Building Up Jax: Reality star Sandy Yawn planning downtown restaurant, rooftop bar

CAPT. SANDY YAWN PLANNING DOWNTOWN RESTAURANT, BAR

Local fans of reality television personality Capt. Sandy Yawn received quite a pleasant surprise this week when she announced on Facebook that she has purchased property in downtown Jacksonville.

Yawn, who stars on Bravo’s “Below Deck Mediterranean,” purchased a historic firehouse building at 618 W. Adams Street, with plans to convert it into a restaurant with a rooftop bar and lounge. In a social media post, she referred to downtown Jax as a “superyacht destination,” sharing a photo of Shad Khan’s yacht, Kismet. She also explained that she is “personally invested” in the city through her sister, Michelle Dunham, who founded the Jacksonville School for Autism.

The two-story firehouse building was built in 1914 as a city firehouse serving the LaVilla neighborhood. It has sat vacant for well over a decade.

NOTED PROJECTS

• Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids received a permit for build-out at 1650 San Pablo Rd.
• UF Health received a permit for a $10.5 million addition to its existing central energy plant at 655 8^th St.
• Wingstop received a permit for build-out at 10400 San Jose Blvd.
• Edgewood Storage LLC received a permit for the construction of a new three-story self-storage facility at 3445 Plymouth St.
• Goodwill received a permit for construction at 1115 St. Johns Pkwy. in northern St. Johns County.
• Visit Jacksonville will lease an 8,990-square-foot space within the 100 North Laura building. The lease was brokered by NAI Hallmark.
• Canopy Road Café received a permit for build-out at 90 Shops Blvd. in northern St. Johns County.
• First Baptist Academy of Jacksonville received a permit for build-out at 2300 Bartram Rd.
• KB Homes submitted plans for Azalea Hills, a 93-home single-family subdivision off of Gillespie Ave. near Airport Center Dr.
• Bento Sushi received a permit for build-out at 50 Riverside Ave. within Brooklyn Place.
• Southern Impression Homes submitted plans for Marietta Estates, a 200-home subdivision with two one-acre parks off of Jackson Ave. near W. Beaver St. and I-295.
• The Sheik Sandwiches and Subs submitted plans for a new 3,000 sq. ft. building along US-1 near Lem Turner Rd. in Nassau County.