Building Up Jax, 1/7: Amazon confirms second center in Jax

2016 was a busy year for development news in Jacksonville.

It brought the groundbreaking on our future IKEA, as well as a new Topgolf location, new St. Johns Town Center additions, big business investments, and much more.

In 2017, the city will look to build off the momentum of the previous year as previously-announced projects continue to finish up.

So far, the year begins on a positive note: Amazon’s second fulfillment center, previously all-but-confirmed, has now been confirmed.

Amazon doubles down on Jax

Amazon.com confirmed this week that it will be bringing a second fulfillment center to Jacksonville.

This second center will add 1,200 local jobs. In total, Amazon will bring 2,700 jobs to Jacksonville, and will invest over $300 million in the city through development of its fulfillment centers.

The second center isn’t really news, per se – it was announced as Project Velo last year, and was widely assumed to be a second Amazon center. This week’s announcement confirms the earlier suspicions.

The center will be located at 13333 103^rd St.

Both this center and the previously-confirmed Pecan Park Rd. center are expected to open by the end of 2017.

Noted projects

Zoe’s Kitchen will replace the former Cabana Grill at 10422 San Jose Blvd., next to Chick-fil-A.
The new owner of Whiteway Deli is applying for a zoning exception to allow the restaurant to sell alcohol, and also plans to expand the restaurant’s hours to allow for dinner service. (Fun fact: Whiteway Deli was founded in 1927, at which point the sale of alcohol was still illegal due to Prohibition.)
Permits were issued for the previously-announced community pharmacy concept from Walgreens in Springfield at 1801 N. Main St.
An apartment complex is planned for a lot on Bishopgate Lane, according to Jacksonville Business Journal. The land is in the Brooklyn/Riverside area and is located right along the river.