Retired former Landstar CEO James Gattoni is steering his next act toward the beaches, developing a restaurant and recreation complex at 2989 Mayport Road in Mayport with a target opening in spring 2027. The project centers on a full-service restaurant paired with outdoor amenities, a family-friendly gathering spot Gattoni says he envisions for the waterfront neighborhood. The plan brings a high-profile local investor into a part of town that has already seen steady interest from hospitality and leisure projects.
Plans on Paper: Courts, Cabana and an Event Stage
A city permit application details a 5,877-square-foot single-story restaurant over a concrete podium alongside a 540-square-foot pavilion, a 686-square-foot golf-simulator building, eight pickleball courts and a 2,000-square-foot turf area with an event stage, according to Jax Daily Record. The construction costs tied to those documents are pegged at about $3.59 million, with Bent Construction LLC listed as the contractor and Ervin Lovett Miller serving as architect and landscape architect. Gattoni told the paper he is targeting a spring 2027 opening and added that, in his view, we want to be a restaurant and community space first, and pickleball will be second.
Site, Sale Price and Acreage
The roughly 2.15-acre parcel, just north of Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park and west of Anchor Academy, changed hands in November 2024 for about $1.28 million, according to a Colliers commercial listing for the property. The lot’s frontage on Mayport Road and CCG-2 zoning have attracted developer interest before, and brokers said the site’s location near the Naval Station Mayport gate adds to its appeal. Colliers’ listing also confirms the prior marketing materials and the November 2024 sale date tied to the parcel.
From Trucking Executive to Local Restaurateur
Gattoni led Jacksonville-based Landstar as president and CEO from 2014 until he stepped down in early 2024 after a long tenure with the company, a Landstar press release notes. The company announced Frank Lonegro as Gattoni’s successor in late 2023, and Gattoni officially transitioned out of day-to-day leadership in 2024 before turning to private ventures such as the Mayport project. The move marks a shift for Gattoni from corporate logistics into hospitality and community-focused development.
Neighborhood History and Prior Waivers
The parcel has already drawn public attention. In October 2024 the Jacksonville Planning Commission approved a waiver to allow alcohol sales at a proposed pickleball facility on the site, a decision that drew opposition from Duval County Public Schools because the property borders Anchor Academy Elementary School, as reported by Jax Daily Record in 2024. Neighbors and school representatives previously raised questions about buffers and the proximity of commercial uses to campus grounds, and that history suggests local review and community conversations will continue as plans advance.
What’s Next
Gattoni has indicated he scrapped plans for a private, members-only club and left court fees undecided, with early play potentially offered free to build a local following. The project still needs standard city permitting, site work and construction before the spring 2027 goal can be met, and neighbors can expect public notices or hearings as the design and permitting process moves forward. For now, the site at 2989 Mayport Road is among the more closely watched small-scale developments on Jacksonville’s Atlantic coast because of its mix of restaurant and recreation uses.
