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St. Johns Town Center open

BosTech

By BosTech
in Jacksonville

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Captain Obvious Hamlet

Captain Obvious

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Posted

i was there this weekend, and thought the place was nice. if they had pretended to create some new urbanist town center, i might have been upset. however, as it is, they are mostly honest and treat it as just another mall/strip mall. but, of course , a nicer than usual strip mall. so i can deal with that.

one thing i noticed though ... there were no decent shade trees (nor trees that would grow into shade trees), and almost all the awnings were decorative, not functional. has simon lost it's mind?? during july it's 90 degrees outside, with a daily 3pm thunderstorm. it won't exactly be fun to walk around. i think simon will want to install some larger, connected awnings by sumertime. but hey, that's just me.

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vicupstate Metropolitan Area

vicupstate

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California cafe buys parcel at St. Johns Town Center

A California restaurant chain has bought a parcel of land at the St. Johns Town Center, according to city property records.

SWH Corp., the parent company of Mimi's Cafe, paid $1.13 million for the property, which it bought from St. Johns Town Center LLC.

Mimi's Cafe is a Tustin, Calif.-based chain of restaurants with four Florida locations. Officials with Mimi's, which was bought last year by Bob Evans Farms Inc., did not return phone calls seeking comment.

A spokesman for Simon Property Group was unaware of the deal, but said the developer prefers to lease space in its projects rather than sell land.

"Typically that's the pattern, that we own the ground and the retailers lease it from us," said Simon spokesman Les Morris.

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newzgrrl Unincorporated Area

newzgrrl

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Yeah, it is pretty nice for an outdoor shopping mall.  It looks like it will become a popular place when it opens this weekend.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I stopped by on the 18th to check out the Mac store and the rest of the mall. (Very surprised to see a line at the Mac store - I thought this town was PC only!)

It is a pretty mall but the whole time I thought I was in Orlando. It seemed like I was shopping on Main Street USA, the one in Disney World. It's nice to have some new fashion names but I'll stick to the affordable side beyond the parking lot (Ross, Old Navy).

Walking into the Sephora store I was amazed - so many women trying on so many cosmetics. Too bad I didn't have my camera. It was so... um.... suburban.

Overall I thought it was pretty. Another pretty mall where everyone is happy.

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Metro242 Unincorporated Area

Metro242

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I checked out the new mall the day that it opened and although I was really skeptical when I heard that it was going to be an open-air mall, I was shocked at how beautiful it was when I saw the finished product. It's all integrated so well, and the area between the four major restaurants and The Sharper Image is especially impressive. I was also reminded of Downtown Disney/Universal City Walk in Orlando when I walked the mall for the first time.

I was shocked at the size of the Dillards. It's getting to the point where you have to wonder how much of a presence Dillards really needs in Jacksonville, but maybe the Regency location won't be around much longer so who knows.

Great development, and I hear some kind of a similar outdoor lifestyle center is being added to the Avenues area, as well as some kind of a huge power center on the Northside, so all of these are going to make Jacksonville into a nice shopping destination.

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Urban_Legend Town

Urban_Legend

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Hey, Nbrockhouse, tell your dad to tell his company to build some awnings and arcades! lol I was really bothered by the lack of shade trees in the Maggiano's Park, and the lack of cover on the strip. And there weren't enough dedicated sidewalks in the Sahara parking lot. But with all of its design flaws I complain about, I'm still glad to see all this new retail in Jax.

And yes, that Dillards was rather large.

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95-Souf Whistle-Stop

95-Souf

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To think the whole time I thought they where building a mall... it turns out to be a strip mall. Its in a very convenient area, and looks great but if Jacksonville is trying to lore Nieman Marcus and Sax Fifth, its not happenin with a strip mall,..

But we still have old reliable Regency and Orange Park.....

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Urban_Legend Town

Urban_Legend

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Yeah, and I wouldn't label the Town Center as a "Strip Mall". True, some portions of the development are like a strip mall, but there are some areas that are more like a "Lifestyle Center" like Lakelander said. And there is a hotel and apartments coming soon, so it won't be just a retail spot.

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newzgrrl Unincorporated Area

newzgrrl

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I stopped by the new mall again today. It's funny, and yet so suburban (or maybe just American), that the place has three Starbucks: in Target, in Barnes & Noble and one freestanding shop.

There's one side strip, the one across from Barnes & Noble, that reminds me a lot of San Marco Square.

Although the place still reminds me of shopping at Disney World, I'm glad one of the stores had what I needed (a new bicycle bell).

Will post photos soon...

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newzgrrl Unincorporated Area

newzgrrl

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I haven't been back since opening weekend.  I really don't have a good reason to go since I'm not into shopping.  Anyway, I can't wait to see your pics.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not too much exciting in the photos. I couldn't find the books I wanted so I snapped quickly and left before the suburbia could get to me, lol.

