Bartaco is cleared for a $1.03 million renovation of the former Black Sheep Restaurant space on the ground floor and rooftop at the four-story 1534 Oak St. building in Riverside.
The city issued a permit July 26 for Trinity Building and Construction Management Corp. of Wilmington, Massachusetts, to make interior renovations and minor demolition and exterior alterations for a full-service restaurant.
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation says the 190-seat restaurant will comprise almost 9,000 square feet.
There are bars, kitchens and dining areas on both floors, including patio dining.
The permit and plans show work in 5,300 to almost 7,000 square feet.
Plans show RDstudio Inc. of Port Chester, New York, is the architect.
Bartaco has posted management openings for the Jacksonville restaurant for general manager, sous chef and service leader-restaurant manager.
The Colliers commercial real estate firm announced the opening in March in an Instagram post.
“In anticipation for Taco Tuesday - Bar Taco is set to make its debut in the iconic Black Sheep Building nestled within the vibrant hub of 5 Points. Renowned for its fusion of upscale street-style cuisine and a refreshing coastal ambiance, Bar Taco promises a dining experience like no other. Drawing inspiration from the laid-back beach cultures of Brazil, Uruguay, and Southern California, every aspect of Bar Taco embodies a sense of leisure and indulgence,” the post said.
It said the restaurant will use the entire restaurant space, which is about 5,500 square feet on the ground floor and 3,017 square feet on the rooftop terrace.
No opening date was announced.
Bartaco.com shows a menu that includes housemade guacamole and salsas, soups and salads, street corn, 14 taco choices, a roasted half-chicken, lobster ceviche, rice bowls and desserts. There also is a children's menu.
It offers a margarita selection, other beverages and nonalcoholic cocktails.
Black Sheep Restaurant closed in May after post-pandemic costs made the business model unprofitable, owner Jonathan Insetta told the Daily Record in 2023. It opened in 2012.
The Colliers firm represented the property owner, Margaret and Oak Street LLC, led by Insetta, in the lease negotiations. Origin Realty Advisors, of Westport, Connecticut, represented bartaco.
Matthew Clark, senior vice president at Colliers, said Colliers contacted bartaco in April before Black Sheep Restaurant closed.
The restaurant is corporately owned and will be remodeled to reflect the interior of the other bartaco restaurants, Clark said.
Bartaco started in 2010 Port Chester, New York. It is based in Arlington, Virginia.
“We knew that they had been looking around in Jacksonville. We reached out to them. They fell in love with the rooftop,” Clark said.
There are 32 bartaco locations in 13 states and the District of Columbia. There are five in Florida and four in Georgia, according to its website.
The Florida locations are Aventura, Coconut Grove, Orlando, Tampa and Wynwood. The Georgia locations are in Atlanta.
Kitchen hours in Orlando are 11 a.m. to “late” daily. It is a cashless restaurant, accepting credit or debit cards only.