East San Marco, designed to feature apartments and a long-awaited Publix Super Markets Inc. store at the prominent corner of Atlantic Boulevard and Hendricks Avenue, is in city review.
Developers intend to break ground by late summer.
East San Marco LLC, in care of managing partner Tom Fleming, is the property owner. Fleming is vice president of investments with Jacksonville-based Regency Centers Corp.
While project documents indicate a full project build-out by 2017, Regency Centers Corp. Vice President Paul Maxwell said in January construction could start this year for completion of the Publix by early 2015.
The structure of the deal has changed over the years and Jacksonville-based Whitehall Realty Partners LLC now is a major player.
John Carey, managing member of Whitehall Realty Partners, explained Tuesday that East San Marco is a joint venture between The St. Joe Co. and Regency Centers. Regency remains more active in the partnership because it will own the 44,000-square-foot retail component of the project, including a 30,000-square-foot Publix.
Carey said Regency originally was planning to own the retail and St Joe would develop and sell the condominiums.
As currently structured, Whitehall Realty Partners will buy all the land at closing and develop the entire project. Regency then will buy the retail component about a year after construction begins, when the stores are built and available for build-out, and begin tenant improvements for Publix and other retail tenants.
He said Whitehall will complete the residential component about 18 months after construction begins.
“Our goal is to break ground mid- to late summer,” Carey said. Brasfield & Gorrie is the contractor.
It’s been a long time coming. The project has been in discussion for at least 12 years.
In 2006, Regency Centers and St. Joe announced the Publix and condo project, and that was four years after initial discussions surfaced about a Publix and mixed-use development on the site.
The on-again, off-again Publix rumors seemed very much on in January 2007 when Publix said it signed a lease at the location. But late that year, the project was delayed as the recession and housing slump took hold.
The property sat vacant during the recession.
As the recovery led to retail and housing enthusiasm, the project has been revived and agents filed applications in January with the city for conditional capacity availability statements to cover the two largest parcels of the five that comprise the project.
Parcel A includes 245 midrise apartments and the 44,800-square-foot retail space that includes Publix. A plan shows the anchor store and additional retail space. That parcel is at Atlantic Boulevard, Hendricks Avenue, Alford Place and Mango Place
Parcel C includes 35 apartments. That property is along Atlantic Boulevard between Minerva Avenue and Arcadia Place.
Wells Fargo operates an office on property in the middle, between Mango and Minerva. The remaining parcels are smaller and appear to include parking.
Jeffrey Crammond of England, Thims & Miller Inc. is the project agent.
Publix spokesman Dwaine Stevens said Tuesday the company had no opening date scheduled.
“We remain committed to the project and look forward to serving the San Marco community,” he said.
Charter school proposed along Skinner Parkway
Charter Schools USA proposes another location in Jacksonville along A.C. Skinner Parkway, near Butler Boulevard.
The St. Johns River Water Management District is reviewing plans for a two-story, 65,000-square-foot school and play field on 12.38 acres.
Summit Construction Management Group LLC is the agent for the project. Thomas Hankinson with Summit signed the agent authorization.
Hankinson and Charles Cordes are managing members of Charter Schools Development Group LLC.
Summit, of Orlando, also is the contractor for the Charter Schools USA location along Shad Road.
That two-story, 68,250-square-foot K-8 charter school, Renaissance Charter at Jacksonville, is proposed at 5209 Shad Road and appears to be a $4.57 million construction project.
The City approved the construction permit Tuesday for the Shad Road project.
Prosser Hallock is the engineering consultant for both projects.
The charterschoolsusa.com site lists five schools in Duval County, with one each in Arlington, Mandarin and Westside and a K-8 school and high school in Baymeadows.
Comcast hosting events at Xfinity stores
Comcast announced it would host two Jacksonville Jaguars Day events Saturday as part of a celebration marking its new Xfinity Stores.
From 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Jaguars linebacker Geno Hayes will be at the Pablo Creek Xfinity Store at 13740 Beach Blvd. From 1-3 p.m., tackle Cam Bradfield will be at the South Ortega store at 6331 Roosevelt Blvd.
Fans are invited to meet with the players, cheerleaders and mascot Jaxson de Ville.
Comcast said the new Xfinity Stores offer consumers an opportunity to explore and interact with the latest Xfinity products and services. The stores also include payment centers.
Comcast says the stores, about 5,000 square feet in size, feature interactive touchscreen displays, an Xfinity Experience Zone, a customer lounge and seating area, a 3-D TV viewing experience and a Kids Zone with iPads featuring child-friendly apps and content.
Customers can try out Xfinity products and services, including the X1 Platform available that “offers a more personalized and dynamic TV experience.”
Customers also can checked out the Xfinity Home security control and energy management system, the Xfinity TV Go app, and the Xfinity high-speed internet service.
Small and medium-size business customers can learn more about Comcast Business products and services at kiosks throughout the store.
The four Xfinity Stores in the Jacksonville area are open 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday.
In addition to the Pablo Creek and South Ortega locations, Comcast opened Xfinity Stores at the River City Marketplace, 13141 City Station Drive, Suite 155, and at Claire Lane, 11112 San Jose Blvd.
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