JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - CuisineWire -- Chef Tom Gray has announced his newest concept, Electric Dough Pizza Co.™, which will be located in the historic San Marco Theatre building at 1996 San Marco Boulevard. Transition of the lease, originally held by restaurateur Al Mansur, was finalized in January.

Electric Dough Pizza Co. will be the counterpart to Gray's two full-service restaurants, Prati Italia™ which opened in 2020 at the Markets at Town Center, and Town Hall™ which debuted in 2017, just a few storefronts from the San Marco Theatre location. The San Marco Theatre was built in 1938 and was designed by architect Roy Benjamin. TSG Realty, the owner of the building, has initiated interior and infrastructure renovations with a commitment to maintaining the historic facade. Custom interior design planning for Electric Dough Pizza Co. is underway, and the restaurant is targeted to open by the fourth quarter of 2024.

Recalling that he and his wife enjoyed countless date nights at the San Marco Theatre and that their son celebrated several birthdays by seeing movies such as Star Wars on the big screen with his friends, Gray understands the importance of ensuring the building remains accessible to the community.

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"This location has been a neighborhood cornerstone visually and historically for nearly 90 years. I am thrilled to be able to make it come alive once again to welcome locals and visitors alike," said Gray. "San Marco is my home, and we are inspired by the opportunity to preserve the soul of the building and breathe new life into the interior with stylistic touches that mesh our concept with the beauty and presence of the theatre."

For the new restaurant, the stars of the show will be Gray's rectangular artisan pizzas featuring a Roman-style dough with Detroit-style crispy, cheesy edges. This particular pizza has grown in popularity not only at Prati Italia, but also at local retailers where they are sold, such as Native Sun in Jacksonville Beach. The name Electric Dough references the Italian-imported electric oven that the pizzas are baked in and the handmade, long-fermented dough, which produces a craveable, crunchy crust and has toppings that cover the pizza from corner to corner.

The restaurant will focus on high quality "better for you" ingredients that leave guests satisfied but not stuffed. Guests will also enjoy seasonally-inspired fresh salads and a rotating selection of gelato and sorbets with flavors such as Salted Caramel, Italian Espresso and Limoncello. Beverages will include a full bar, domestic and imported beer, and wine, along with craft sodas and zero-proof offerings.