A new restaurant concept featuring a train exhibit, market, and craft distillery and brewery, is getting ready to take the next step to open in St. Augustine at 115 La Quinta Place.
Ryan Dettra, the co-owner of Ice Plant Bar, proposed a new restaurant concept to the city’s Planning and Zoning Board earlier this month and is scheduled to present again at Tuesday’s meeting, according to Jacksonville Business Journal. If approved, the restaurateur will relocate a steam locomotive and Pullman rail car, the latter to be transformed into a high-end restaurant. Plans show the existing buildings would be preserved by renovated. The concept would honor the history of Henry Flagler’s East Coast Railroad.
“I feel like this is a story that should be told over and over again when people come to St. Augustine,” Dettra said at the meeting, saying the project “celebrates St. Augustine as the birthplace of leisure travel in Florida.”
While the ambitious development shows great interest in the area’s rich history, ownership must overcome a handful of hurdles before moving forward. One of the biggest challenges would be parking, with an unofficial plan to lease some off-site spots. While the space has been home to several commercial purposes over the years, including Ryde & Readi Farm Market, they’ve all faced issues like providing on-site parking, fire and safety requirements, building code requirements, and stormwater management.
“These are the obstacles that prove difficult for redevelopment of this property but are also required of any proposed development or redevelopment,” according to the report. “These are not new regulations by any means, and most certainly not unique to this property, but developers are aware of what is required and have shown a willingness to try to meet these standards with their end goal of redeveloping and preserving the structures on-site. There are still many other requirements that must be met before this redevelopment plan may take place, such as approval for demolition of structures 50 years and older, a complete review of the archeological importance of the site, and a coordinated plan in addressing mobility and its impact on the surrounding area.”
