation. He declined to identify tenants.
Both end units will feature a drive-thru window, likely indicating at least two food-service tenants.
Skinner expects the restaurant will be available in November. The architect is Kasper Architects Associates. EnVision Design & Engineering LLC is the civil engineer.
Bay95 fronts R.G. Skinner Parkway to the north along Baymeadows Road East. Across the parkway are about 10 acres where the Skinners are contemplating another center.
Possibilities there include a big-box retailer, a specialty grocer or other combinations, Skinner said, along with outparcels.
Development notes
• The city approved tenant improvements for Fidelity Investments at 4600 Touchton Road E., Building 100. Fidelity intends to renovate 58,000 square feet on the third and fourth floors. Brasfield & Gorrie LLC is the contractor for the $800,000 project. The space is for Fidelity’s expansion of 300 jobs. It also wants to renovate its existing offices in Building 400. That is a $1.5 million project for the building’s four floors, the pending permit shows.
• Dunn’s Creek Crossing earned its concurrency review certificate in North Jacksonville at northeast Faye Road and Alta Drive. The 140,000-square-foot retail project is planned on about 25 acres. The application describes it as six buildings, anchored by a 50,000-square-foot store that could be a health club, grocery store or entertainment center. The Ash Properties project is estimated at $30 million and could be ready for occupancy in about 18 months.
• A Gate Express Carwash landed its concurrency reservation certificate for a site at Beach and Hodges boulevards. The almost 5,000-square-foot project is going up on 2.18 acres. Gate said in October it will build and operate more than 20 free-standing express tunnel Gate Express locations throughout Northeast Florida. They will feature a 125- to 145-foot tunnel system that can accommodate five to seven vehicles at a time and provide a wash in less than 4 minutes. Pricing starts at $5 and all washes include the free vacuum.
• Jacksonville University is preparing to renovate the Terry Concert Hall at the 2800 University Blvd. N. campus in Arlington. Plans show a $325,000 renovation to the lobby spaces, bathrooms and back of the house, primarily to replace existing finishes. Stellar Group Inc. is the contractor.
Food notes
• Burger King is renovating its Tinseltown location at 4339 Southside Blvd. The almost $303,000 project includes exterior and interior finishes.
• McDonald’s is adding a PlayPlace at its 705 Chaffee Road S. restaurant. The store will also renovate inside and out. It’s a $300,000 project.
@MathisKb
(904) 356-2466