Oct
 
5

Much Needed Commercial Development Coming to St. Johns County

Posted by: Sherry Davidson in Business Spotlight, News
 

If you live in Northeast Florida there is no doubt you’ve heard of all the wonderful, thriving neighborhood communities in St. Johns County, but if you’ve driven around the area, you’ve likely noticed a need for commercial property. Like most developments, residential precedes commercial growth, and St. Johns County is ready to flourish with new businesses. “St. Johns County is a fantastic place for businesses to call home. Not only is the residential population continuously growing, but the location is conveniently situated between Jacksonville and St. Augustine. With so many new developments coming soon to the area, the opportunities are really exciting,” shares Davidson Realty President, Sherry Davidson. We’re rounding up just a few of the exciting additions coming to St. Johns County. 

World Commerce Center

At the intersection of Interstate 95 and International Golf Parkway, you’ll find World Commerce Center, a 996-acre property with approvals in place for residential, office, medical, retail, warehouse, and hotel developments. The popular “attraction” Buc-cee’s has already called World Commerce Center home since February 2021. Businesses, including GreenWise Market, 7-Eleven, and Panera Bread, are coming soon to the new development. 

Grand Cypress

In late May 2021, Gatlin Development Co. Inc. purchased the land at 6256 and 6322 Race Track Road, the site of a former racetrack and poker room that closed in 2021, from Bayard Raceways Inc for more than $16.5 million. The site sits at southwest U.S. 1 and Race Track Road. Gatlin Development plans to build a $250 million mixed-use development called Grand Cypress. The more than one hundred acre property will include a grocery store-anchored shopping center, retail, restaurant space, 588-unit luxury multifamily community, and a 256-unit upscale boutique multifamily complex. The commercial space tenants will be announced soon.

Greenbriar Helow

Another massive development likely coming soon to northwest St. Johns County is Greenbriar Helow. Landowner, Joseph Helow, of Helow Properties Ltd., hopes to rezone the property from open rural land to a planned unit development. Located off Greenbriar Road, Longleaf Pine Parkway, and Veterans Parkway, this new development could include single-family, multifamily, and senior housing, natural preservation land, retail uses, and offices. If the rezoning is approved, the development would allow for up to 3,500 single-family homes and more than 2.5 million square feet of non-residential development. 

Development in St. Johns County is showing no signs of slowing down. With an attractive location and a rapidly growing residential community, these new developments are sure to provide some much-needed commercial property to the area.

 
 

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Sep
 
2

New Office Park Addition Coming Soon to World Golf Village

Posted by: Sherry Davidson in Business Spotlight, News
 

With its close proximity to both St. Augustine and Jacksonville, World Golf Village is a highly desired and attractive area. Over the past twenty-five years, the community surrounding World Golf Village has rapidly grown with further real estate development. The new WGV Office Park will be a welcomed addition to the area and provide businesses the opportunity to own prime office space. 

The new WGV Office Park site is located at the entrance to The King & Bear Community at the corner of Pacetti Road and Registry Boulevard. “What makes the site perfect for this project is that it is centrally located for all the current and future development in the World Golf Village area,” shares Sam Davidson, Realtor® at Davidson Realty and Vice President of Special Operations for Davidson Development. “The new office park is conveniently located at a signalized intersection and has the added benefit of being adjacent to all the new retail development at the Publix anchored Shoppes at Murabella. The WGV Office Park is also  right across the street from the new Flagler Center so it will be incredibly convenient for medical users.”

With such a perfect location, it is clear that the WGV Office Park is a wonderful investment for business owners especially as this area continues to grow. “The WGV Office Park will allow business owners that have been forced to rent due to the lack of office space in our area the opportunity to own and build equity,” shares Davidson. “With spaces starting at 1,120 square feet and the ability to purchase multiple spaces and combine them, it will allow both investors and companies to tailor their purchases to their budget.”

The project, with five buildings totaling 44,000 square feet, is expected to break ground in November 2021 and is scheduled to be completed in the Spring of 2022. “This project is an exciting opportunity. World Golf Village and all of St. Johns County will experience an incredible amount of growth in the coming years. With attractive communities like SilverLeaf, Trailmark, and Adler Creek adding more homes to the area, larger retailers will come to the area,” continues Davidson. 

