Plans for "Villages"-like community in Florida Panhandle

[quirky3]

Saw this yesterday - plans for a "Villages"-like community in the Florida panhandle covering 110,500 acres and up to 170,000 homes.

St. Joe planning Panhandle retirement community (http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=543082)

includes these statements:

“The project would take multiple decades to build out in full – vastly exceeding but firmly in the mold of The Villages (outside Ocala),” Puryear and Horne said.

With The Villages likely completing residential development sometime in 2017, it appears that St. Joe clearly aims to market this community as the new Florida retirement destination of choice for migrating baby boomers,” they said.

[gomoho]

Depending on the proximity to the Gulf this could be fabulous!!! To have everything The Villages' offers and the Gulf - no brainer.

[redwitch]

To have everything TV has and the gulf and its hurricanes, yup, no brainer for me. Glad I'm here.

[quirky3]

The article says the location is "north of Panama City Beach in Bay and Walton counties."

[NotGolfer]

Have you paid attention to the weather the panhandle gets?? More rain etc. than we get, colder temps, then there's the hurricanes etc. I think I like it where we are!! PLUS I'd bet it won't be "exactly" like what we have!

[billethkid]

Too far North:D

[mickey100]

Are the summer temps cooler up there? If so, that would be a plus.

[downeaster]

I am wondering if a large corporation can accomplish what a small family unit has done here in The Villages. St. Joe, a former paper company, has a lot of money and a vast amount of property. But does it have the vision and the ability to maintain that vision that Harold Schwartz had and his family still has?

I am reminded of the old adage "A camel is a horse designed by a committee".

St Joe is no stranger to property development but I think trying to duplicate what the Schwartz/Morse family has done and is still doing here could prove beyond their reach.

I agree with those that feel the Panhandle is not as desirable as Central Florida, beaches not withstanding.

[Mudder]

That project was to have started years ago, put on hold, maybe the time is right now.

[DigitalGranny]

To each, his own! We can't all live here. Just glad that I do!

[LndLocked]

why does it have to be a competition?!?!?!

[bluedog103]

That area gets much colder in the winter than central Florida where we are.

[gomoho]

why does it have to be a competition?!?!?!

Simply because for some reason people in The Villages needs to prove, time and time again - mine is bigger than yours. To each his own - celebrate diversity, don't be threatened by it. The Villages is a wonderful place for some - not so much for others. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the lifestyle could be offered in another place??? It's not a threat - it's an idea?!?!?!?!

[rubicon]

To have the Village's Lifestyle and the gulf is the complete package. The Panhandle is cold but then so is TV.

More important here is how this development will be financed and built.

Most of TV will be built out by the time this development begins.

[buggyone]

Quick! Put down a deposit on a homesite before the Stonecrest people find out about it!

[patfla06]

I remember you previously going on and on about Del Webb in
Ponte Vedra. Do you work for a development company?

If this community does begin development it will not be
anywhere near The Villages during most of our lifetimes!!

[mrfixit]

I remember you previously going on and on about Del Webb in
PONTE VEDRA. Do you work for a development company?

If this community does begin development it will not be
anywhere near The Villages during most of our lifetimes!!

....The lovely PONTE VEDRA, FL ......The TERMITE Capital of Florida..
.

[Bonanza]

Too far North:D

It's not too far north if you come from the North.
And remember -- still, no snow!

That location is already a winner.
It will be a terrific investment opportunity
for those who get in on the ground floor.

[Fourpar]

Lived in FT Walton and Destin for 18 years. The finest beaches in the country IMHO. But we got tired of evacuating for hurricanes, sometimes twice a year. Don't plan on doing so from here....

[chuck90199]

In the article is this quote, "in the mold of The Villages (outside Ocala)." Actually, since The Villages is twice the size of Ocala (population), it should read, "Ocala is right outside The Villages."

[janmcn]

Saw this yesterday - plans for a "Villages"-like community in the Florida panhandle covering 110,500 acres and up to 170,000 homes.

St. Joe planning Panhandle retirement community (http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=543082)

includes these statements:

“The project would take multiple decades to build out in full – vastly exceeding but firmly in the mold of The Villages (outside Ocala),” Puryear and Horne said.

With The Villages likely completing residential development sometime in 2017, it appears that St. Joe clearly aims to market this community as the new Florida retirement destination of choice for migrating baby boomers,” they said.


This project should be good news for the state of Florida, if and when it gets off the ground. It would also be good news for the hundreds of construction workers who will soon be losing their jobs in The Villages. They could have employment for the multiple decades it will take to complete this development.

[graciegirl]

Are the summer temps cooler up there? If so, that would be a plus.


Sounds wonderful Mickey!

[mickey100]

Simply because for some reason people in The Villages needs to prove, time and time again - mine is bigger than yours. To each his own - celebrate diversity, don't be threatened by it. The Villages is a wonderful place for some - not so much for others. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the lifestyle could be offered in another place??? It's not a threat - it's an idea?!?!?!?!


I agree. Have never been able to understand the mentality of some people.

[GeorgeMiller061]

I will certainly go see what they plan to do when it gets off the ground. One article said they have 700 million in cash.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Too far North:D

I agree. I'd love to see them build one in Key West. It's just too cold here in the winter.

[Bonanza]

I will certainly go see what they plan to do when it gets off the ground. One article said they have 700 million in cash.

When and if (you never know) it comes to fruition, there are no minuses -- only plusses,
no matter how you look at it . . . plusses for the developer, for new homeowners, for investors, for all the worker bees, small service
companies, the state -- the list goes on.

Negatives from the nay sayers are simply sour grapes!

[janmcn]

I will certainly go see what they plan to do when it gets off the ground. One article said they have 700 million in cash.

I agree. I'd love to see them build one in Key West. It's just too cold here in the winter.


A lot of people will probably be checking it out if St Joe's can provide the lifestyle at a more competitive price. They can learn a lot from mistakes that were made at The Villages. With 700 million seed money, they shouldn't have to rely on tax-free bonds for their financing. As I recall, St Joe's is the largest land-owner in Florida.

It will never happen in the Keys. Even if the land were available, it would be way too expensive.

[2BNTV]

Never duplicated, only imitated!!!! IMHO