Work continues on two restaurants in The HUB Brooklyn, a restaurant, office and event space at 400 Riverside Ave. in the Brooklyn area of Downtown Jacksonville.
The city issued three permits Jan. 27 for project contractor RPC General Contractors Inc. of Atlantic Beach to build-out spaces for the development.
• Alder & Oak restaurant, a 3,009-square-foot kiosk kitchen at a project cost of $472,000.
• Southern Grounds coffee shop, a 1,615-square-foot space at a project cost of $458,000.
• Alder & Oak, a 1,142-square-foot space at a project cost of $332,000.
Mark Janasik, owner of Southern Grounds, and Joe Cronk and Cliff Duch of Cronk Duch Architecture & Planning, are developing the project at Riverside Avenue and Forest Street.
They broke ground on the site Nov. 14, and expect to open it in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Janasik bought the 0.21-acre property in 2022 for $285,000.
The lot is across the street from FIS headquarters and the Morgan & Morgan law offices in the 501 Riverside Ave. building.
Southern Grounds, the Sky Bar and Alder & Oak will anchor The HUB.
The Sky Bar will serve craft cocktails and small plates. Alder & Oak will feature wood-fired entrees.
Cronk Duch Architecture will move its offices to The HUB.
The building is designed by Cronk Duch Architecture. CD+urban is the developer. Both are based in Jacksonville.
The city issued a permit Dec. 2 for RPC General Contractors Inc. to build the 1,142-square-foot shell building for the Alder & Oak restaurant at a contract cost of $510,000.
The city previously issued permits that include the 1,615-square-foot Southern Grounds shell building.
The HUB Brooklyn tenant improvements are under separate permits.
“This project embodies our commitment to quality and authenticity, uniting our community-first approach with sustainable practices and genuine hospitality,” Janasik said in a November news release.
“Our vision for The HUB has always been to create an inviting space where people from all walks of life can connect and experience the best of Jacksonville’s Brooklyn neighborhood, and we look forward to making this a reality.”
The HUB will feature patio and rooftop features. There will be more shaded outdoor dining options than traditional restaurants in the design for energy conservation concerns.
On Oct. 18, 2023, the Downtown Investment Authority approved two Basic Retail Enhancement Program Grants for the coffee shop and restaurant for a combined $150,350.
Each award is structured as a forgivable, no-interest grant that will amortize at the rate of 2.778% each month after closing for three years with the condition that Alder & Oak and Southern Grounds remain in business at the location for three years.