If you are interested in owning an office condo in the new WGV Office Park, contact Sam Davidson at (904) 502-2397 or jsdavidson@davidsonrealtyinc.com or Tim Nemethy at (904) 553-6194 or tnemethy@davidsonrealtyinc.com

 
 

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Oct
 
3

It’s that time again! Let’s celebrate St. Augustine’s favorite little pepper

Posted by: Cathy Eng in Local Activities, Local Events, News
 

How is the Datil pepper like St. Augustine? We are both fairly small and delectably sweet with lots of spicy flavor, and we share a rich First Coast history! 

To celebrate this very special little pepper, the UF/IFAS Extension St. Johns County Agricultural Center will host the 12th Annual Datil Pepper Festival this weekend, October 5-6. The event is free for all and parking is free as well.

The festival’s main attraction is the Datil Pepper Cook-Off between local restaurants. Pay just $1 and you can sample each restaurant’s Datil pepper dishes, and then vote for your favorite dish from each category. Awards will be given to restaurants for “People’s Choice” as well as overall winner based on professional judges.

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Aug
 
29

How St. Johns County is working to make your kids safer at school

Posted by: Cathy Eng in Community Involvement, Local Activities, News, Schools
 

Being the No. 1 school district in the state means more and more families are moving to the area to take advantage of the outstanding schools. Compared to last year’s first day of school, this year’s first day saw a 6% increase in students county-wide, or 2,240 additional kids.

With this big increase, officials are working hard to maintain our outstanding reputation for academic excellence—and safety.

More associate teachers have been needed to meet the demand and stay compliant with maximum classroom capacities (18 kids for K-3, 22 kids for 4-8, and 25 for high schoolers). In fact, even after the start of the school year on August 12, the county still has job openings for teachers, paraprofessionals, custodians and food service workers.

Beyond the increased needs for staff and faculty, new measures are being taken to ensure schools remain safe from potential threats. Terrible tragedies, like the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, have had a major impact on how all schools approach their own security.

Here are a few changes the district is making to keep your kids safe:

— New surveillance system:A new security surveillance system called Omnicast is being rolled out, which allows the Sheriff’s office to view school camera feeds from a single location. According to the school district’s CIO Bruce Patrou, “A number of schools are now online. We expect to have all of the remaining cameras online over the next two to three months.”

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Jul
 
18

New World Golf Village YMCA offers something for everyone

Posted by: Cathy Eng in Community Involvement, Local Activities, Local Events, News, WGV Events
 

As the state’s healthiest county, St. Johns County provides residents with plenty of opportunities for recreation, access to healthful foods and medical care, and poverty-fighting initiatives.

And now, residents in World Golf Village have one more healthy option with a brand new YMCA! Located at the Flagler Health+ Village in MuraBella, the facility opened on July 2 to meet the growing demand in our community for more athletic and fitness facilities for all ages and ability levels.

The new YMCA includes a large area with cardio machines (treadmills, ellipticals, stair climbers, cycles and rowing machines) and weight training equipment and machines. Two spacious rooms host all kinds of group classes including Zumba, yoga and wide-ranging cardio classes. A large cycling studio is also available with ongoing classes.

The family-focused facility boasts a KidZone and Teen Center, in addition to hosting summer camps and youth sports leagues.

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May
 
22

EAT MORE CHIPS: The History of Potatoes in St. Johns County

Posted by: Rick Pariani in Community Involvement, Nature, News
 

Did you know that St. Johns County farmers are Florida’s most productive potato growers? In fact, St. Johns County is the #7 producer of potatoes in the nation. St. Johns County potatoes have anchored products by Frito-Lay, Cape Cod, Kettle, Snyder’s and others. Do you know how potatoes took root in the County?

Henry Morrison Flagler, with an eight grade public school education, founded Standard Oil. Along with his business partner, John D. Rockefeller, he built the company into the richest, biggest business in the world. At its height, the company controlled 90% of the world’s oil refining. The New York World paper reported that Standard Oil was “the most cruel, impudent, pitiless and grasping monopoly that ever fastened upon a country.” By 1911, the Supreme Court of the United States had successfully broken Standard Oil’s monopoly into 34 new companies.

