At least two food tenants are coming to College Park, the rebranded Town & Country Shopping Center under redevelopment at northeast Arlington Expressway and University Boulevard in Arlington.
Permits are in review for Donatos Pizza and Conie’s Ice Cream side-by-side in spaces 937 and 935. Thomas Duke Architect is the architect for both.
Jacksonville-based JWB Real Estate Capital bought and is redeveloping the 70-year-old retail plaza.
“The neighborhood said they wanted more and better food options, and that has been our main focus,” said JWB Real Estate Capital President Alex Sifakis on July 5.
“Donatos and Conie’s are only the first couple.”
Sifakis said the group also has signed a local coffee shop but did not identify it.
Work continues on the center, including build-out for a Winn-Dixie grocery store. Dollar General, Advanced Auto Parts, dialysis center DaVita Inc. and Legacy Ministries are among the tenants leasing in College Park.
Sifakis said the Arlington Bait & Tackle shop lease was extended, and his group has a letter of intent from a national bank for an in-line space.
The College Park leasing brochure lists Donatos and Conie’s as tenants.
The Urban Division at Colliers commercial real estate represents the landlord in tenant leases. The Colliers team comprises Senior Vice President Matthew Clark and associates Sam Middlekauff and Olivia Steinemann.
Property records show Town & Country was built between 1953 and 1979. It comprises about 189,000 square feet of space.
The property is part of the Renew Arlington Community Redevelopment Area, which the city hopes to assist with rejuvenation.
Through 903 University Blvd LLC, Jacksonville-based JWB Real Estate Capital paid almost $5.1 million for the 18.27-acre property in August 2019.
JWB did not buy the McDonald’s or the gas station, which are separately owned.
Donatos and Conie’s
Permit applications show the city is reviewing an application for landlord improvement work for Donatos in 2,500 square feet at an estimated $150,000 at 937 University Blvd. N. The brochure shows 2,603 square feet of space.
DonatosPizzaFranchise.com says Ohio-based Donatos, with headquarters near Columbus, has more than 450 locations in 27 states.
It sells pizza, subs, calzones, wings, salads, appetizers, desserts and beverages. A signature item is its Edge to Edge topped thin crust pizzas,
The site says Donatos and its franchise partners operate more than 170 traditional restaurants in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Florida.
Its products also are served in more than 200 nontraditional locations through partnerships with Red Robin, sports and entertainment venues, and REEF Kitchens.
Its six Florida locations include two in Northeast Florida: Mandarin and Jacksonville Beach.
Donatos, founded in 1963, opened its first franchise location in 1991.
The application for Conie’s shows an estimated $120,000 build-out for 2,500 square feet at 935 University Blvd. N. The brochure lists 2,519 square feet.
Conie’s Ice Cream has a shop in Bartram Oaks Walk at Race Track Road and Florida 13 in Saint Johns.
It has more than 33 shake and sundae flavors.
It sells cones, dipped cones, sundaes, freezes, floats, slushes, shakes, waffle bowls, ice cream cookie sandwiches, cookies, and ice cream pies and cakes. It also sells seasonal treats and more.
Winn-Dixie progress
In preparation for a 2023 opening, the city issued a permit Dec. 19, 2022, for ShayCore LLC to renovate 43,615 square feet of space for Winn-Dixie at a project cost of $3.84 million.
Sifakis said July 5 that JWB expects to have all of the parking lot, landscaping and facade work done by October. He said Winn-Dixie would open within a few months after that.
Part of Jacksonville-based Southeastern Grocers, Winn-Dixie said previously the store will create more than 100 jobs.
Winn-Dixie will lease 48,738 square feet of space in College Park, where it opened a store in 1997 and closed it in 2006.
Meredith Hurley, director of public relations and community for Southeastern Grocers, said in April 2022 the supermarket will be similar to the layout of the company’s new and recently “refreshed” North Florida stores.
It also will have “customized details with the tastes and preferences of our Arlington neighbors in mind,” Hurley said.