'River and Post' restaurant coming to JAX in summer of 2017

After receiving zoning approval from Jacksonville’s City Council last week to be designated a Planned Unit Development, the way is cleared for River & Post Restaurant and rooftop bar to join Jacksonville’s thriving culinary scene.  River & Post will be located in the newly renovated Summit Building at 1000 Riverside Avenue, on the corner of Post Street.  The focal point of the restaurant will be the sweeping views of Jacksonville’s skyline.

River & Post will actually be two distinct spaces, a full-service restaurant with high-end amenities, a chef’s table and banquet space on the first floor, and a rooftop concept that will include both indoor and outdoor seating.  The total square footage will amount to approximately 10,300, with about 3,000 of that footage being the ninth-floor rooftop space.  River & Post will have about 450 seats total, including a pet friendly outdoor patio with 48 seats on the first floor.  The Summit Building has nearly 200 parking spaces, a significant commodity in the Riverside area.  Plans call for more than 50 employees, and the hiring process will begin this summer.  The first-floor restaurant will be open for both lunch and dinner, with the rooftop opening for happy hour and dinner.

Managing Partner Jeff McCusker and investing partner Bob Fleckenstein have been working closely with city officials to navigate the zoning process, and signed the official construction contract March 27, 2017.  Though he’s a restaurant industry veteran in operations and management, River & Post will be the first restaurant in which McCusker has an ownership stake.  McCusker attended UNF where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management.  Bob Fleckenstein, his investing partner, opened Summit Contractors in 1989 and retired in 2014.

McCusker and Fleckenstein are wasting no time on their goal of opening in summer of 2017.  Construction has already begun, with new floor to ceiling glass windows installed on the first floor.  The current menu concept features seafood- and steak-focused Southern American cuisine.  The bar will feature craft cocktails as well as wine selections.  They will soon be hosting interviews for servers, managers, kitchen and bar staff.  River & Post already has its social media presence and website running.  Stay tuned for future progress.