Margaritaville Beach Hotel close to breaking ground in Jacksonville Beach

They still need to get some permits, but once that's out of the way the work will get started on a 201-room Margaritaville Beach Hotel in Jacksonville Beach.

Bill Mann with the City of Jacksonville Beach says the plans are going through a resubmittal review right now, but he doesn't foresee any problems with the project getting a building permit.

Once the final plans are cleared, Mann says the builders will also need to get a coastal permit. That permit will allow for the public seawalk to be extended a block so guests can walk straight from the hotel to the boardwalk.

Right now the lot is vacant between Sixth Avenue and Seventh Avenue on First Street, but when the hotel opens it will be anything but vacant.

The project's contractor is Earl Swinson Associates out of Nashville, and their website shows what the final product will look like.

The eight-story building will have a two-story LandShark restaurant, a coffee shop, space for retail stores and a pool with an outdoor deck. The hotel's U-shaped layout means the most rooms with beach views as possible.

According to Earl Swinson Associates, the designers worked with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission to ensure there will be well-lit pedestrian areas that will help conserve the sea turtle habitat in the area.

The artist rendering shows the second floor of the Landshark restaurant will have outdoor seating.

The rooms are different sizes, which means some have larger balconies than others. It will be just over 200,000 square feet, including a parking garage, according to the plans.