JetSet Modern Pilates, one of the first commercial tenants identified for Vandeveer, the 205-unit apartment building in Pearl Square in Downtown’s NorthCore, is set up for build-out.
The city issued a permit June 26 for McDowell Construction Corp. of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to put the Pilates studio in 2,342 square feet on the first floor of the seven-story building at a project cost of $275,000.
At 515 N. Pearl St., the property is bounded by Ashley, Julia, Church and Pearl streets.
The site is two blocks south of Union Street, two blocks north of the Duval County Courthouse and about two blocks west of Jacksonville City Hall.
Jacksonville-based developer Gateway Jax confirmed March 23 that “JETSET Pilates will be joining the growing community at Pearl Square in Vandeveer, the neighborhood’s first residential building.”
It said the lease serves as a “milestone in our commitment to bringing premier wellness and lifestyle brands to Downtown Jacksonville.”
JetSet Pilates, as it also is called, is taking first-generation space, meaning it is a new building without a prior use in that unit.
Jeffrey Baker of Design Parameters LLC in Frisco, Texas, is the architect.
With a presence in the United States, Australia and London, Miami-based JetSet Pilates lists 66 locations nationwide, including 27 in Florida with two in Northeast Florida in Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach.
It lists 15 locations coming soon in Florida, including Pearl Square and in World Golf Village in St. Johns County. That address is 150 Village Commons Drive, A-104, in St. Augustine.
JetSet Pilates also lists 17 locations in development in the state, including Atlantic Beach and Nocatee. No addresses are provided.
Vandeveer, previously called the Block N11 building, has been described as 205 apartments and 24,086 square feet of retail, commercial and storage space.
In a March 3 news release, Gateway Jax said it chose the name Vandeveer and that it would include a Japanese restaurant on the ground floor.
The restaurant, a concept from Steve Palmer of The Indigo Road Hospitality Group, will serve wood-fired dishes off of a robata grill, plus sushi, sashimi and other Japanese-inspired dishes, according to the release.
Cocktails, wine, sake and zero-proof drinks also will be on the menu.
Vandeveer is the starting point for Pearl Square, formerly the Pearl Street District.
Gateway Jax said in the release the name refers to Thomas Vandeveer Porter, whose historic Porter House Mansion is part of Gateway Jax’s $750 million-plus Pearl Square district.
Vandeveer was Gateway Jax’s first project to start construction, with groundbreaking in October 2024.
VandeveerJax.com says the studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments are “Coming Late Summer 2026.”
The development will include a club room with coworking spaces, a pet spa and an outdoor terrace with a pool, grills and seating.
Jacksonville-based FaverGray is the general contractor, with civil engineering by England-Thims & Miller.
Retail leasing is led by Colliers’ Urban Division, and new parks proposed on adjacent sites are designed by Hoerr Schaudt in Chicago.
Gateway Jax is led by CEO Bryan Moll.
DLP Capital and JWB’s Downtown Fund are the primary investors.
The city approved a $9.06 million REV grant and $4.63 million completion grant for the project, then known as Block N11, in 2024.