The next phase of the San Marco Train Station development on Hendricks Avenue is getting underway.
With the new project called Union Hall, Jacksonville developer Ashco wants to bring "a sort of outdoor living room to San Marco,” said Tiffany Ash, Ashco’s vice president of leasing and real estate.
The adjacent first phase called the San Marco Train Station included the La Nopalera restaurant inside the former City of South Jacksonville waterworks and electric building that was built in 1930, next to the railroad tracks that run across Hendricks Avenue today.
Now Ashco has purchased two additional structures behind the La Nopalera.
“We have two buildings that we’re remodeling,” Ash added. A restaurant is planned for the 900-square-foot building while at least two different concepts are being considered for the larger 3,000-square-foot building.
“We have a national art gallery that’s looking at the space as well as a very large restaurant franchise,” Ash said.
This Google Street View shows the existing San Marco Train Station development as seen from Hendricks Avenue.
Art will play a large part in the next phase of development, as Ashco has been in talks with many designers and architects. One artistic concept that Ashco expects to bring to Jacksonville has been done in South America and Israel.
A conceptual video provided to WJCT News by Ashco illustrates floating umbrellas. The idea mimics 1,000 colorful umbrellas that float above Yoel Moshe Solomon Street in the historic Nachalat Shiva district of downtown Jerusalem.
Murals will also play a prominent role in the expansion.
“We have a mural competition that we’ve started and that mural competition will be local Jacksonville artists. We’re looking for approximately 100 artists to be a part of that competition,” said Ash.
The expansion will also include 60 additional parking spaces in an already existing lot next to the railroad tracks on Naldo Avenue.
The cost of the next phase of the development hasn’t been determined yet because the buildout will depend on the needs of the tenants who are ultimately selected.
Ash said Ashco expects to complete the expansion in the first quarter of 2019, meaning it could be open to the public by April 1.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
