Publix Super Markets Inc. continues to renovate its Jacksonville area stores.
The Lakeland-based chain recently filed plans with the City to remodel its store in Publix Plaza at 9100 Merrill Road, near the Interstate 295 East Beltway.
The building-permit application, which calls the interior-décor package "Invigorate," carries a project cost of $500,000.
The contractor is McIntyre Elwell & Strammer General Contractors Inc. The architect is listed as Lindsay Pope Brayfield Clifford & Associates. The store was built in 1997.
Also, the City approved a permit Friday for McIntyre Elwell & Strammer of Sarasota to renovate the Publix at 7749 Normandy Blvd., including the pharmacy, at a project cost of $160,000. The store was built in 2005.
In recent weeks, the City also approved renovations to the Publix store at Kernan Square. McIntyre Elwell & Strammer is the contractor for the $400,000 renovation of the store at 12620 Beach Blvd. The store was built in 1998.
Also, the Daily Record reported in January that plans were filed for a potential reconstruction of the East Arlington Publix in Cobblestone Crossing at 2771 Monument Road.
Shopping center owner Cobblestone Sub LLC of Miami Beach is negotiating with Publix to rebuild the store on-site. Cobblestone Sub LLC manager Daniel Halberstein said that if the deal takes place, the project would be developed in 2014 and take six months. Publix has operated at the Cobblestone Crossing shopping center since it was built 27 years ago.
Also, Publix appears to be pursuing more than supermarket enhancements in Jacksonville. The Daily Record reported in December that Publix bought 57 acres in November next to its Westside distribution center, without comment about its plans for the land.
City Council member Doyle Carter told the Daily Record the property might be under consideration by Publix for a dairy-products production facility.
In Jacksonville, Publix already operates what it calls a high-velocity warehouse, a dairy/boxed meat warehouse, a produce warehouse and a frozen-food warehouse.
In a sale recorded Nov. 19, Publix paid $3.07 million for vacant property at 10319 General Ave. Records show Publix already owns almost 90 acres at 9786 and 9800 W. Beaver St. for its distribution center and refrigerated warehouse operations.
Duval County Property Appraiser records show at 9786 W. Beaver St., Publix has 10 buildings, including a mega-warehouse. At 9800 W. Beaver St., it has four buildings for refrigerated, cold-storage and distribution warehouse use.
Publix has 1,068 locations in the five states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee and is expanding into North Carolina.
Its largest market is Florida, with 756 stores, followed by Georgia, at 179. There are 52 Publix stores in Alabama, 47 in South Carolina and 34 in Tennessee.
There are 49 in the Jacksonville area, comprising 29 in Duval County, 11 in St. Johns County, six in Clay County, two in Nassau County and one in Putnam County.
Walmart remodeling
Walmart Stores East plans to remodel its River City Marketplace store at 13227 City Square Drive at a project cost of $500,000.
No contractor is listed on the building-permit application submitted to the City. The plans show a general remodel of the 215,287-square-foot store, built in 2006.
BRR Architecture Inc. of Merriam, Kan., is the architect.
Thrift Store signs
The City approved two signs for The Thrift Store at its new location in the former Food Lion at 3851 Emerson St., No. 14. Taylor Sign & Design Inc. is the contractor for the two wall signs for "The Thrift Store" and "Donation Drop-Off In Rear."
The two signs have a combined project cost of $20,750.
As the Daily Record reported Jan. 22, The Thrift Store, one of 20 Red, White and Blue Thrift Store locations nationwide, will move from its prominent 2624 Atlantic Blvd. location in the St. Nicholas area to the former Food Lion store at Emerson Plaza at 3851 Emerson St.
The new site is about a mile from the current location.
D&D Company Properties LLC of Ventura, Calif., owns both properties. Property records show both stores are about 27,000 square feet in size, although the Atlantic Boulevard location was built in 1955 and sits on about 1.5 acres while the Food Lion is part of a shopping center that was built in 1988 on about 2.4 acres.
The Emerson site is not far from Interstate 95 and Philips Highway. The City has issued a building permit for Accelerated Contractors LLC to renovate the Emerson location at a project cost of $270,750.
The company partners with the Vietnam Veterans of America and calls itself "a favorite of local costume designers, film wardrobe suppliers and frugal fashionistas."
The stores accept donations of clothing and household items. The website asks those interested in donation to visit pickupplease.org or call 800-775-VETS (8387).
The group also accepts toys, electronics, books, equipment, small furniture and more, "almost anything small and light enough for the driver to carry."
The redwhiteandbluethriftstore.com site says its stores feature, among other items, an "amazing selection of clothing, shoes, linens, jewelry, accessories, housewares, toys, books, records, CDs, DVDs, small electrical appliances and furniture for the entire family."
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