The Southbank is one step closer to getting a new place to linger over a glass of wine. The Huguenot, a wine, cheese and charcuterie bar, is moving toward construction in the redeveloped Reddi‑Arts building at 1039 Hendricks Avenue, where co‑owners Chad and Lauren Munsey plan to open an intimate neighborhood spot.
Permit review, contractor and job costs
City reviewers are examining a building permit that would allow interior build‑out for The Huguenot in Units 4‑5 of the project. Permitting documents list Silversun Properties and Services Inc. of Jacksonville as the contractor and describe a 2,100‑square‑foot interior tenant within a 7,105‑square‑foot shell, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record.
An online permit application shows an estimated job cost of $150,000, while a budget summary tied to the project lists roughly $336,767. Those figures can shift as the application moves through the review process. If the permit is approved, it would clear the way for tenant build‑out to begin.
DIA grant and build‑out terms
The Downtown Investment Authority has signed on as a financial backer, approving a $75,140 forgivable grant to The Huguenot through its Core Retail Enhancement Program, per the Downtown Investment Authority resolution. The award is structured to amortize about 33.33% per year over three years.
The same resolution lists the applicant's total build‑out estimate at $365,162, with $313,892 identified as eligible costs. It describes tenant improvements for roughly 2,400 square feet plus a 585‑square‑foot patio, and it lays out a performance schedule: build‑out must commence within three months and reach substantial completion within six months. The term sheet also details reporting obligations and other compliance requirements that come with taking the public money.
Owners and the concept
Chad and Lauren Munsey are listed as co‑owners of Salavino LLC doing business as The Huguenot. Munsey is a familiar name in Jacksonville dining, as a former co‑owner of The Grotto and the current operator of The Bearded Pig. In a February news release, he described The Huguenot concept as an intimate, European‑inspired wine, cheese and charcuterie bar and said he is aiming for a summer 2026 opening, while acknowledging that permitting could affect the timetable, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record.
The site and neighbors
The property that once housed Reddi‑Arts was sold to Kings Ave Properties LLC for about $2 million in April 2021, according to WJCT News. The Downtown Investment Authority's project information says the redevelopment subdivided the former art supply building into four retail bays and identifies The Huguenot as a roughly 2,400‑square‑foot tenant with a 585‑square‑foot patio. The rest of the structure is lined up for at least three other businesses, including a proposed 4,500‑square‑foot Tavola Trattoria, according to the Downtown Investment Authority project page.
The agency also highlights new pedestrian connectivity and casts the project as a small but notable piece of broader Southbank revitalization.
What’s next for The Huguenot
For now, the clock is ticking on reviews and deadlines. City staff are still going through the permit paperwork, and private plan review is being handled by AEC Integrated, so any required revisions could nudge the construction schedule.
The grant terms are clear. The resolution spells out the conditions for full loan forgiveness, including maintaining at least two full‑time employees and meeting the build‑out performance schedule, requirements the owners will have to satisfy to keep the public funding on their side, per the Downtown Investment Authority resolution.
