Riverfront Restaurant, Shops planned next to Fernandina Beach City Marina

By Mike Lednovich/Editor

A long-vacant riverfront parcel on North Front Street — once targeted by the city for public acquisition as part of a waterfront park and flood-protection effort — is being redeveloped into a marina-centered commercial complex featuring a restaurant, retail shops, and boating facilities under a proposal heading to Fernandina Beach’s Technical Review Committee this week.

The proposal, submitted by Osteen Company LLP, seeks early city technical guidance on a project known as Riverside, a water-dependent commercial development that would include marina docks, a restaurant, specialty shops, and retail shops, totaling approximately 28,000 square feet of development according to application materials and schematic plans submitted to the city.

City staff are scheduled to review the project Thursday as part of a first step review by the Technical Review Committee (TRC), an advisory process intended to identify zoning, environmental, infrastructure, and design issues before a formal development application is filed.

According to the project description and supporting materials filed with the city, the Riverside concept includes:

• A water-dependent marina along the Amelia River

• Dock facilities associated with marina use

• Restaurant spaces oriented toward the riverfront

• Seven retail and specialty shop space within the development footprint

• Commercial buildings collectively totaling approximately 28,000 square feet

• Vehicular access from Front Street, which is city-maintained

No residential units are proposed as part of the project, and the application identifies the development as strictly commercial in nature.

The 0.88-acre property is zoned Industrial Waterfront (IW), carries a future land use designation of Industrial Waterfront, and lies within the city’s Community Redevelopment Area,

The site fronts directly on the Amelia River, is located in a VE flood zone, and includes wetlands, all of which will factor into future permitting and design requirements.

The applicant’s representative is Ron Flick, acting on behalf of Osteen Company LLP under a notarized owner authorization signed by property owners Richard S. Simmons and Pamela O. Simmons, according to the submitted documents.

Initial drawings were submitted by Studio Z Architecture of Charlotte, N.C. which did previous design work for Flick's company The Compass Group, according to the company's website.

The proposed riverfront restaurant will fill a void with the planned demolition of Brett's Waterway Cafe at the city marina which ended its lease with the city and closed last year. Brett's is scheduled to be demolished later this year. Plans submitted to the TRC show a second story bar overlooking the river.

Click to enlarge the drawing.

The Riverside proposal follows a multi-year effort by the city to acquire the same riverfront parcel for public purposes.

In 2019, the Fernandina Beach City Commission authorized actions described at the time as the first step toward eminent domain, with city officials citing plans for a public waterfront park facility, flood-mitigation needs, and constraints along the Front Street corridor related to roadway and sidewalk improvements near the railroad.

City officials disclosed during public meetings that a written purchase offer of $850,000 had been made to the property owners and expired without a counteroffer. The city ultimately voluntarily dismissed the eminent domain action in 2021 and later approved a settlement resolving attorney-fee litigation connected to the case.

During those discussions, commissioners described the property as a strategic “linchpin” for public access, green space, parking, and long-term waterfront resilience.

Historical deed records show the site is part of Fernandina Beach’s original water lots, established in the 19th century to support maritime commerce. A 1984 warranty deed includes detailed language governing dock access, bulkheads, and waterfront walkways—provisions reflecting the site’s long-standing water-dependent character.

Nassau County records place the parcel’s 2025 market value at approximately $1.25 million, despite the absence of improvements.

Thursday’s TRC meeting will not result in project approval. first step reviews are intended to flag technical and regulatory issues such as floodplain compliance, stormwater management, access, utilities, and consistency with the city’s Land Development Code.

Any formal proposal for the Riverside project would return for additional review and could ultimately require public hearings before the Planning Advisory Board and City Commission.

The Technical Review Committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday at City Hall, 204 Ash Street.