Skyline Cafe after hours

tufsu1 · March 03, 2015, 01:37:25 PM

Quote from: johnnyliar on March 03, 2015, 12:54:10 PM
Any chance someone reopens this soon? It's got such amazing views, it could be a really great restaurant.

no. The building's owners got a much better lease deal from another tenant...most likely a law firm or similar

PeeJayEss · March 03, 2015, 02:05:06 PM

The numbers didn't add up? Possibly because it had bad food, totally lacked marketing, and did not at all utilize its amazing space? Open that thing up Fri and Sat night, and Art Walk, the added revenue will more than pay for keeping the lights on and probably adding a few extra security guards.

InnerCityPressure · March 03, 2015, 02:08:05 PM

This reminds me of the Skydome Lounge in Crystal City. Amazing view of DC, but completely cheesy dining experience and total absence of marketing.

I-10east · March 03, 2015, 02:16:43 PM

Has anyone ever been at the restaurant back in the days (when it was the called Barnett Center)? I heard that it was fancy and high end, but the economy took it's toll, thus bringing the Skyline Cafe.

Wacca Pilatka · March 03, 2015, 02:19:40 PM

I don't remember there ever being a restaurant at the top of the building before the Skyline Cafe. When it was Barnett Center, that space was the executive offices for Barnett. I got to tour it once.

I think there was a higher-end restaurant on a lower floor? The only high-end observation deck-type restaurant in Jacksonville - other than the River Club/University Club - that I can think of was the Embers in the Universal Marion, now JEA, building.

I-10east · March 03, 2015, 02:31:59 PM

^^^According to this archive below, it was called the 'Skyline Dining & Conference Center' in the early BOA days, and a 'fancy dining room' in the Barnett days. I guess I was recalling the Skyline Dining & Conference Center.

http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/dining_out/2009-11-12/story/restaurant_review_the_skyline_is_cafeteria_dining_with_ste

thelakelander · March 03, 2015, 02:33:20 PM

Quote from: Wacca Pilatka on March 03, 2015, 02:19:40 PM
I don't remember there ever being a restaurant at the top of the building before the Skyline Cafe. When it was Barnett Center, that space was the executive offices for Barnett. I got to tour it once.

I think there was a higher-end restaurant on a lower floor? The only high-end observation deck-type restaurant in Jacksonville - other than the River Club/University Club - that I can think of was the Embers in the Universal Marion, now JEA, building.

It's not high end but there's a lunch spot on the 10th floor of One Enterprise Center.

carpnter · March 03, 2015, 11:35:35 PM

The former building owners were subsidizing the operation of the restaurant, the new ones have chosen not to continue that arrangement. The food isn't as good as it used to be.

ChriswUfGator · March 04, 2015, 08:53:31 AM

Quote from: I-10east on March 03, 2015, 02:31:59 PM
^^^According to this archive below, it was called the 'Skyline Dining & Conference Center' in the early BOA days, and a 'fancy dining room' in the Barnett days. I guess I was recalling the Skyline Dining & Conference Center.

http://jacksonville.com/entertainment/dining_out/2009-11-12/story/restaurant_review_the_skyline_is_cafeteria_dining_with_ste

That was the cafeteria in the mid rise building next door that they're referring to. The skyline cafe space was formerly the C-suite for the Barnett Bank. If you ever walked around and poked your head in some of the doors, the big office with the burl walnut paneling and the fake books on the shelves attached to a conference room was Charlie Rice's office. The big long empty room with doors at both ends and the middle was the board room. The desk in the middle where the stairs are was reception and waiting. The other corner offices on the top floor were CFO, etc.

Noone · March 04, 2015, 09:55:05 AM

Quote from: thelakelander on March 03, 2015, 02:33:20 PM
Quote from: Wacca Pilatka on March 03, 2015, 02:19:40 PM
I don't remember there ever being a restaurant at the top of the building before the Skyline Cafe. When it was Barnett Center, that space was the executive offices for Barnett. I got to tour it once.

I think there was a higher-end restaurant on a lower floor? The only high-end observation deck-type restaurant in Jacksonville - other than the River Club/University Club - that I can think of was the Embers in the Universal Marion, now JEA, building.
It's not high end but there's a lunch spot on the 10th floor of One Enterprise Center.

There is a cafeteria on the 4th floor of the DCPS building overlooking the NEW Southbank Riverwalk 2014-190.

KenFSU · March 21, 2015, 12:14:03 PM

Per the T-U, the new building owners had a tenant ready to take over the 41st floor (and maybe part of the 42nd), so they chose to end the relationship with Aramark.

They are, however, planning to re-open the long-dormant cafe on the 1st floor.

edjax · March 21, 2015, 03:07:11 PM

Personally that place was nothing special other than the view. And to me better for downtown to have the street level cafe open back up.

ChriswUfGator · March 22, 2015, 01:22:18 PM

Well it opened with a bang, I think it was Thursday or Friday morning, I saw on the news there was a fire in it.

I-10east · March 26, 2015, 08:45:14 PM

My mom and I went on the last day. My mom is leary of heights, and was pretty scared on the elevator ascent & descent LOL. We were expecting Friday fish & chips, but they served some kinda meat pita; One bag of Baked Lays potato chips and one peach Lipton iced teas for us wasn't exactly much of a lunch, Aramark was in 'shut it down' mode. The food didn't matter, it was all about those awesome vantage points. I took a good amount of cell pics of the surrounding towers the river and the Southbank. Maybe they could make it an observation area, just a thought.