The city issued a permit April 22 for Blue Orchid Thai Cuisine to renovate a Riverside building for its second restaurant.
Robert Mayhugh is the contractor for the $1.11 million project at 1551 Riverside Ave. The architect is Doherty Sommers Architects Engineers Inc.
Blue Orchid Thai Cuisine owners Jeff and Bam Schofield are building-out a 4,450-square-foot former dermatology office at what is now called Riverside Village near Memorial Park.
The restaurant owners signed a 10-year lease with landlord Schiavone Enterprises, led by Dr. Frank Schiavone.
The property comprises four former medical and office buildings on 1.3 acres at Riverside Avenue and Memorial Park Drive with views of Memorial Park.
Jeff Schofield said Blue Orchid could be open in September. It will seat 141 inside, with a full bar, and 44 outside in an area that features an Asian garden theme.
The garden will overlook Memorial Park under a more than century-old tree canopy.
Memorial Park fronts the St. Johns River.
“It’s always been our plan to open a second location,” Schofield said previously.
“We are really confident this location is perfect for our concept.”
The first Blue Orchid Thai Cuisine opened five years ago at 13475 Atlantic Blvd., No. 32, in Harbour Village at San Pablo Road and Atlantic Boulevard. It seats 150, with a small outside space.
“As a family owned and operated restaurant, Blue Orchid values tradition and hopes to bring a bit of traditional Thailand to the local community,” says the blueorchid.menu site.
Lara Bahri with CBRE represented Blue Orchid in the lease negotiations. NAI Hallmark Vice President Austin Kay and Senior Associate Eric Yi represented Schiavone.
