The city issued a permit Feb. 7 for Panda Express Chinese Kitchen to renovate the space in the Brooklyn area of Downtown vacated in May 2024 by Bento Asian Kitchen & Sushi.
QDI Construction Inc. of Tampa is the construction manager for the $950,000 project for the 2,000-square-foot tenant build-out at 50 Riverside Ave., Unit 701, in Brooklyn Place.
Plans indicate 62 indoor seats and none outside.
The space is in a three-tenant building also leased by Chop Barbershop and Chipotle.
The Ferber Co. of Ponte Vedra Beach is the landlord.
Rosemead, California-based Panda Restaurant Group is the parent company of Panda Express, a family-owned Asian dining concept.
Throughout Northeast Florida, Panda Express has at least 15 locations, including at the University of North Florida and at Naval Air Station Jacksonville and Naval Station Mayport.