by Kent Jennings Brockwell
Staff Writer
The buzz is out. Word about the upcoming reopening of the River Club atop Independent Square is spreading and members are getting anxious.
“I get a handful of calls every day from people asking about the opening,” said Catherine Dineen, membership director for The River Club.
Since June, the club has been closed and is undergoing an extensive $3.5 million renovation, said the general manager, Chris Miller. The club is scheduled to reopen in late October, he said.
Though the renovation has cost more than originally expected, public relations coordinator Caryn Best said the club wanted to make an area as nice as possible for the members.
“The designers were really careful in not making a drastic change,” Best said. “It will be fresh and new but it will not be too much of a departure from the elegant place it previously was.”
Miller said a grand opening is scheduled for Nov. 13 and will also commemorate the club’s 50th anniversary, he said.
Here how it’s shaping up:
• The biggest difference will basically be flip-floppping the functions of the two floors: the membership dining area, the bar and the board rooms are now on the 34th floor. The 35th floor has been turned into a banquet space.
• Though the club has retained some of the same kitchen staff, Darek Stennes has been hired as the new executive chef. Stennes, former chef at the Boca West Club and Resort in Boca Raton, received his training in St. Germain, France and specializes in international cuisine. The club is currently searching for a new pastry chef but should have one by the opening, Miller said.
• The kitchens will look much like they did before but will have new equipment. About 70 percent of the old equipment will be replaced.
• When coming out of the elevators, members will notice that the bar area is now located to the right of the grand lobby area.
• The main staircase that leads from the member entrance to the banquet space on the 35th floor has been narrowed to give the entry area more of an open feel. It will now feature wood paneling and glass partition separating it from the casual dining area. Above the center of the stairwell will be a two-tier nickel and glass chandelier.
• The Baby Grand piano will be placed beneath the staircase. A pianist will play light jazz background music on Friday and Saturday nights.
• The casual and formal dining rooms are larger than before.
• The formal dining room will seat 32 people and will be open for dinner only. A large mural depicting scenes of Jacksonville will be on the rear wall.
• The 68-person capacity casual dining room will be open for lunch and dinner.
• A lunch buffet will be set up off the casual dining room. Miller said items on the buffet will change daily and will feature cold salads, a variety of different soups and fresh daily made desserts. An “action station” with specific items might also be part of the buffet options, Miller said.
• The main meeting room is now located on the northeast corner of the 34th floor. Two smaller meeting rooms are adjacent to the 20-person capacity main board room. While all of the rooms will have cable Internet and phone lines, the main room will feature a wireless network.
• Almost every room, including the kitchen, has overlooking views of Jacksonville and the surrounding communities.
• For now, the Ortega Room will be used for special events and banquets. However, Miller said the room could be used as the formal dining room in the future. Besides replacing the lighting system, the cherry wood paneled room should look about the same.