• Though Portabella’s has closed its doors at The Plaza at Berkman, building owners McRae & Stoltz recently sent a memo to residents saying they’ve had “serious inquiries from several prospective tenants who are interested in leasing space for a gourmet grocery store.”
• The Super Bowl Host Committee has scheduled a familiarization tour Dec. 6-9 for several key sponsors of the 2005 game. Nearly 50 corporate event planners from companies such as Pepsi, Coors and Fox Broadcasting are expected to participate.
• At the request of Downtown Development Authority managing director Al Battle, The Real Estate Strategy Center of North Florida is conducting a downtown housing study, including a performance review of current and proposed housing projects based on current market conditions.
• Written Communications Director Susan Pelter has been overseeing a redesign of the City’s web page, and she’s already seeing some good results. Visits to COJ.net have increased from 80,792 in January to 128,770 in October, the site’s busiest month. That’s an increase of 59.4 percent.
• New Landing owner Toney Sleiman went all out to promote Thursday night’s party. He had employees handing out invitations at lunch time, and every Landing store employee was wearing a T–shirt with the new Landing motto: “It’s about time.” One complaint from some of the smaller Landing workers: the shirts were all extra large.
• NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue will speak at the Dec. 1, Jacksonville Super Bowl Host Committee luncheon. Tickets are $25.
• Coffman, Coleman, Andrews & Grogan will host a grand opening reception Wednesday at their new office in LaVilla.
• According to a draft circulating around City Hall, the plaque dedicating the new Veterans Memorial Arena will provide a history of the Better Jacksonville Plan and list the projects funded by the plan. “Not since the Great Fire of 1901 had Jacksonville undergone such a transformation,” the draft reads.
• Silver Box, a jewelry/gift store opens Monday at the airport. It’s the second location in town for the company, which also has a store in Jacksonville Beach.
• The Museum Shop at the Jacksonville Museum of Modern Art is holding a Holiday Open House Nov. 22-23.
• The works of Respighi, Albinoni and Mendelssohn will be featured today during the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra’s Italian Serenade. The performance, part of the Coffee Series, begins at 11 a.m. at the T-U Center. There will be preconcert coffee and cookies at 10 a.m. Works by Salieri and Rossini will be added for the evening’s Serenade, which begins at 8 p.m.