Retail expansion and updates continue at Sawgrass Village

Phase two to be complete in time for The Players

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Ponte Vedra residents have already been enjoying the continued updates to Sawgrass Village, but developers hope to put the finishing touches on much of the property in time for the 2016 Players Championship.

The shopping center was planned and designed by Jacksonville-based planning, architecture and landscape architecture firm ELM. The firm announced early this month that Sawgrass Village is in its final stages, and is expected to wrap up the majority of improvements in time to host visitors to The Players golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass in early May.

“Carrying this project from its initial concept through all phases of design and construction has really allowed our planners, architects and designers to successfully tie in each component that makes Sawgrass Village a unique destination,” said Russell Ervin, ELM principal and lead designer on the project.

Phase two of Sawgrass Village’s redevelopment began construction in early 2015 with the demolition of several office buildings and site work enhancements on Village Main Street. The demolition of the office buildings and the lakefront shops made way for a new lakefront restaurant, recently announced as Nona Blue Modern Tavern, and new retail buildings.

The new Aqua Grill and retail “Building E” were both completed in the fall of 2015. Aqua Grill, a 5,000-square-foot lakefront restaurant, opened in its new location in October, the same month that interior tenant buildouts began in Building E.

Pineapple Post became the first tenant open for business in Building E and was joined in early 2016 by J. Turner & Company, a locally owned furniture and home accessories boutique located on the corner of the Village Main Street building across from Caffé Andiamo. Another 12,000 square feet of tenant construction is presently underway.

The project team expects construction to be complete by summer of 2016 on the more than 25,000 combined square feet of retail space in the two final retail buildings, as well as Nona Blue Modern Tavern situated across Front Street from these buildings. Nona Blue, the second modern tavern location founded by PGA Tour golfer Graeme McDowell, is expected to be open for business in time for The Players.

Sawgrass Village will also offer a “village green,” or open park space built into the heart of the project adjacent to Nona Blue and the lakefront facing Florida State Road A1A.

“This village green is positioned in the center of Sawgrass Village, providing an important gathering space,” said Steve Lovett, ELM principal. “We expect all of Ponte Vedra Beach to adopt this space and anticipate that it will become a popular venue complementing the overall redevelopment.”

Four other businesses will also soon join the property: John Craig Clothier, Pure Barre, Scout & Molly’s Boutique and Metro Diner.

Sawgrass Village will be the eighth location for Winter Park-based men’s clothier John Craig.

“We couldn’t be more excited to expand our presence in the Jacksonville area,” said company owner Craig DeLongy. “We’ve already created great relationships within the Ponte Vedra community, as well as teaming up with local charities and publications.”

The new Pure Barre location joins other franchise locations including Riverside, San Marco, Tapestry Park and Jacksonville Beach. The studio will offer workout classes set to music with a proprietary barre technique, offering low-impact exercise.

Scout and Molly’s Boutique is a franchise women’s clothier with locations spanning the East Coast, including a local boutique in San Marco.

The new Metro Diner location will bring the First Coast total up to eight eateries, with locations in San Marco, Mandarin, Southside, Jacksonville Beach, Ortega, Orange Park and St. Augustine. The locally-based Metro Diner serves Southern-style breakfast, brunch and lunch options daily.