Panera Bread is ready to build-out its new cafe in Baymeadows.
The city issued a permit March 14 for Enrichment Partners LLC to build-out the 3,645-square-foot cafe space at a cost of $750,000 at 9485 Baymeadows Road.
Build-out follows the permits seven months ago to demolish a closed Baymeadows restaurant and build a shell building for a new Panera cafe at a project cost topping $1.25 million.
The city issued permits Aug. 9 for Skyline Construction Inc. to demolish the closed 5th 4,561-square-foot 5th Element Indian Restaurant at the address and build a 3,831-square-foot shell building for a new Panera Bread.
Tenant build-out is separate. State Division of Hotels and Restaurants plans show 112 seats.
Plans show a patio and drive-thru in addition to interior dining.
The 1.36-acre site is on the north side of Baymeadows Road between Old Baymeadows Road and Baymeadows Circle East, west of Southside Boulevard.
The landowner is Realty Income Corp. of San Diego. GBT Realty Corp. of Brentwood, Tennessee, is the client.
MJM Architects inc. of Nashville is the architect. Goodson Bergen & Associates Consulting Engineers Inc. is the civil engineer.
Built in 1991, the existing restaurant was a former Applebee’s and more recently 5th Element Indian Restaurant.
Panera now leases a 4,360-square-foot space nearby at 9810 Baymeadows Road in Baymeadows Village.
There are at least 14 Panera Bread locations in Northeast Florida.
Panera has been opening stand-alone restaurants with drive-thrus as it leaves its in-line locations in strip shopping centers.
The 5th Element owners bought a closed St. Johns Town Center area property at 10208 Buckhead Branch Drive and relocated there.