At the peak of his business, Flagler brought his wife, Mary Harkness, to Jacksonville for convalescence. She died shortly afterwards in 1881 and Flagler married her caregiver, Ida Alice Shourds two years later (incidentally, Ida Alice was later declared insane in 1896, enabling Flagler to marry once again to Mary Lily Kenan). The newlyweds honeymooned in St. Augustine, sparking an entirely new business tack – one that made the name “Flagler” synonymous with old Florida.

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Apr
 
24

PROMISE IS IN THE AIR

Posted by: Rick Pariani in Community Involvement, News
 

Thanks to Mr. Ogden Nash: “Spring has sprung, the grass has riz, I wonder where the boidie is”. You can add, come out yourself, and see how ‘tiz.

No doubt, our region is on the move. We continue to experience and learn about “coming attractions”, regards expansion and development. New businesses, superb services, innovative dining, superlative schools, and imaginative entertainment venues continue to blossom. Unique communities and neighborhoods are underway, offering an array of housing options coupled with life style choices to suit a wide variety of residents.

There is also a federal, state and municipal fortune being invested in our mobility system to interconnect with the billion-dollar, private infrastructure investments being made by the region’s real-estate development sector. Major roadway projects are underway which will provide multiple, safer, easier and quicker connections.

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Feb
 
28

The sweetest celebration on the First Coast is coming this weekend!

Posted by: Cathy Eng in Local Activities, Local Events, News, WGV Events
 

The 26th annual Chocolate & Beyond celebration is coming to First Coast Technical College this Saturday, March 2, from 2 to 4 p.m. Visitors will be treated to samples of locally made chocolates, desserts and other sweets from some of our area’s finest restaurants and specialty shops.

Guests will have the chance to participate in a raffle, “Guess the Number of Chocolates” contest and silent auction. The auction will include hotel and restaurant gift certificates, sports memorabilia and admission tickets for local attractions and events.

Event proceeds benefit the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of St. Johns County. Its primary focus is on recruiting, training and placing senior volunteers, which number nearly 150, into St. Johns County schools to mentor and tutor students in reading and math. The volunteers also assist in the Head Start preschool reading program.

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Nov
 
29

Here is what’s coming to the Pavilion at Durbin Park

Posted by: Cathy Eng in Business Spotlight, Local Events, Neighborhoods, News
 

By next spring, northern St. Johns County residents will enjoy the benefits of close-by amenities just like our Jacksonville neighbors. With the development of the Pavilion at Durbin Park, World Golf Village and other northern SJC residents will have easy access to popular shops, restaurants and entertainment.

 

Tucked between Race Track Road and the new 9B connector, the town center is comprised of multiple phases and will cover 1,600 acres. Many of the Phase 1 businesses are expected to open by spring 2019. In fact, the new Walmart is already open.

Thanks to 9B’s completion and the new CR 2209 roadway construction through Silverleaf (connecting CR 210 to SR 16), getting to Durbin Park will soon be easier for World Golf Village residents.

Once completed, Durbin Park will feature the largest shopping center in Northeast Florida. In addition to stores and restaurants, development is planned for hotels, office space and multifamily residential units. Durbin Park will also boast greenspace and bike trails.

Here is a full list of the businesses coming to Durbin Park:

Asian Fusion

AT&T Wireless

Baptist Health

Bass Pro Shop (phase 2)
Burlington
Care Spot
Chase Bank
Cinemark Durbin Park (12-screen movie theater)

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Oct
 
4

St. Augustine heats up for Datil Pepper Festival October 6-7

Posted by: Cathy Eng in Local Activities, Local Events, News
 

Did you know the datil pepper is the official plant of St. Johns County (or that we have an official plant)?  That’s right, our official plant is the datil (up to 300,000 on the Scoville scale, on par with the orange habanero in terms of heat).

 

In fact, St. Augustine is the world’s top producer of the datil pepper. To celebrate, the city is hosting its 11th Annual Datil Pepper Festival this weekend at the UF/IFAS Extension St. Johns County Agricultural Center (3125 Agricultural Center Drive).

 

The Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission and parking are FREE!

 

Attendees will enjoy a wide variety of vendors, a food court, rain barrels for sale, and the popular Master Gardener plant sale. Tours of the arboretum and community gardens will be led by UF Master Gardeners throughout the weekend.

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