This is the portion that reminds me of San Marco Square.

strip.gif

I don't understand why this structure is here. It doesn't provide shelter because there's nothing solid inside that iron. Even if there was, few people could fit in there. What does it do? What is it for?

shell.gif

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jjoshjl Whistle-Stop

jjoshjl

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Personly I think they should remove the parking spaces and street access for cars from the main shopping area. Possibly open it up so that it is a nice pedestrian road where you can have street carnivals and such. They have a great deal of parking all around the place, having parking within the core adds what 100 spaces? anyway, just a thought

Cheers

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bobliocatt City

bobliocatt

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I don't understand why this structure is here. It doesn't provide shelter because there's nothing solid inside that iron. Even if there was, few people could fit in there. What does it do? What is it for?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Its basically, just architectural artwork, placed there to make the center and its common areas more pleasing to the eye.

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merlin Whistle-Stop

merlin

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Personly I think they should remove the parking spaces and street access for cars from the main shopping area. Possibly open it up so that it is a nice pedestrian road where you can have street carnivals and such. They have a great deal of parking all around the place, having parking within the core adds what 100 spaces? anyway, just a thought

Cheers

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I completely agree. That could open up the opportunity to have some sort of stretched canvas ceiling (something like a Birdair structure, something with a bit of whimsy) that meanders it's way along the street to provide shelter for pedestrians as well as any events that coupld possibly take place there.

I have been there a couple of times and will try to avoid it during the summer months. Can you imagine, with the nice Florida heat radiating up from all of that concrete and no shade. At leas tthe outlet malls in St. Augusting have a covered pedestrian walkway.

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PERIDOT Unincorporated Area

PERIDOT

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I stopped by the new mall again today. It's funny, and yet so suburban (or maybe just American), that the place has three Starbucks: in Target, in Barnes & Noble and one freestanding shop.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It actually has only "1" REAL Starbucks. Target and Barnes & Noble are not actual Starbucks, but only serve Starbucks brand coffees, and therefore are unable to serve the complete Starbucks menu of items. My fav is the Caramel Macchiatto...yum!

I can totally see why this mall was positioned where it currently stands...pretty much a mid-point between The Avenues (which surprises me that the management hasn't cleaned it up with a new mall opening down the street) and Regency Square Mall...in the midst of many apartments and condos on the southside of Jacksonville, as well as the residential neighborhoods of Baymeadows and Deerwood...and is located within the major businesses that have been developed and positioned at Gate Parkway in the past 5-10 years.

These are the questions I have re: St. John's Town Center...

Why was it laid out in this manner? When I compare this development with a similar urban outside mall...for example Winter Park Village in the Winter Park/Orlando area...it doesn't compare. Quite frankly...it just doesn't "feel" good when you walk through it.

There are truly some great shops located at St. John's Town Center and ones that the Jacksonville area badly needed for those that like to shop (like me!)...the trees will mature, the landscaping will become full...but I don't get the reasoning behind the placement of the restaurants.

At St. John's Town Center PF Changs and The Cheesecake Factory are located in the dead front of the development. Each time I have visited this mall it's a nightmare to get through the main, front area, where folks are trying to get in to eat.

At Winter Park Village...for example...it seems that things were laid out in a better planning-type of manner...with PF Changs in the front, Ruth Chris' to the side, The Cheesecake Factory in the back, Brios is more centrally located and the sushi bar is in the back.

Shops of interest seem to be better spread out...your main "hot-spots" to shop, but at SJTC they seem to be pulled together. For example, I'm sure we'll all agree that women shop more than men. Why bunch all of the great ladies' shops into one area? Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Loft, Sergio Olsen, Brighton, Victoria's Secret...etc. By doing so...you're not encouraging your women shoppers to see the rest of the mall and the other stores that are offered. Plus, you're creating a parking problem in this area, which then becomes a nuisance and an annoyance to your female shopper.

The sidewalk does not continue around the building to Dillard's and you must walk into the parking lot in order to get from one area of the outside mall (Victoria's Secret end) to gain access to Dillard's.

I don't know...that's just what I've noticed when I've visited St. John's Town Center in the last few weeks...questions that I have when I go there. Just some thoughts and observations to share.

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bobliocatt City

bobliocatt

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Winter Park Village was developed by Casto Development. In addition to the site being small and compact, the center also includes renovated parts of the old Winter Park Mall. For example, the old Burdines store was turned into lofts.

One the other hand, St. Johns was developed by Ben Cater Properties, out of Atlanta, on a large cleared piece of property, in a suburban area of Jax. All of these factors, and more, probably played a role in the layout of both centers.

BTW, I don't know where Victoria's Secret is, but Dillards does have an entrance that faces the main shopping street.

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