Drive-Thru Coffee Shop and Café Proposed For Riverside

Mark Rubin of AccuBuild is the owner and developer of the 2502 and 2510 Oak Street properties. Accubuild as been developing real estate projects in Jacksonville since 1994, and before that in Miami. Rubin offers his thoughts on the project:

In the last few years, we have changed our focus and our passion from designing and building projects filled with more profitable national tenants, like Ruth Chris’, Panera, Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks to ones that are more local friendly. This comes from a reflection upon what we have done best and a realization that more is not always better. While we are in business for a profit, that does not mean that we need to take every last chip off the table to cram as much onto a postage stamp as can possibility fit. Everything that has our fingerprints on it must be an improvement to the community by contributing to a good thing or fulfilling a need that does not yet exist. Good examples of our work can be seen in the Blind Rabbit (owned, designed and developed), Black Sheep Building (designed and changed zoning), Matthew’s Restaurant & Building (owned, designed and developed) and many other urban infill projects in historic areas like Riverside and San Marco. We have great expectations for the Oak Street project and the attached renderings of the 2510 building shed a glimmer of what we have planned. This rendering has already been unanimously approved by the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission. We have many more exciting projects planned for the future but our immediate focus is on Oak Street. We sincerely hope that our neighbors will get behind us as we do all we can to make our community a better place to live.

Mark Rubin, Accubuild

Matthews Restaurant is housed within this San Marco, which is owned and developed by Accubuild

The restoration of San Marco Preservation Hall was a construction project of Accubuild

A building on King Street that is owned and developed by Accubuild. Current tenants include the Blind Rabbit Burger & Whiskey Bar and Bella Sera/Catering by Liz

Riverside Avondale Preservation Inc. (RAP) is a private, non-profit membership organization whose mission is to enhance and preserve the architecture, history, cultural heritage and economic viability of the historic neighborhoods of Riverside and Avondale. RAP weighs in on nearly all zoning requests within the Riverside Avondale Historic District. RAP’s chairperson for zoning-related issues, Nancy Powell, offers RAP’s position on the redevelopment proposal:

RAP welcomes redevelopment of these two buildings RAP has had discussions with Mr. Rubin and we welcome redevelopment on that property. We are fine with two small restaurants, appropriately zoned in the CN district, which we understand includes a corner coffee shop and a sandwich shop. We are okay with the exception for beer and wine (however we are not clear on the hours yet.) We believe the facades will be attractive once renovated and that is a positive for the neighborhood. With some key changes, we could get very excited about this development. Yes to a Walkup Window, No to a Drive Thru As you are aware, one of the hallmarks of our historic district (and other urban areas) is on walkability and pedestrian friendly streets. We hear this over and over again that this is a primary factor that brings people to the neighborhood. Drive Thrus, on the other hand, are the epitomy of suburban culture which encourages people to stay inside cars, interrupting walkability by interfering with sidewalks and adding to traffic by stacking cars in line and often into the streets. As a result, we have expressed our support for a “walk up window” but we are not in support of the drive thru feature. We know that this particular coffee chain has built restaurants with and without a drive thru, so we welcome the version without the drive thru. Outdoor seating should be visible from the street RAP suggested to Mr. Rubin to move the outside sales and service for both restaurants to the space in between the buildings just inside the sidewalk along Oak Street. (There would be more room without the drive thru lanes.) This is again street friendly and a better solution to seating behind a building and next to residential property. (We believe he could use the backyard space for some employee parking.) The proposed sidewalk cafe seating is not allowed in this location, and we believe it is probably too narrow anyway to provide the seating he is proposing without encroaching on the sidewalk and walking traffic. Make street safety a priority by removing the ROW parking on Stockton and changing to angled parking on Oak. The proposed ROW parking on Stockton street is especially problematic with people backing out given the proximity to the hospital with the emergency route, and the intersection so close. ROW parking needs to commence 25 feet from the intersection, at the very least. On Oak Street angled parking (or parallel) is more appropriate and should not be too close to the intersection. It is unfortunate to take out green ROW for parking, and while we realize it is allowed, this again favors intensity and parking over having good streetscapes. Don’t skimp on landscaping The reason we have the landscaping codes is so parking lots and on street parking will not be barren and ugly. If never enforced, that’s what we will get as there is always a desire to push the intensity to the max. Green space enhances the attractiveness and livability of the neighborhood. In this case it means at a minimum 5’ perimeter landscaping for the on-site parking along both streets, along the side and back of the lot. For any approved on street parking, it means a tree island every three spaces. This will, of course, add value not just to the neighborhood but to the businesses themselves.

Nancy Powell, RAP Zoning Chair

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