Jacksonville an d NORTHEAST FLORIDA
Renovation projects are bringing new life to historic buildings that have long been shuttered,
including a high-end restaurant and a mixed-used development in the heart of downtown.
The Laura Street Trio
W hile the river grabs your attention immediately, transformational
projects are also underway a few blocks
W ith all of the
large-scale
projects on the horizon,
the opening of
a single downtown
restaurant may not
seem like a big deal.
But the opening of
the Cowford Chophouse
in 2017 generated
a lot of buzz.
inland in downtown Jacksonville.
Cowford Chophouse
Owner Jacques Klempf opened the restaurant in the historic
Bostwick Building, a Jacksonville landmark opened in
1902 that was one of the first buildings constructed after the
Great Fire of 1901 decimated the city.
The restaurant’s name pays homage to the city’s history, as
Cowford was the original name of the village before it was
renamed Jacksonville in 1822.
The Bostwick Building had fallen into disrepair before
Klempf bought it in 2014 and began restoring it to preserve its
history, while also creating a new downtown dining spot.
With the help of agencies including the city’s Historic
6 JACKSONVILLE AND NORTHEAST FLORIDA SPONSORED SECTION
The Laura Street Trio consists
of three buildings all more than
100 years old that are being
redeveloped along with a 91-yearold,
18-story building that once
served as the headquarters for
Barnett Bank.
Work has already begun on the
Barnett Bank Building, which will
be renovated for office space and
apartments. The Trio buildings
will be redeveloped into a hotel,
restaurants and offices.
The $78 million project
is a partnership between a
local company, Southeast
Development, and the Las Vegasbased
Molasky Group.
Southeast Development principal Steve Atkins expects
the redevelopment of the historic, but long-vacant, space
will reinvigorate the neighborhood.
“This will create a 24-hour node of activity right in the
heart of downtown,” he says.
Preservation Trust Fund, restoration work of the building
included historic arched windows, exterior bricks, metal
cornice, and 300-year-old heart of pine lumber.
“He was willing to move forward and spend enormous
amounts of money,” says Jerry Mallot, president of
JAXUSA Partnership.
The Laura Street Trio
Barnett Bank Building
Cowford Chophouse in the
historic Bostwick Building
The renovated interior
includes three levels of
dining and a rooftop bar.
ANTHONY NEWKIRK (BOTTOM LEFT); BOB SELF / FLORIDA TIMES-UNION (BOTTOM RIGHT)