The city issued a permit April 9 for the $2.4 million clearing, demolition and utilities to rehabilitate the first of the three office buildings that already is under renovation along the Arlington Expressway.
That six-story, 95,256-square-foot building at 7820 Arlington Expressway previously housed the FBI, which relocated to Gate Parkway in 2009.
Site work and utilities contractor W. Gardner LLC of Jacksonville is the contractor.
The overall contractor is Axios Construction Services LLC of Fern Park. Fisher Koppenhafer of Jacksonville is the architect.
The permit follows Jacksonville City Council legislation enacted March 25, 2025, to allow the transformation of the three closed buildings into an office-to-residential project and new multifamily construction on the 16.42-acre site.
Council approved two sets of companion ordinances to redevelop the site in the 7800 and 7900 blocks of the expressway, which includes the former FBI building, two vacant six-story Offshore Power Systems office buildings and the closed Jim’s Place bar and lounge.
Jim’s Place bar and lounge on the property is slated for demolition as part of the redevelopment.
A building permit application shows that Realco Recycling Co. of Jacksonville will demolish the 8,760-square-foot restaurant on 1.84 acres at 7900 Arlington Expressway at an estimated project cost of $2,400.
The property owner is listed as 8000-Amenity LLC in care of AXIA GeoCapital LLC of Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale.
Owner and operator Jim Jones III bought the property from TGI Fridays in 1991, later deeding it to himself and Keith Cornell Jones II.
They sold it Jan. 16, 2024, for $1 million to Arlington Florida LP, part of the larger campus ownership group.
Arlington Florida LP now owns the buildings at 7900, 7820 and 7960 Arlington Expressway. The Jim’s Place building is the smallest.
Plans call for the FBI and OPS buildings to be converted into apartments, with construction of four new six-story buildings.
According to city Planning and Development Department staff reports, the land that includes the FBI and OPS buildings would comprise six multifamily buildings totaling 659 multifamily units, plus an amenities area.
The restaurant property would be redeveloped with a seventh building along with a dog walk and pickleball courts.
During hearings before Council committees and the Jacksonville Planning Commission, the project drew praise as an infill development that would address an eyesore along the expressway.
The two former OPS structures are vandalized with graffiti and broken windows.
Property owner and developer Marc Kozman, through Arlington Florida LP, acquired the four properties in separate deeds totaling $8 million. Arlington Florida LP is affiliated with the 8000 Realco and 8000-1 limited liability companies.