| Just over a month after the First Street Grill's final | | | | position about the properties present and future |
| New Years Eve bash, another popular eatery on the | | | | status. A similar case was decided on January 9th, |
| Intracoastal Waterway closes its doors for the last | | | | allowing developer Scott Gay the go ahead for a 10 |
| time on February 3rd. The Lighthouse Grill, located at | | | | story condominium at 10th Ave and 1st Street. |
| the San Pablo River bridge on Beach Blvd. has been | | | | Several other property rights cases are currently |
| sold to Chase Properties, Inc., whose plan is to offer | | | | pending in the courts. |
| multifamily housing with Intracoastal access on the | | | | Arising from the dust of the First Street Grille will be |
| 2.4 acre waterfront site. | | | | the Acquilus III, a seven story oceanfront |
| The new development, called Lighthouse Point, will | | | | condominium. Underwood also owns the property |
| consist of 37 townhouses designed in a West Indies | | | | across the street on which the Dolphin Depot is |
| tradition, and will sell from $650,000 to 1.5 million. | | | | located. An old two story beach house that was |
| Residents will also have the opportunity to own a | | | | transformed into a restaurant, the Dolphin Depot is a |
| boat slip on the property. | | | | popular upscale dining establishment with a very |
| After denying a proposal to construct an 80' high, 94 | | | | creative menu. According to the same judge that |
| unit condominium on the property two years ago, | | | | ruled on the First Street Grille property, the rights for |
| the city of Jacksonville Beach approved this project | | | | this parcel are not vested. Nevertheless, one could |
| as the buildings fall under the cities 35 foot height | | | | safely assume that the Dolphin Depots days are also |
| limit, a restriction passed overwhelmingly by voters in | | | | numbered. |
| the 2004 election that has until now been seldom | | | | In early 2004, a proposal to develop Beach Marine, |
| enforced. | | | | the public marina across the street from the |
| The trend in Jacksonville Beach has been for | | | | Lighthouse Grill, into a 550 unit condominium resort |
| developers to buy up large parcels of land, tear down | | | | and private yacht club was soundly defeated by city |
| the existing structures, and put up 7 to 10 story | | | | council. As a result spawned the group Beaches |
| condominiums. As a result, many of the popular | | | | Watch, a collection of Jacksonville Beach citizens that |
| restaurants and night spots that helped define the | | | | began the citizen's initiative, a referendum requiring a |
| character of Jacksonville Beach have disappeared. | | | | city wide height limit of 35 feet on all new |
| The most recent casualty was the First Street Grille, | | | | construction. The city council proposed a similar |
| an oceanfront eatery and gathering place at 7th Ave. | | | | amendment, but would allow high rise construction on |
| North. First Street Grille closed on January 1st after | | | | the oceanfront only. In November, the citizens |
| hosting a huge new year's party attended by many | | | | initiative won by an overwhelming majority of over |
| local patrons of the establishment. First Street Grille | | | | 70%. |
| will be fondly remembered for its excellent Florida | | | | High rise construction and development in general has |
| cuisine, it's popular happy hours, and for the dancing | | | | by no means slowed in Jacksonville Beach since the |
| behind the dunes to the tunes of live oldies bands. | | | | vote. Seven to ten story condominiums are presently |
| A circuit judge ruled in October that the developer | | | | being erected from 3rd to 1st Streets as investors |
| who owned the property, Lee Underwood, had | | | | continue to win their vested property rights in the |
| vested rights in the parcel because his decision to | | | | courts. |
| purchase the land was based on the government's | | | | |