The Hexagon

[blfair]

Photos from Saturday -- talked to a construction worker who said it was indeed the site of the hexagon... "6 sides, 4 doors":

[thelakelander]

That looks a lot smaller than what was shown in the craigslist rendering. Still lots of space for outdoor seating for Panera, the Hex and whatever goes into the old brick building next to it.

[blfair]

That looks a lot smaller than what was shown in the craigslist rendering. Still lots of space for outdoor seating for Panera, the Hex and whatever goes into the old brick building next to it.

Agreed... What surprised me was how close the hexagon is to the edge of the fenced area. I'm really curious what ends up here. It seems like a 'kiosk' kind of thing more suited to an area with more foot traffic... But what the heck. It's different.

[02roadking]

So I saw this today:  http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2016/02/26/upscale-mexican-restaurant-arriving-in-san-marco.html

[Tacachale]

Construction has started on the "hexagon". It looks like it will be just a small building/kiosk in the courtyard area.

[joshuataylor]

So I saw this today:  http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2016/02/26/upscale-mexican-restaurant-arriving-in-san-marco.html

Yup, looks like Puerta Vallarta is moving in mid-April (read mid-August).

180 seat upscale Tex-Mex with full bar, splitting the building with a second tenant that will be "a game changer", says Lisa Thomas.

Hmmmm...

[joshuataylor]

wonder if it's any of these...

http://www.puertovallartarestaurantes.com/
http://www.puertovallartausa.com/page/Home
http://puertovallartamish.com/
http://www.puertovallartawestseattle.com/
http://www.puertovallartatx.com/
http://www.puertovallartaiowa.com/
http://www.puertovallartamgrill.com/

[acme54321]

I drove by yesterday and they were assembling this thing.  It looked totally prefab so we should see the finished product pretty soon.

[Jomar]

I noticed there's also a newer Craigslist ad from two weeks ago that shows blueprints and a pre-construction view of the footprint.  I agree that CL is an odd place to advertise the space for lease.
http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/off/5459110753.html

[blfair]

So I saw this today:  http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2016/02/26/upscale-mexican-restaurant-arriving-in-san-marco.html

Yup, looks like Puerta Vallarta is moving in mid-April (read mid-August).

180 seat upscale Tex-Mex with full bar, splitting the building with a second tenant that will be "a game changer", says Lisa Thomas.

Hmmmm...

Ok, here's my theory on what's playing out with this Mexican restaurant.

La Nopelara ownership pitches an "Upscale" Mexican restaurant for the new building... opens a new restaurant with a different name, new furniture, less beer company freebies, raises prices by 15%. Menu stays substantially the same (paper is nicer, the "Nopelara Fajitas" are now "Fajitas Vallarta", etc) Restaurant is not as upscale as suggested but is otherwise successful. Spurts of lunchtime violence in that parking lot they'd now be sharing with Panera.