A New York-style and Sicilian pizza spot is about to become the final piece of Vista Brooklyn's retail puzzle. Brooklyn Pizza Bar is opening a 1,714-square-foot location inside Unit 1 of the 10-story tower at 200 Riverside Ave., a build-out that carries a $100,000 project cost, according to a permit issued by the City of Jacksonville allowing contractor Premier American Construction Inc., based in Middleburg, to complete the work.
The pizza bar's arrival brings Vista Brooklyn's 12,685-square-foot ground-floor retail footprint to full occupancy, a milestone Jacksonville Daily Record reports was first flagged by commercial real estate firm NAI Hallmark in March, when the firm announced that Brooklyn Pizza Bar and stretch therapy clinic The Vital Stretch were both expected to open at the property in 2026. NAI Hallmark serves as both property manager and leasing agent for the building, and Austin Kay, the firm's vice president of retail sales, represented the landlord in the deal.
Brooklyn Pizza Bar will join a retail roster that already includes Degree Wellness, The Greenhouse Bar and NAI Hallmark's own offices, all occupying ground-floor commercial space at Vista Brooklyn. The restaurant's original Jacksonville location has operated for years in the Shoppes at Bartram Park at 13820 Old St. Augustine Road, serving South Jacksonville's Bartram Park submarket under the corporate licensee name Russo's Pizza Inc.
The Vital Stretch Build-Out
The pizza bar isn't the only tenant finishing construction at the property. The Vital Stretch, a mobility and stretch therapy clinic, is building out 1,205 square feet in Unit 7 under a July 27 permit, allowing Jacksonville-based contractor Skyline Construction Inc. to complete a $225,000 build-out — more than double the cost of the pizza bar's space despite occupying less square footage. The Vital Stretch will round out a retail lineup at 200 Riverside Ave. that also includes Brooklyn Pizza Bar, Degree Wellness, The Greenhouse Bar and NAI Hallmark.
Inside the 308-Unit Riverside Tower
Vista Brooklyn is a 10-story development with 308 luxury apartment units sitting on 1.71 acres near Riverside Avenue and Jackson Street, offering views of the St. Johns River and downtown Jacksonville. The tower was built in 2021, and its ground-floor retail space totals 12,685 square feet. Amenities inside include a 10th-floor rooftop infinity pool, a rooftop beer garden with an outdoor kitchen, an elevated dog park, a spin suite and co-working space, according to Multi-Housing News.
The site's history stretches back further than the tower itself. Developers Bristol Development Group and Hallmark Partners acquired the 1.71-acre property in October 2015 for $2.1 million, then secured a $52.5 million construction mortgage in 2018 before construction on the 10-story tower began that same year, per WJCT News 89.9. In December 2021, Richmond, Virginia-based Capital Square purchased the completed property for $126.3 million from its original developers, setting a Jacksonville record of $410,064 per apartment unit, according to the City of Jacksonville Downtown Investment Authority.
A Corridor Built for Foot Traffic
Vista Brooklyn's location was never accidental. The tower sits directly adjacent to Brooklyn Station on Riverside — a shopping center anchored by The Fresh Market, according to Capital Square. Leasing data published by NAI Hallmark shows Riverside Avenue through the Brooklyn district carries roughly 27,000 vehicles daily and sits within 1.5 miles of 60,000 employees, metrics the firm has pointed to as key drivers behind the corridor's retail demand.
That demand is compounding as the surrounding district fills in with new residents. In October 2025, WJXT News4JAX described the nearby $250 million One Riverside mixed-use development, built at the former Florida Times-Union site, as among projects starting to flourish in Jacksonville. It is part of a broader wave of investment remaking the once industrial riverfront corridor.
