Daily Record Financial News &
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Vol. 103, No. 107 • One Section
35¢ www.jaxdailyrecord.com
June start for $26M HarborChase
Vestcor Communities expects to break ground in June on the $26 million HarborChase of Mandarin, designed as a 114-unit independent, assisted living and memory care community. Holly Hepler, marketing manager of The Vestcor Companies, said Jacksonville-based Vestcor will partner with Harbor Retirement Associates for the development. Vero Beach-based Harbor Retirement Associates is a regional senior living development and management company that focuses primarily on assisted living and memory care communities,
including HarborChase of Jacksonville along San Pablo Road. HarborChase of Mandarin is planned on 4.1 acres at 12276 San Jose Blvd. It will comprise 116 beds among 94 independent and assisted-living apartments and 20 memorycare units. Rents will be market rate, but have not been finalized. Hepler said the three-story,
126,000-square-foot project, to be built by Summit Contracting Group, should be completed in August 2017. She said the one- and twobedroom apartments will include utilities, Internet service, housekeeping, laundry service and routine maintenance. Services also include full-service dining by an executive chef and 24-hour access to a licensed nurse and health monitoring by a professional staff. In addition, residents can access a fitness and wellness center, a small movie theater for Mathis continued on Page A-2
Rendering from The Vestcor Companies
Vestcor developing assisted living community
The 114-unit HarborChase should be completed in August 2017 in Mandarin.
Tent over Metro Park stage may come down
A different kind of B&B There’s a new B&B under construction Downtown along Forsyth Street. It’s not a bed-and-breakfast, it’s a bakery and barbecue restaurant. Work is underway at 331 W. Forsyth St., a two-story structure that opened in 1941 as the offices of the Tucker Bros. mortgage and real estate company. The building later housed Café 331 and most recently, Sweet Lady Blue nightclub. It was purchased in a foreclosure auction in July 2014 by Tom Thornton Jr., who is replacing virtually everything from the roof to the basement. He plans to open a combination bakery and barbecue restaurant. There’s a reason for the uncommon combination. “Barbecue is one of my favorite foods and there’s no barbecue Downtown,” said Thornton. “And I like doughnuts.” The $350,000 build-out of “The Bank BBQ and Bakery” will include new heating and air-conditioning, restrooms and a 50-seat dining room. Work is scheduled to be complete for a grand opening in June. The location — near Downtown office towers, the Duval County Courthouse and Bryan Simpson U.S. Courthouse — also should draw customers from Brooklyn, Riverside and San Marco, said Thornton. The Bank will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and he plans to hire two local barbecue experts with more than 40 years’ experience combined. That gives Thornton confidence he’ll have at least one satisfied customer. “One of the pitmasters is coming out of my favorite barbecue joint, so at least I know I’ll like it,” he said.
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Barbecue is one of my favorite foods and there’s no barbecue Downtown. And I like doughnuts.
legal notices begin on page
By David Chapman Staff Writer
Tom Thornton Jr. On his new restaurant’s offerings
The interior of the building has been entirely demolished. A commercial kitchen, restrooms and a 50-seat dining room is scheduled to be complete by July. The former Tucker Bros. Building and First Federal Savings Bank at 331 W. Forsyth St. is being renovated for a bakery and barbecue restaurant.
mmarbut@jaxdailyrecord.com @DRMaxDowntown (904) 356-2466
Public
Inspection showed structure is unsafe
Photos by Max Marbut
By Max Marbut Staff Writer
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Bakery, BBQ restaurant opening in Downtown
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After more than three decades along the St. Johns River, the well-known— and well-worn — tent of Metropolitan Park could be coming down. Mayor Lenny Curry’s administration will make that recommendation to City Council in the coming weeks. Inspections showed the tent could no long be used or repaired, according to Curry spokeswoman Marsha Oliver. There are no immediate plans for replacement, she said. Metropolitan Park’s canopied stage has been shut down since November after an initial report from an outside firm said the structure was “not safe to occupy and must be brought down.” Additional city tests concurred. The decision to shutter that part of the park caused promoters of The Big Ticket concert event in December to build a temporary stage. Legislation is being introduced today to City Council to reimburse the group about $96,000. Mike Yokan, one of the concert’s promoters, said Monday he thought the reimbursements were fair but conservative. Probably 20 percent more was incurred to move the concert from the originally planned staging area to the fire museum field in the park, he said. Yokan said he wasn’t in favor of the tent coming down with no commitment for a replacement. “I think Metropolitan Park is an incredibly valuable and unique asset to the city that continues to be so,” he said, later adding, “I would be disappointed if it goes the way of the dodo birds.” For concerts like The Big Ticket and upcoming Welcome to Rockville, Yokan said roughly 20-30 acres plus parking for 7,000 vehicles is needed. Rockville is scheduled for April 30-May 1 and another Big Ticket is slated for Metro Park continued on Page A-3
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