Costco Wholesale Corp. took a big step toward opening a Southwest Jacksonville membership shopping club Thursday through an application to build the $11.7 million structure.
It will be the Issaquah, Wash.-based company’s second area membership store. The first is about 20 miles away, near St. Johns Town Center on the Southside.
A spokeswoman said by email late Thursday it is company policy to not comment regarding future Costco locations.
Building plans show Costco intends to develop an almost 155,000-square-foot wholesale club on nearly 44 acres at 7935 Parramore Road, just off Collins Road at Interstate 295.
A freestanding fuel facility also is part of the project.
No contractor was specified. Harmony Farms of Jacksonville LLC owns the property. MG2 Corp. of McLean, Va., is the architect.
The permit covers the warehouse and associated site improvements.
Plans show the main sales area as well as a pharmacy, hearing center, optical and photo center along with a bakery and other food sales. There also is space for tire installation and a separate 2,300 square feet for liquor sales.
Costco’s site area is 16.5 acres. Another almost 13 acres is for outparcels, almost 7 acres for storm water and 5.5 acres for Parramore Road right-of-way.
Costco operates 708 warehouses, including 496 in the United States and Puerto Rico.
It built its first Jacksonville store in 2000 on almost 14 acres at 4901 Gate Parkway, adjacent to The Markets at Town Center. That building is almost 153,000 square feet.
The Southwest Jacksonville project has been in discussion for at least two years.
When site plans were filed in May, District 14 City Council member Jim Love welcomed the news.
He said road improvements make the deal workable. The city, Jacksonville Transportation Authority and the developer are working toward improvement of Parramore Road to connect Youngerman Circle and Collins Road.
Love previously said Costco Wholesale would create 250 jobs.
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