The Rohdie Group of New York plans to start construction by the end of February on the more than $30 million Gran Bay Apartments at Flagler Center in South Jacksonville.
Its location in the Flagler Center office and business park sparked a perk: The apartments will provide bicycles for residents to ride to work or just ride around.
President Bob Rohdie said this morning that the 308-unit project community should be completed 15 months later, which would be May 2015.
"I am very bullish on the Jacksonville market," he said.
"The economy has come rebounding back in Jacksonville, there has been very little new (apartment) development in Jacksonville and your employment appears to be robust," he said.
Rohdie said rents aren't set yet.
Rohdie said Gran Bay will be his fifth project in Jacksonville since the early 1990s. The other four have been converted into condominiums or sold, he said.
The city is reviewing plans for the 15.5-acre development along Gran Bay Parkway at Egrets Nest Drive.
The project comprises 14 multifamily buildings, seven garages, a clubhouse with a pool, fitness center and cabanas and a grill area, a playground and a mail kiosk.
Plans show 120 one-bedroom, 150 two-bedroom, 30 three-bedroom and two carriage units.
England-Thims & Miller Inc. is the project engineer. Summit Contractors will build the project, and Group 4 Design is the architect, Rohdie said.
The Rohdie Group is a privately held real estate management firm based in New York, N.Y.
Its website, rohdiegroup.com, says its for-lease apartment communities are designed "with a spirit of undeniable luxury and convenience at a competitive, affordable market price."
According to the site, Rohdie Group LLC, the parent company of Rohdie Development & Management, was founded by Rohdie and an experienced group to develop, acquire and manage multifamily, for-rent residential communities, ranging in community size from 220 to more than 500 apartments.
Over the past 25 years, Rohdie and his team have developed more than 30,000 apartments in residential areas throughout the Southeast.
Rohdie Development & Management identifies sites, hires general contractors, arranges financing and oversees the construction of its developments.
All phases of marketing, lease-up, accounting and operations will be performed in-house by Rohdie Management.
"With the partnerships of strong institutional domestic and international equity venture funds, Rohdie Development & Management plans to develop and acquire four to six multifamily, rental properties per year," it said, with a goal of managing more than 6,000 apartments over the next five years.
Its current portfolio includes two projects in Madison, Ala., and three in Florida: Art Avenue in Orlando, Blu Atlantic Apartment Homes in Delray Beach and West Isle Club in Key West.
Make that 8 Publix remodels
Add an eighth Publix to be remodeled in Duval County.
Publix Super Markets Inc. filed plans with the city to remodel its store at 9964 Old Baymeadows Road at a project cost of $350,000. The store is about 47,000 square feet in size. McIntyre Elwell & Strammer General Contractors Inc. of Sarasota is the contractor.
As the Daily Record reported, Publix has announced or completed projects in the past 12 months that include renovations at its stores along Argyle Forest Boulevard; Normandy Boulevard; Roosevelt Boulevard; Deerwood Lake Parkway; Merrill Road; Beach Boulevard; and a reconstruction at Monument Road.
Aldi responds
Aldi won't confirm any plans for the two Northeast Florida sites where documents show the supermarket chain might open.
Plans show an Aldi is planned in Middleburg and in St. Augustine.
An Aldi Inc. spokeswoman said that while Aldi is currently expanding in many markets, including Florida, it would be premature to confirm a potential store location.
Aldi is the no-frills supermarket that was started in the same family that created Trader Joe's. Aldi focuses on a streamlined selection of products and it leases shopping carts for a refundable quarter.
Overall, Aldi has more than 1,200 U.S. stores in 32 states, mainly from Kansas to the East Coast. It has added 80 stores a year, on average.
Aldi entered Central Florida in 2008 and now has about 60 stores among 45 cities, including Ocala and Daytona. Its Central Florida distribution center is in Haines City.
Aldi Inc. is based in Batavia, Ill.
St. Johns Town Center adds stores
Simon Property Group Inc. announced Wednesday retailers Tervis and Madewell, as well as Zoë's Kitchen, will open at St. Johns Town Center this spring and summer.
Tervis will open its first Jacksonville store this spring in the former Sake House space. The 1,140-square-foot store offers six tumbler sizes, a mug and water bottle, accessories and customizable designs.
In 2006, J. Crew introduced Madewell, a women's clothing and accessories retailer, which is set to open in the summer. It is a 3,000-square-foot store between Coach and Omega.
Zoë's Kitchen also will open this spring in the old Qdoba space next to Paul Mitchell and Crispers.
Arlington Y build-out OK'd
It's a go for the YMCA of Florida's First Coast to renovate the former Boleros Cultural Arts Center in Arlington at 10131 Atlantic Blvd.
The city approved the permit Wednesday for C.C. Borden Construction Inc. to renovate 28,504 square feet of space at a project cost of almost $125,000.
As the Daily Record reported Nov. 5, the Arlington YMCA is relocating to the Boleros location from leased space at 9119 Merrill Road.
Construction plans show the relocated Arlington Y will include a wellness center, group exercise areas, program areas, offices, supply rooms, a cycling area, kids' zone, community room and lobby.
Some space is designated to be renovated in a second phase.
The YMCA has agreed with the Boleros property owner, the Barco Family Foundation, to use the property.
The Arlington YMCA's family program center remains based at 8301 Fort Caroline Road, while the wellness center will relocate from Merrill Road.
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