The Bullbriar Restaurant at Marble Bank

[Metro Jacksonville]

The Bullbriar Restaurant at Marble Bank



SouthEast Group announced today the addition of a new restaurant as part of the adaptive reuse of the Laura Trio in downtown Jacksonville. Acclaimed Chef Scott Schwartz will lead the new full service restaurant and bar named "The Bullbriar", to be located in the historic Florida National Bank building, more commonly known as the Marble Bank.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2014-dec-the-bullbriar-restaurant-at-marble-bank

[river4340]

http://jacksonville.com/business/2014-12-22/story/fernandina-beach-chefowner-plans-restaurant-downtowns-marble-bank-building

[urbanlibertarian]

Very cool.

[Downtown Osprey]

awesome!!!!

[brainstormer]

This is so exciting!

Interesting name choice. Isn't a bullbriar a bush with thorns and poisonous berries? Or am I thinking of something else. It definitely is unique and one of a kind.

[fieldafm]

So glad the news is finally out.


For those trying to picture the inside... a good point of referance is The Ordinary in Charleston.  However, how Schwartz will be using the bank vaults will be really phenomenal.

[For_F-L-O-R-I-D-A]

What does this mean for the project planned for the Trio and Barnett Bank Building? It will be great to start making moves on this but I worry without the other aspects of the project, this will have trouble getting off the ground.

[BoldCityRealist]

What does this mean for the project planned for the Trio and Barnett Bank Building? It will be great to start making moves on this but I worry without the other aspects of the project, this will have trouble getting off the ground.

I think the looming question mark is the proposed parking garage to be built at the corner of Main and Forsyth that will be split by the Trio, Barnett and Regions (because the Regions parking lot is proposed to become a green space). This will cost the city approx $8-10mm. Other than that, the money for the Trio and Barnett seems to be lined up for the most part and now with these leases being signed, all the pieces seem to be falling into place.

[fieldafm]

What does this mean for the project planned for the Trio and Barnett Bank Building? It will be great to start making moves on this but I worry without the other aspects of the project, this will have trouble getting off the ground.

I think the looming question mark is the proposed parking garage to be built at the corner of Main and Forsyth that will be split by the Trio, Barnett and Regions (because the Regions parking lot is proposed to become a green space). This will cost the city approx $8-10mm. Other than that, the money for the Trio and Barnett seems to be lined up for the most part and now with these leases being signed, all the pieces seem to be falling into place.

100% correct. The ball is in COJ's court now.

Constructing a parking garage that will be served by a hotel, two restaurants, office space and apartments is pretty much a no brainer.  Of all the parking garages COJ has built in the last 30 years, this offers a bigger bang for the buck than all of them combined. 

Get this done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[thelakelander]

Also, that parking garage doesn't appear to be your average Jacksonville garage.  The conceptual site plan shows a public plaza, +8k square feet of ground level retail and space for additional infill development at Forsyth & Main.



Most of the public focus on the Trio has been about the building themselves. However, the latest design transforms the full dead block of Forsyth between Laura and Main, into something worth walking down and spending time in.

[jaxjaguar]

Isn't a bullbriar a bush with thorns and poisonous berries? Or am I thinking of something else. It definitely is unique and one of a kind.

According to Merriam-Webster it's: "any of several American plants of the genus Smilax with large farinaceous rootstocks formerly used as food by American Indians"

[fieldafm]

Most of the public focus on the Trio has been about the building themselves. However, the latest design transforms the full dead block of Forsyth between Laura and Main, into something worth walking down and spending time in.

Absolutely correct. You'll see that the developor has insisted on ground level retail for this proposed parking garage (I don't think many realize how much of a striking contrast that is, when just two years ago COJ gave $3.5million public money to a private developer to construct a private parking garage and insisted that no ground level retail should be included... aka the Parador parking garage going up next to the SunTrust Tower), as well as adding green space (that will likely be programmed in some fashion) along Adams Street. They realize the success of their project is also dependant on the surrounding uses.

Essentially, the Trio development would also replace two dead surface parking lots with useable space... thereby enhancing not just their property... but an entire block of surrounding property.  That's actually a pretty huge deal.

[Tacachale]

Looks cool. So where are we with COJ?

[fsujax]

What a spectacular place this will be....Bringing great, local dining establishments in reused historic structures...pretty exciting.

[jcjohnpaint]

Looks cool. So where are we with COJ?

Yeah, my thought exactly.  Looks cool, but this could stop at the city.