Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers is well on the way to convert the closed Pollo Tropical in The Markets at Town Center.
The city issued a permit May 20 for W.H. Bass Inc. of Johns Creek, Georgia, to build-out the restaurant at 4863 Gate Parkway at a project cost of $1.65 million.
That follows a permit Jan. 14 for site work to convert the 3,438-square-foot restaurant on 0.9 acre at a project cost of $1.5 million.
Kimley-Horn & Associates Inc. of Jacksonville is the civil engineer. CSRS Inc. of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is the architect. St. Johns 4863 LLC of Syracuse, New York, is the property owner. Raising Cane’s Restaurants LLC of Plano, Texas, is the developer.
City power provider JEA issued a service availability letter May 20 for a “scrape and build site plan” at the property, although the plans in review state the project will be a conversion. The building was developed in 2010.
Plans show the building will remain, but exterior work such as curbs, parking lot striping, sidewalks and more will be removed, modified or replaced.
The building shell will remain with interior and partial exterior modifications, new roofing, reuse of the covered patio seating and drive-thru lane, new menu boards and more.
The first area Raising Cane’s Chicken opened July 15, 2025, at 8308 Merchants Way in Oakleaf Station at southwest Argyle Forest Boulevard and Merchants Way in Southwest Jacksonville.
Three more are identified for Mandarin, Regency and North Jacksonville at River City Marketplace.
The Mandarin and River City Marketplace locations also are closed Pollo Tropical restaurants.
Pollo Tropical closed those locations and the Town Center site, its last three restaurants in Jacksonville, in February.
Kimley-Horn Jacksonville is the civil engineer for all three of those projects.
The fifth identified site is at the former Regency Square Mall property at 9501 Arlington Expressway that is slated for redevelopment. It would be on an outparcel at Arlington Expressway and Atlantic Boulevard.
