The owners of Durbin Park plan a second phase to create a center of activity for jobs, shopping, entertainment and housing in northern St. Johns County, as well as a site for Flagler Health+.
The property is part of the 1,600-acre Durbin Park development that began with The Pavilion at Durbin Park retail center.
For the second phase, Durbin Creek National LLC, led by Jacksonville-based Gate Petroleum Co., wants to rezone 1,287 acres from open rural to planned unit development on both sides of Interstate 95, from St. Johns Parkway almost to U.S. 1.
About 903 acres are west of I-95 with 384 acres to the east.
Durbin Creek National filed a rezoning application with St. Johns County.
Durbin Park Phase 2 proposes an urban village comprising:
The project overview says the urban village concept is different from a traditional suburban shopping center and will bring an “interactive gathering place” for residents.
Design elements include a strong pedestrian orientation, civic and cultural elements, street trees and extensive open space.
The site plan indicates a spine road running north and south through the western portion connecting Florida 9B to Race Track Road.
The hospital is designated to the south and east of the spine road.
Flagler Health+ announced June 24 that it entered into an agreement with Gate Lands, the real estate subsidiary of Gate Petroleum Co., to buy 40 acres in Durbin Park.
The three-phase medical project will start with the Flagler Health+ Village to offer family practice, women’s care, pediatrics, urgent care, imaging and laboratory services.
“It will further diversify that commercial development area and bring more health services to the county,” said Melissa Glasgow, director of economic development in St. Johns County.
Glasgow said the medical market “has been fiercely competitive with investment made by Baptist, Memorial and Flagler Health+ wanting to get into the northern part of the county to service our growing population.”
St. Johns County’s population grew by 4.2 percent in 2018, twice the national, state and regional average, she said.
“Growth is expected to continue at a similar pace over the next several years, so commercial developers see this as the right time to invest in St. Johns County,” Glasgow said.
The application states that the development will generate jobs for the county and provide “much-needed market rate rental units” while generating tax and other revenue for the county.
The application shows the largest impact from 2020-24, with Flagler Health+, 125 hotel rooms, 812 multifamily units, more than 800,000 square feet of office space and more than 900,000 square feet of commercial and retail space.
Development is planned in five-year phases through 2044, each with required roadway improvements.
Durbin National has a 2015 development agreement that was amended in 2017. It plans another amendment to reduce office space to add more multifamily units and the hospital.
Gate is a partner with Gatlin Development Co. in The Pavilion at Durbin Park. Gate spokeswoman Misty Skipper said the company intends to partner with Gatlin on the commercial development in the next phase.
