An 88-unit apartment development is being explored at Gateway Town Center in Brentwood, north of Downtown Jacksonville.
City utility JEA is reviewing a request for the determination of service for Sandhill Villas, which is identified as a project by Birdsong Housing Partners of Maitland.
Birdsong already is developing what is believed to be the first affordable housing development in Jacksonville made possible through the Live Local Act of 2023, which supports multifamily housing projects on commercially zoned land. Egret Landing is about a mile east of Gateway Town Center.
The Sandhill Villas address is 5156 Norwood Ave., east of Interstate 95 north of Springfield.
Sandhill Villas would comprise a three-story, walk-up building and a central community center.
The apartments would consist of 32 one-bedroom, one-bathroom units; 48 two-bedroom, two-bathroom units; and eight three-bedroom, two-bathroom units. It would have a central community center.
“Sandhill Villas will serve the Family Demographic,” the availability application says. The Florida Housing Finance Corp. is verifying infrastructure availability.
BirdsongHousing.com says Birdsong Housing Partners “develops, builds, and operates high-quality affordable housing.”
“Our tax credit and mixed-finance expertise creates sustainable communities that enhance lives, foster connections, and generate value for residents, neighborhoods, and investors,” it says.
A company representative was preparing to respond to questions as of Oct. 2.
Birdsong says its team understands “the complexities of affordable housing development, particularly the intricate financial structures involved.”
It says it is expanding its affordable housing portfolio across Florida and the Southeastern United States.
Its website shows 14 properties in Florida and one in Georgia.
Sandhill Villas are part of the plan by Global Storage Partners LLC, which bought the enclosed portion of Gateway Town Center and 10.7 acres in 2024.
Global Storage Partners President Joseph Zummo said by email Oct. 2 that when completed, the mixed-use project is planned to include indoor self-storage, residential apartments, retail space and offices. It has converted the closed JCPenney store into Extra Space Storage.
“Birdsong Housing Partners is purchasing approx. 4 acres of land from Global Storage Partners, LLC to construct the apartment community portion of our mixed-use project,” Zummo said.
“The brand-new apartment community will be constructed where a closed Gateway Mall building currently stands, just to the south and southeast of Global Storage Partners’ new Extra Space managed self-storage facility.”
Zummo said Global Storage Partners owns an additional 40,000 square feet of vacant retail space there marketed for lease to retail tenants.
About Gateway Town Center
After the shopping center opened in 1959, Gateway developed an indoor mall on the site in 1967. The rest of the Gateway stores opened between 1980 and 2005.
As the neighborhood struggled, Gateway closed the indoor mall and other retail space.
Gateway Retail Center has been adding new retailers that include Burlington, Five Below, Roses Discount Store, Planet Fitness, Dollar Tree and a larger Hibbett Sports.
Winn-Dixie has leased a grocery store there since 2020 with city incentives to replace Publix Super Markets Inc., which closed in 2019. The store was built in 2000.
Gator Investments of Miami Lakes took control of the Gateway Town Center property in 2012 through a certificate of title.
Duval County property records show that Gateway Retail Center LLC, led by Gator Investments President and CEO James Goldsmith, had owned 53.4 acres. The total mall property comprised 640,320 square feet of space.
After the Global Building sale, property records indicate Gator Investments continues to own almost 43 acres there.
It appears that the Gator Investments retail component will continue with more than 370,000 square feet of strip-center space and stand-alone buildings, such as an almost 9,400-square-foot former auto service center.
Gateway Retail Center LLC sold the 10.7 acres in July 2024 for $6 million to Global Building Jacksonville I LLC, which is an affiliate of Global Building LLC of Carlsbad, California.
Global Building bought an estimated 263,000 square feet of vacant space that served as the indoor mall and other uses.
Zummo said the developer is Global Storage Partners LLC, which specializes in mixed-use and self-storage center development and ownership.
He said Global Storage Partners has 40,000 square feet of vacant retail space there marketed for lease to retail tenants.
He said his group’s project will complement the existing retailers that Goldsmith has attracted.
Egret Landing
Egret Landing, an 88-unit apartment property for seniors, comprises 46 one-bedroom, 30 two-bedroom and 12 three-bedroom units.
Jacksonville-based Three Lions Real Estate Group, a commercial real estate investment and brokerage firm, represented the seller.
Three Lions said in a Jan. 3 news release that Egret Landing will be the first affordable housing development in Jacksonville made possible through the Live Local Act of 2023.
The project is funded under the Florida Housing Finance Corp. and leverages a combination of sources such as the State Apartment Incentive Loan, Duval County tax-exempt bonds, low-income housing tax credits and a local government loan from the city of Jacksonville. Bank of America and Citibank also are providing financial support.
Birdsong said completion is anticipated in November 2026.
Birdsong Housing Partners, through Egret Landing LLC, bought the property Dec. 27, 2024, from CDA Technical Institute of Jacksonville to develop an affordable housing community for residents ages 62 and older.
It paid $2.15 million for a 2.91-acre vacant property at 5806 N. Main and $150,000 for the 0.24-acre former America’s Donuts site at 5804 N. Main St., north of the Andrew Jackson High School football field.
The city issued a permit in April for construction of Egret Landing at 85 W. 48th St., west of the Main Street addresses and about a mile east of Gateway Town Center.
The site is about 3.4 miles north of Downtown.