For those who have wondered for years when construction will start on Wawa at Spring Park and Emerson, it appears to be the time is now.
The city issued a permit Sept. 22 for Triton Construction Group LLC of Tampa to build the 5,636-square-foot gas station and convenience store on 1.97 acres at 3560 Spring Park Road at a project cost of $915,400.
The cleared and vacant site is at southeast Emerson Street and Spring Park Road, east of Interstate 95.
Cuhaci & Peterson Architects of Orlando is the agent for the project.
A Wawa spokesperson said May 5 that construction should begin in August with projected opening in the first quarter of 2023. That timeline now appears to be September.
Site clearing was approved in 2019.
In March 2021, The Ferber Co. Inc. sold 2.1 acres at Spring Park Road and Emerson Street that is subject to a lease for a Wawa gas station and convenience store.
Ferber bought the property in February 2019 from multiple landowners and included a land lease agreement memorandum with Wawa Florida LLC in its filing with the clerk’s office.
Ferber, through 2019 Spring Park Jax LLC, sold the site March 17, 2021, for $4.625 million to investors that include Klein Automotive Parts Inc. of New Jersey.
Ferber Vice President Tom Mundy said March 22, 2021, the group sold the land subject to a Wawa lease. “It will still be a Wawa,” he said.
Klein Automotive Parts Inc. said March 22, 2021, by email that a Wawa is being built on the site and the company will be the landlord.
The city issued permits in May 2019 for Realco Recycling Co. Inc. to demolish three buildings – two offices and a car wash – at the site for development of the Wawa gas station and convenience store.
The structures were a car wash at 3840 Emerson St. and two office buildings at 3523 and 3537 Spring Park Road.
Ferber sold the property through 2019 Spring Park Jax LLC. Valley National Bank of New Jersey financed the deal for $1.74 million, according to a mortgage recorded with the Duval County Clerk of Courts on March 22, the same day as the deed.
Klein Automotive bought the land through a trust. The site comprised 10 parcels.
Wawa has been in the works there for years.
In October 2018, the city issued concurrency reservation and conditional capacity availability statements for Pennsylvania-based Wawa’s proposed 5,640-square-foot store and six pumps with 12 fueling positions on the 2.1-acre site.
In September 2018, the city reviewed plans for the site.
The city rezoned the property in October 2018 to Planned Unit Development for the project.
