San Marco's Hendricks Avenue continues to grow as a restaurant row. Among the latest entries is Veloce Pizzeria Napoletana, which intends to open at 1406 Hendricks Ave., at the Nira Street intersection.
"Let us bring Italy to you: experience authentic Neapolitan pizza made with the freshest ingredients imported from the most romantic country in the world," says its Facebook page, which was created Aug. 22.
The VelocePizza.com website features a countdown clock.
The Facebook page describes the food and focuses on the arrival of its artisan wood ovens.
"An important tool in our arsenal of pizza-making, these ovens are hand-built to reach a temperature of over 900 degrees," it says.
"Once the pizza is created, it takes one minute to bake."
It says the ovens are hand-built by fifth-generation Italian artisans and constructed with volcanic rock from Mount Vesuvius.
The partners in Veloce Pizzeria Napoletana LLC are local restaurateurs Rudy Theale and Ridge Sink. The company, based at 2315 Beach Blvd. near the Intracoastal Waterway in the Beach Marine building, was formed in December.
Sink is a former joint venture partner at Outback Steakhouse and partner at Nippers Beach Grille.
Theale is CEO of Escape Restaurant Group and a partner at Nippers.
The Resident Community News Group reported in September that Sink is planning to convert the Hendricks building, a former paint store, into a pizza bakery with communal seating.
"It will be a good place for people to interact with each other again, instead of with their iPhones," Sink told the news organization.
The group reported Veloce will be open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week.
EnVision Design & Engineering filed plans with the city this week to renovate the 7,637-square-foot building for Veloce Pizza. The building, built in 1957, is owned by Triact Development LLC. It is being vacated.
The restaurant will seat 180 — half in the restaurant, half in the bar — and have at least 20 employees, plans show. There will be a parking lot in back.
Veloce Pizzeria Napoletana also seeks zoning approvals to serve alcohol.
The LoopNet.com real estate site says the freestanding building is an opportunity "to locate in the heart of the rapidly developing, exclusive Hendricks Avenue corridor."
It's not far from the Panera Bread Bakery under construction at 1440 Hendricks Ave. or the Aardwolf Brewing Co. at 1461 Hendricks Ave.
"We are passionate about our causes: living life in all its chaotic glory and creating savory pizza," says the Veloce Facebook page, declaring its pizza an art form.
"We put our hearts into every intricate step of the Veloce process to ensure that each pizza is a masterpiece."
Moe's Southwest Grill plans River City Marketplace site
Moe's Southwest Grill is making plans to open in North Jacksonville at River City Marketplace.
The Angelo Group is listed on a permit application as the contractor for an almost 5,000-square-foot shell building at a construction cost of $600,000.
The Moes.com site shows at least a dozen area locations.
Bento lands permit for 2nd restaurant
As the Daily Record reported Oct. 4, Bento Café intends to open a second restaurant in Jacksonville — and the city issued the permit this week to build it out.
Bento Café will open at 9734 Deer Lake Court in the Tinseltown area. GDP Design & Construction will renovate the former Cruisers Grill location at a project cost of $603,410.
Bento Café opened its first area restaurant in The Markets at Town Center.
The Tinseltown restaurant should open in December or January. Bento also is eyeing a Beaches location.
The Volstead taking shape Downtown
The city approved tenant build-out for The Volstead whisky bar Downtown at 115 W. Adams St.
The Kirouac Group LLC is the contractor for the $115,000 project to renovate the 2,475-square-foot space.
One decorative feature is a 7-foot-tall barn door wrapped in copper flashing.
The Volstead's Facebook page says to stay posted for the grand-opening date.
Dunkin' Donuts continues to rise
Developer Keith Chan is filing plans with regulatory agencies to build an almost 4,700-square-foot structure along Dunn Avenue to house two ventures — a Chinese restaurant and a Dunkin' Donuts with a drive-thru window.
The agent is J. Lucas & Associates Inc.
The building is planned on 1.6 acres in North Jacksonville along Dunn Avenue near Monaco Drive.
Meanwhile, plans continue to be filed for a Dunkin' Donuts along Baymeadows Road in front of the Four Points by Sheraton Jacksonville Baymeadows hotel. The city is reviewing site plans.
The Dunkin' Donuts at 3939 Hendricks Ave. is slated for a $140,000 renovation to remodel the interior and make exterior improvements.
And one more — Dunkin' Donuts plans a location along Bartram Park Boulevard in Bartram Park.
Food bites
Food-related businesses filed names recently with the state Division of Corporations under the Fictitious Name Law to operate:
• Broadway Soul Food, 5808 Normandy Blvd., Nos. 13-14, by owner Katrina Ann Davis.
• Beach Blvd Café, 1815 Dean Road, by owner Murhof Abdulaziz.
• St. Marys Seafood & More, 7006 Atlantic Blvd., to owner St. Marys Enterprises Inc.
Licensed to serve
Duval County Tax Collector Michael Corrigan issued business licenses for:
• Yummy Cakes By Mia, 157 E. Eighth St., to Shamia Austin, for manufacturing.
• Mr. Snappers Fish & Chicken LLC, 958 Cassat Ave., to Ulyan Abufouz.
• Austentatious Teas LLC, 3636 Mandarin Woods Drive N., to Mindy Sue Johnson.
Dining signs
• Barberitos Southwestern Grille & Cantina, 4320 Deerwood Lake Parkway, No. 106.
• Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, 4108 University Blvd. S. and 2143 Edgewood Ave. W.
@MathisKb
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