The Elbow, the entertainment and nightlife district Downtown along and near East Bay Street, might be trading a nightclub for a combination bistro, bar and lounge.
A project to remodel the facade at 333 E. Bay St. and renovate the interior of the ground floor is on the agenda Thursday for the Downtown Development Review Board.
The building is near the former Duval County Courthouse and Police Memorial Building. The site of Club TSI Discotheque, which recently closed, would be home to Element.
According to the application for conceptual and final approval, developer Nightlife Innovations LLC plans to renovate the 4,500-square-foot first floor of the two-story building, including upgrading the electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems to comply with building and safety codes.
The applicant, Jon Mroz, did not return phone calls for comment.
The proposed floor plan shows 32 seats for dining inside, 48 outside on a patio behind the building and 27 seats along two bars in the club area.
In addition, the existing brick storefront facade will be replaced with new windows, indirect lighting, signage and an awning.
The second floor of the building is shown on the proposal as “future development.”
In an affidavit submitted with the design review application, the building’s owner, Liberty Bay Inc. President Michael Basford, states Nightlife Innovations has signed a five-year lease for $9 a square foot, with monthly lease payments beginning Dec. 1.
The staff recommendation for approval of the application points out the proposed improvements to the first-floor exterior “provide positive cosmetic and functional improvements to a building that has had a history of patch-work maintenance solutions.”
As of Monday, no building permits were filed with the city.
Nightlife Innovations has applied for a $90,000 Retail Enhancement Grant from the Downtown Investment Authority, which is scheduled to be reviewed this month.
The authority may grant up to $20 per square foot leased or occupied, but the grant may not exceed 50 percent of the cost of renovation, shown on the application at $200,000.
Also on the agenda for DDRB, Downtown Vision Inc. will seek approval for three 20-foot-wide “window wraps” to be installed along and near Hogan Street:
• A nightlife itinerary wrap, “Stay Late in the City,” is proposed for an empty parking garage storefront space along Hogan Street between Adams and Forsyth streets.
• A family activity wrap, “Every Day is Kid’s Day,” is proposed for a window along the Hogan Street side of the Ed Ball Building between Adams and Monroe streets.
• A “Date Night in the City” wrap is proposed for a vacant storefront window space at 119 W. Adams St., between Hogan and Laura streets.
The review board will meet at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Lynwood Roberts Room at City Hall.
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