Urban Core Construction Update - May 2010

[TheProfessor]

What kind of restaurant will be going in on e-bay street?  I wish they would take that green awning down and put up some horizontal prefab. aluminum awnings with tie rods instead.  That might allow room for signage above the windows.

[comncense]

It would be nice if the restaurant that's going into Churchwell Lofts has late late night hours. I know it's wishful thinking but it would nice to have other options than pizza and tacos after the bars close at 2am.

[Captain Zissou]

I agree, Professor.  That building is wonderful, but I don't like the awning.  If it wasn't just one continuous awning it might look better, but It looks dated.  Aluminum would work well, or even just broken up canvas awnings like on the Stockton building.  

It would be nice if the restaurant that's going into Churchwell Lofts has late late night hours. I know it's wishful thinking but it would nice to have other options than pizza and tacos after the bars close at 2am.

Hot dog vendor on Bay Street, Kickbacks, Sweet Pete.... Plenty of late night options.  It would be nice if the Churchwell restaurant had late night though.  I wish it was a carbon copy of kickback's, that would save me the drive.

[comncense]

Hot dogs fall in the same category as pizza and tacos in my book. Bad decisions... Though I do find myself at the hot dog stand pretty often. All of those other options require me to drive elsewhere, I'd rather just be able to walk somewhere in the vicinity and sober up off of some late night food. Yup, I'm whining and being picky but at least I realize it.

[Mattius92]

I was in downtown the other day, and at first glance the new Courthouse looked like a huge new office building going in. However I knew what it was.

Laura street is starting to look good too.

[blizz01]

So what else should we expect to migrate to that area (the new Courthouse) by default?  Surely there will be supplementary offices and/or lunch spots (?).  Maybe Worman's will resurface?  And, if so, does that then create a void where the current location is?

[stjr]

Just to complete the cycle, the restaurant at the Jacksonville Farmers Market featured last month in this series, Andy's Farmers Market Grill,  is now open.  Same "Andy" as Andy's Sandwich Shop on Lane at I-10.  Open for breakfast and lunch, Monday through Saturday.

From last month, in the Jax Daily Record:

New restaurant to open at farmers market
04/15/2010
by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer

A restaurant returns to the Jacksonville Farmers Market in about three weeks as food service veterans Andy and Jack Akel open Andy’s Farmers Market Grill.

The brothers will use the fresh produce at the West Beaver Street farmers market on the menu. They plan to open May 3 and will serve breakfast and lunch seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The new cinderblock building sits just inside the entrance to the farmers market, not far from where Sandy’s Steer Room operated years ago. It can seat up to 30 people.

There are few restaurants with such close access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

“That’s one difference customers will really be able to taste and appreciate,” said Andy Akel, 43, who will own the restaurant with his brother, Jack, 42. “We focus on good food fast at a quality price, and the fresh produce will help us provide the best dishes we can.”

Andy has been working in the food service business for about 25 years. He and his brother own Andy’s Sandwich Shop at Lane Avenue and Interstate 10, so the new restaurant will be their second.

“It’s great work,” said Andy. “My favorite part is meeting different people.”

Akel will have the chance to meet more people at the new restaurant, which joins one of Florida’s oldest farmers markets. The Jacksonville Farmers Market offers produce from about 200 farmers and year-round vendors and attracts thousands of visitors who stop by the market each week.

The Akel brothers will staff the restaurant with another four to five people.

The restaurant is one of many improvements planned for the Jacksonville Farmers Market. Another building for vendors is in future plans, as well as converting a former grocery store, Premier Foods, for use by vendors at the market.

“It’s just part of the plan to continue to improve the market,” said Jeff Edwards, CFO of Beaver Street Fisheries, owner of the farmers market. “It’s a great opportunity for them and helps us provide a variety of products.”

Akel’s goal is to provide good food fast at a good price. A sneak peek at the menu revealed a listing for eggs, sausage, grits and toast, with coffee, going for $3.99 plus tax.

“We plan to keep the menu reasonable,” said Akel. “We expect to see a mix of blue-collar and white-collar customers. There are vendors and farmers working at the market, but there are also offices located nearby and we expect to get some traffic from them.”

