Changes announced at Unity Plaza’s HOBNOB

[thelakelander]

Unity Plaza has been slow in bringing restaurant traffic to Hobnob, so the owner has adjusted its regular hours and added new menu items.


Owner Ellen Cottrill said the restaurant will be open to guests Thursday through Sunday and will rent the main dining room and adjacent event space for private and corporate events Monday through Wednesday.

"We opened here because we were excited about the opportunity and how it was going to be a central place for the city in terms of entertainment and events," she said. "What we're finding is if we were in San Marco or Five Points it would be different, because there are people walking by, but here we're a destination and we're finding that people need to have a reason to come here."

Cottrill added, "It was promised to be the Central Park of Jacksonville and it's been a little slow in developing, so that's affected our business and that's why we're adjusting our hours."

Full article: http://jacksonville.com/business/food-and-dining/2017-06-28/changes-announced-unity-plaza-s-hobnob

[remc86007]

^ The Central Park of Jacksonville? Haha How could anybody that knew what was being built, think that? It's about as uninviting a place to go as there is in the city. I'd rather go to Hemming park any day over Unity Plaza.

[Noone]

The sacrificial suckers who have lost their private money investments.
WWTBGD

[Steve]

I feel for them, but the real crime was the "central park" of Jacksonville. Grass surrounding a retention pond and two six lane streets that were designed as surface highways?

Shocking it didn't work.

I don't really blame the restaurant people - they know food, not urban planning. How the rhetoric started and sustained on "central park" is unreal.

I do think that having a lower cost option in Spraga's space would be better. I like Hobnob, but I'm not going to spend that amount of money every night.

[remc86007]

^Don't forget the luxurious dirt parking lot that you get to park in...

I wish the wine prices were a little cheaper. I would go there for a glass of wine after dinner occasionally if they were.

[SuzySpringfield]

I keep hearing Unity Retention Pond being compared to Central Park. I get that this was probably in the promotional materials, but really?  Have these people ever been to or seen Central Park? Can they not google 'Central Park' and see that it's physically impossible and financially improbable? "Well, I was promised this empty lot was going to be the Taj Mahal of Jacksonville, but we're just not seeing it...YET."

[Noone]

^Don't forget the luxurious dirt parking lot that you get to park in...

The place was sold. Which triggered new parking issues. Maybe , Friedman, Bauerlein, or the 3 guys that we're at the Noticed meeting can explain the new parking options. WWTBGD

[Noone]

Was the place sold like Berkman Plaza, Plaza at Berkman?

[pierre]

Is anybody surprised? You can't even tell there is a restaurant there while you drive by at 45 MPH.

[Noone]

Was there 7/3/17 and noticed a new monument in the Public Park.

[mtraininjax]

Is anybody surprised? You can't even tell there is a restaurant there while you drive by at 45 MPH.

Who actually travels past 5 points on Park to get to Brooklyn. There is no need for a few restaurants and a fountain.

[jlmann]

I think the only people who bought that it was a good idea were the people who bought 220 from hallmark.  it seems to me it was developed as an amenity for the flip of the property to an investor as much as hallmark thinking it was a bang up idea

[FlaBoy]

They will hopefully long term see an uptick with more development there. That hotel would be clutch on Forest across the street from the plaza there. Of course Vista will bring a lot of people there as well. But Central Park? Really? lol

[JaxAvondale]

They will hopefully long term see an uptick with more development there. That hotel would be clutch on Forest across the street from the plaza there. Of course Vista will bring a lot of people there as well. But Central Park? Really? lol

A 90-100 room boutique hotel would do well in Brooklyn and would get a lot of business travelers during the week. Most of my vendors stay on the southbank when they visit. I'm sure the same thing happens with people who visit Black Knight, Everbank, BCBS, or any other Brooklyn based office.

[marcuscnelson]

They will hopefully long term see an uptick with more development there. That hotel would be clutch on Forest across the street from the plaza there. Of course Vista will bring a lot of people there as well. But Central Park? Really? lol

A 90-100 room boutique hotel would do well in Brooklyn and would get a lot of business travelers during the week. Most of my vendors stay on the southbank when they visit. I'm sure the same thing happens with people who visit Black Knight, Everbank, BCBS, or any other Brooklyn based office.

Why not do a hotel next to the YMCA on that land they're currently using as parking? Makes it close to the river, puts it right on Riverside Ave, while still being across the street from Unity?