Corner Lot announced June 24 it is redeveloping the oceanfront 100-year-old Casa Marina Hotel in Jacksonville Beach as well as building a retail and residential space or hotel across the street.
Plans are to preserve the hotel’s historic character while adding new amenities to enhance the guest experience, according to a news release by the Jacksonville development company.
The Casa Marina is at 691 First St. N. south of the Margaritaville Beach Hotel.
The hotel is expected to close at the beginning of next year. It is a site for weddings and special events, and those who booked events there in 2026 have had those reservations canceled, according to reports on social media.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to honor Jacksonville Beach’s past while thoughtfully investing in its future,” Andy Allen, CEO of Corner Lot, said in the release.
The Casa Marina is owned by Elias Hionides of the Petra real estate firm through C & N Investment Trust. It bought the 0.56-acre property in 2002 for $4.18 million. Property records say it was built in 1924 and is 22,616 square feet.
Corner Lot says it intends to buy the hotel and a 0.9-acre property across the street owned by Hionides through 1036 Beach Blvd Inc.
“The Casa Marina Hotel has been part of this community’s fabric for nearly 100 years. Our goal is to preserve its legacy while enhancing the surrounding area in a way that reflects the energy, character, and potential of Jacksonville Beach. I’d also like to thank the Hionides family for seeing eye to eye with us in making this vision one step closer to reality.”
“(The Casa Marina) is a beautiful and special place for the entire community, and we are excited to see what the next 100 years have in store,” said Hionides, Petra’s Vice President.
The news release did not say if Hionides is selling the hotel to Corner Lot. No sale had been recorded as of 5 p.m. June 24.
The redevelopment project team includes:
• Architect: Robbins Design Studio and Bold Line Design.
• Hospitality Partners: Sage Hospitality and Kelco Hotels.
• Legal: Driver, McAfee, Hawthorne & Diebenow, PLLC.
Site across the street
At its June 16 meeting, the Jacksonville Beach City
Council approved rezoning to allow Corner Lot to demolish the retail space at 102 Sixth Ave. N. in the Town Center district of Jacksonville Beach.
A five-story building is planned for the site that will have first-floor retail, a parking garage, surface parking and four stories of either condominiums or hotel space.
Corner Lot is in the early design phases and hasn’t decided what it wants to do with the top four floors.
The plan calls for either 36 condos or a 125-room hotel.
The parking garage will have public access.
The proposed building is legally allowed to be taller than three stories because the property was part of a 2010 settlement that made way for the established 35-foot height limit. Plans now stand at it being limited to 59 feet tall.
As part of the rezoning agreement, Corner Lot said the retail portion will not include stand-alone bars, lounges, nightclubs or taverns. However, a licensed hotel would be able to have a bar in its restaurant area.