New Town Center Development Announced

[blizz01]

What would your opinion/assessment be of The Avenues and/or The Orange Park Mall?  (considering their age)

[thelakelander]

Similar development pattern as the other malls listed. After 40 years, development on Blanding now sprawls almost to Middleburg and the street is a congested mess. Much of the land around the Avenues is wetlands and conservation, but the developable land has been filled with uses similar to what's going to pop up around SJTC.

[thelakelander]

Piada Italian Street Food to open first Florida restaurant at Town Center Promenade
By Karen Brune Mathis, Managing Editor

Piada Italian Street Food is bringing its piadas, pastas and salads to Florida and its first location will be in the new Town Center Promenade.
The 30-acre Promenade of restaurants, retail stores, hotels and apartments is slated for development along Town Center Parkway opposite the St. Johns Town Center.

Piada describes itself as an upscale fast-casual Italian eatery. Chris Doody, co-founder in 1992 of the Bravo Brio Restaurant Group Inc., created Piada in 2010, several years after leaving Bravo Brio.

Full article: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=546952

[JaxJersey-licious]

Tom Mundy with The Shopping Center Group LLC said the Promenade would include a national grocery store, coffee chain, hamburger concept, Brazilian steakhouse, mattress store, dental practice, restaurant, fast-food site and the fast-casual Italian food concept.

Well here's hoping the new Brazilian Steakhouse will be Fogo De Chao as opposed to the slightly inferior Texas De Brasil (your steak can be made to order at Fogo).

[spuwho]

Tom Mundy with The Shopping Center Group LLC said the Promenade would include a national grocery store, coffee chain, hamburger concept, Brazilian steakhouse, mattress store, dental practice, restaurant, fast-food site and the fast-casual Italian food concept.

Well here's hoping the new Brazilian Steakhouse will be Fogo De Chao as opposed to the slightly inferior Texas De Brasil (your steak can be made to order at Fogo).

Just what we need....yet another Mattress (add logo here, Firm, One, etc.) and Aspen Dental!

Here is hoping the "fast food site" is Potbelly.  Is the "hamburger concept" Red Robin, Wahlburger or Shake Shack? I thought Red Robin was going in up the street, maybe this is one and the same.

I agree on Fogo De Chao.  Been to the one one in Chicago. Texas de Brazil is ok, I have been to the one in Dallas. I wasn't stunned or anything.

The only coffee chain beyond Starbucks that doesn't have a presence here is either Caribou or Seattle's Best.

Things I wouldn't mind seeing are, In and Out, Texas Roadhouse, White Castle, Claim Jumper, Giordano's.

Since Tiger Direct closed, we really, really need a computer/electronics store beyond Best Buy.  Micro Center would be perfect. They serve their audience well and don't use a lot of square footage to do it.

[thelakelander]

My guess is the hamburger chain is Red Robin. This is the same site that was mentioned in the Red Robin article a few months back.

[ProjectMaximus]

Since Tiger Direct closed, we really, really need a computer/electronics store beyond Best Buy. 

Do we really though? If so, Circuit City is making a comeback!

[spuwho]

Since Tiger Direct closed, we really, really need a computer/electronics store beyond Best Buy. 

Do we really though? If so, Circuit City is making a comeback!

I am not thinking of a store of the Best Buy/Circuit City mold.

Something more in line with Fry's Electronics but with a smaller footprint.

Best Buy is fine for most top level consumer gear, but MicroCenter deals in components. MicroCenter does have some overlap but they have more depth in selection.

Tiger Direct's retail at Town Center was making money, mostly on business sales but even the employees admitted it was poorly run out of Miami.

So I am thinking more in that line of retail, but is a better run outfit.

[jaxjags]

Claim Jumper amd McCormick and Smchmick's would be great addition to Jax, for chain type restaurant's. Good service and food. A lake view M&S would be great similar to the restaurant in Buckhead. I was lucky to eat at the original M&S and Jakes Grill in Portland back before they were purchased. Which brings up a point. Portland is one of my favorite cities. Actually similar to JAX. River (Willamette) through DT with many bridge crossings. The biggest difference is the number of residence DT. Interestingly most in low and mid rise building plus older neighborhoods north of DT. All very walkable. Nice "street car" circulator type system DT and a light rail, I believe, to the airport. Not sure if MJ has ever done a story on Portland Oregon but would be an interesting comparison.

[spuwho]

Portland is one of my favorite cities. Actually similar to JAX. River (Willamette) through DT with many bridge crossings. The biggest difference is the number of residence DT. Interestingly most in low and mid rise building plus older neighborhoods north of DT. All very walkable. Nice "street car" circulator type system DT and a light rail, I believe, to the airport. Not sure if MJ has ever done a story on Portland Oregon but would be an interesting comparison.

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2013-jul-elements-of-urbanism-portland

[ProjectMaximus]

Actually in addition to 2013 there was also a 2008 one:
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-apr-elements-of-urbanism-portland

Also some side stories like:
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2012-feb-portland-loo-success-where-others-have-failed

[thelakelander]

Red Robin and Aldi are the latest tenants to announce they are on their way to this new development:

http://jacksonville.com/business/2016-02-25/story/red-robin-plans-first-jacksonville-restaurant-joins-aldi-town-center