by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
After two years on the drawing board, a planned LaVilla restaurant looks to be moving closer to reality.
The Downtown Development Authority first looked at plans for the LaVilla Bistro in early 2003. The City Council approved a $2 million incentive package six months later that cleared the way for the neighborhood’s first restaurant since the LaVilla Grille closed in 2002. The land bordered by State, Union, Madison and Davis streets has sat vacant since.
But the Orlando developers are now seeking approval for some final design changes that could indicate ground is about to be broken.
The Orlando partnership, Jax Casual Dining, LLC, will submit its latest plans to the Design and Review Committee at its Thursday afternoon meeting. In addition to minor design changes in the roof and facade, the developers have also changed the name. The restaurant will now be known as Sax Seafood and Grill.
If the DRC approves the changes, work could begin as soon as permits are granted. The Jacksonville Economic Development Commission and the City Council have already signed off.
An incentive package that calls for a $100,000 grant and a $1.9 million loan from the Northwest Jacksonville Economic Development Fund is still available, said JEDC spokesperson Jean Moyer.
“The only thing that’s changed is the name,” she said.
The deal encountered some resistance from City Council members who thought the incentive dollars were being used to force the market for a restaurant in the area. It passed 11-6. Supporters said the restaurant would be a welcome addition to a neighborhood that the City has committed to redeveloping.
The deal would also represent a substantial capital investment in the area, according to the JEDC’s analysis. The developers would invest more than $2.4 million to build the 6,000 square-foot restaurant, which would be similar to a Fridays or Applebee’s.