[Bostech]

I just drove by yesterday and was wondering what was that building.
Does anyone know why watermelons are small this year?

[tufsu1]

If you didn't know the new courthouse was going to be a courthouse, you'd swear, at this stage of the game that it was going to be a major hotel like Ramada Inn or Holiday Inn or something.  Construction looking good though and you can surely see it taking shape as per the renderings.

"HU"

Huh?

I don't know too many hotels with "greek temple like" columns

[fsujax]

I really have some high hopes for that area surronding the Courthouse once it is completed. I was down there at lunch today, parked on Pearl St, pulled right into an empty metered spot. Just seeing all the vacant retail space on the ground floors of those garages (new and old ones) depressed me. I remember when there was a Schlotskys Deli and Dunkin Donuts in those spaces. I hope the Courthouse can spur something...guess only time will tell.

[Captain Zissou]

I don't know too many hotels with "greek temple like" columns

Key word there is 'temple LIKE'.  I don't think the Greeks used tilt up and pre fab concrete.  It's a vast improvement over the current court house, but unfortunately I saw the Cannon renderings and other proposals back in the day.  If only I was blissfully ignorant of those superior designs.

[tufsu1]

I don't think the Greeks used tilt up and pre fab concrete.

that's what you get for $220 million (cost of new building itself)

[riverside_mail]

Does anyone know what's happening at 837 Stockton?? Last time I looked the entire roof of that small store-front was gone.

As of Saturday afternoon, 873 Stockton is completely gone.

[Jim]

Just to complete the cycle, the restaurant at the Jacksonville Farmers Market featured last month in this series, Andy's Farmers Market Grill,  is now open.  Same "Andy" as Andy's Sandwich Shop on Lane at I-10.  Open for breakfast and lunch, Monday through Saturday.

From last month, in the Jax Daily Record:

New restaurant to open at farmers market
04/15/2010
by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer

A restaurant returns to the Jacksonville Farmers Market in about three weeks as food service veterans Andy and Jack Akel open Andy’s Farmers Market Grill.

The brothers will use the fresh produce at the West Beaver Street farmers market on the menu. They plan to open May 3 and will serve breakfast and lunch seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The new cinderblock building sits just inside the entrance to the farmers market, not far from where Sandy’s Steer Room operated years ago. It can seat up to 30 people.

There are few restaurants with such close access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

“That’s one difference customers will really be able to taste and appreciate,” said Andy Akel, 43, who will own the restaurant with his brother, Jack, 42. “We focus on good food fast at a quality price, and the fresh produce will help us provide the best dishes we can.”

Andy has been working in the food service business for about 25 years. He and his brother own Andy’s Sandwich Shop at Lane Avenue and Interstate 10, so the new restaurant will be their second.

“It’s great work,” said Andy. “My favorite part is meeting different people.”

Akel will have the chance to meet more people at the new restaurant, which joins one of Florida’s oldest farmers markets. The Jacksonville Farmers Market offers produce from about 200 farmers and year-round vendors and attracts thousands of visitors who stop by the market each week.

The Akel brothers will staff the restaurant with another four to five people.

The restaurant is one of many improvements planned for the Jacksonville Farmers Market. Another building for vendors is in future plans, as well as converting a former grocery store, Premier Foods, for use by vendors at the market.

“It’s just part of the plan to continue to improve the market,” said Jeff Edwards, CFO of Beaver Street Fisheries, owner of the farmers market. “It’s a great opportunity for them and helps us provide a variety of products.”

Akel’s goal is to provide good food fast at a good price. A sneak peek at the menu revealed a listing for eggs, sausage, grits and toast, with coffee, going for $3.99 plus tax.

“We plan to keep the menu reasonable,” said Akel. “We expect to see a mix of blue-collar and white-collar customers. There are vendors and farmers working at the market, but there are also offices located nearby and we expect to get some traffic from them.”

Oh great.  Just what I need.  More reason to hang around there than I already do.

[Coolyfett]

interesting