Building Up Jax: Old Independent Life building to become apartments, grocery store

OLD INDEPENDENT LIFE BUILDING TO BE REDEVELOPED

Another long-vacant downtown building is headed toward revitalization.

Augustine Development Group has purchased the former Independent Life and JEA building at 233 W. Duval St., and t plans to redevelop the property into 16 stories of apartment units, a ground-floor grocery store, a top-floor restaurant, and a rooftop bar and lounge.

The newly-purchased building is near the historic Ambassador Hotel building, which is also being redeveloped by the company.

Work on the building, which housed Independent Life and JEA before each moved on to newer headquarters buildings, could begin as soon as the first half of next year.

CRACKER BARREL BUYS MAPLE STREET BISCUIT CO.

No, that headline is not a typo.

Tennessee-based Cracker Barrel Old Country Store has purchased the locally-based Maple Street Biscuit Company chain for $36 million.

Maple Street Biscuit Company, founded in Jax in 2012, has 33 locations across the Southeast.

VESTCOR TO BUILD SCHOOL IN MIXON TOWN

Vestcor Family Foundation received a permit for the construction of Jacksonville Classical Academy, a new $14 million charter school to be built on a former waste management site at 2043 Forest St.

The property, which sits within what’s referred to as Mixon Town just north of Brooklyn, was formerly deemed contaminated and underwent cleanup efforts prior to construction.

NOTED PROJECTS

• Noire The Nail Bar received a permit for build-out at 4549 Southside Blvd.
• Evens Dental received a permit for construction of a new dental office at 14595 Philips Hwy.
• Torrid received a permit for build-out at 13221 City Station Dr. within River City Marketplace.
• Intuition Ale Works received a permit for its expansion into an adjoining unit at 929 E. Bay St.
• Several permits were issued for renovations within the Cathedral Townhouse apartment building at 501 N. Ocean St.
• Cannabis dispensary MUV has opened its second area location at 1198 Beach Blvd. in Jax Beach.
• Lovesac received a permit for build-out at 4828 River City Dr. within St. Johns Town Center.