Gatlin Development Co., a Fort Lauderdale-based developer that brought five Walmart Neighborhood Markets to Northeast Florida, wants to create a significant Jacksonville presence in a Downtown Southbank high-rise.
Building plans show Gatlin Development as a tenant in Suite 1901 in the Riverplace Tower at 1301 Riverplace Blvd.
Gatlin Development would lease more than 6,700 square feet of space, which Dav-Lin Interior Contractors Inc. would renovate at a job cost of $210,955.
Plans indicate Gatlin Development will set up at least 14 offices, open office space, a conference room, lounge area, break room, and copy, work and file rooms.
CEO Franklin Gatlin III and President Loren Van Der Slik did not return multiple emails and phone calls. The property manager did not respond, either.
Gatlin Development opened the first area Walmart markets two years ago and also is developing Collins Plaza in Southwest Jacksonville.
That project will be anchored by a Walmart Supercenter.
Gatlin Development is a real estate investment corporation that specializes in shopping center development, management and renovation. Frank Gatlin founded the company in 1976.
It has 44 developments in Florida, California, Minnesota, Tennessee and Wisconsin.
Since 1984, Gatlin Development has focused on Walmart-anchored shopping centers.
The company says it has developed more than 7 million square feet of retail shopping centers, with a value of more than $1 billion, since then.
Gatlin Development principals also have experience in developing custom and affordable homes, apartments, retirement housing, hotels, light industrial and self-storage facilities.
In addition to buying and renovating five area neighborhood shopping centers to feature Jacksonville’s first Walmart Neighborhood Markets, Gatlin bought about 45 acres last year at Interstate 295 and Collins Road to develop Collins Plaza.
It quickly sold a portion of the land to Wal-Mart for development of a Walmart Supercenter, which is expected to open in spring 2016 and create 300 jobs.
Gatlin Development also sold land to Gate Petroleum Co. for a gas station/convenience store.
Gatlin developed the five area Neighborhood Markets in former Food Lion stores at Wilson Square in Westside; Merrill Station in Arlington; the Crossroads at Mandarin in Mandarin; Julington Square along Florida 13 in St. Johns County; and along County Road 220 in Middleburg in Clay County. The first three opened in June 2013.
A sixth Walmart Neighborhood Market is under development in a former Food Lion at San Pablo Road and Atlantic Boulevard by the Rosen Group of Boca Raton.
Area’s first Pizza Studio to open in San Marco
The area’s first Pizza Studio franchise location should open by early September in San Marco.
Co-owner Umar Saulat said Tuesday the fast-casual concept allows customers to build their own pizza by choosing dough and toppings. The pizza cooks in about two minutes.
The 1950 San Marco Blvd. restaurant should seat about 70 patrons, he said. The city is reviewing a permit application for a $200,000 renovation of almost 3,000 square feet of space.
Saulat said San Marco was a good area because of the synergy with Maple Street Biscuit Co., The Loop, M Shack and other popular neighborhood restaurants.
Saulat is a managing member with Terran Investments LLC of Darien, Ga. He said the group contracted for about seven Pizza Studio locations in Jacksonville, Savannah and Gainesville. A second spot should be announced in a few months.
“We are looking pretty aggressively,” Saulat said. He will be the chief operating partner.
Saulat said the Jacksonville area franchise is the first in the Southeast.
Pizza Studio is based in Los Angeles.
Its pizzastudio.com website shows at least 28 Pizza Studio shops operate in 11 states with another seven restaurants coming soon.
Customers move through a line to choose among five crusts, including gluten-free, and then choose a sauce, cheese and toppings.
The San Marco restaurant should employ 12 workers per shift and operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
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