As potential buyers are increasingly searching for convenience and walkable, active lifestyles, GreenPointe Holdings decided to add a division specifically to design and plan community amenities.
GreenPointe chose Mike Taylor in August to lead the new division as president of lifestyle construction. He had been with the company since 2017 as a regional president.
He oversees design and construction of amenities in all GreenPointe communities.
“It’s understanding what the land and the community have to offer and enhancing it,” he said.
“When you look at amenities, what are the programs that are needed for it to meet those demographics, then you challenge architects to take your vision and put it on paper.”
TrailMark, a GreenPointe master-planned community in St. Johns County, has amenities that reflect the land around it and what residents want to see, Taylor said.
The goal was to allow residents to be surrounded by nature, and that is reflected in the amenities and design of the community.
Taylor said a main aspect of that was preserving large trees throughout the 1,300-acre development, adding nature trails and putting a kayak launch at Six Mile Creek for residents.
Pocket parks throughout the neighborhoods give residents a place to gather along the trails.
The kayak launch is a selling point for buyers, Taylor said.
Pathways connect the neighborhoods. Paved, natural, shell rock and water trails total 10 miles in the community.
Future phases will bring the total to 23 miles.
Amenities include a resort-style pool with plans for a second, a play field, sport courts, clubhouse, dog park and fitness center.
Taylor said each amenity space is being used often.
Another part of his role is hiring lifestyle coordinators to program spaces and host events for residents.
That includes concerts, races and family fun events.
“While you can create nice facilities which will be the heartbeat of the community, it’s how you activate the communities and how you purpose each space,” Taylor said.
With the population influx into Florida, Taylor said new residents are coming to master-planned communities like TrailMark and seeking convenient living near shopping, schools and jobs.
Following the pandemic, more people are looking for places to be outside near their homes, he said.
“What I’m seeing is people are looking for facilities and they’re looking for a sense of place where they can raise their family and feel like they’re connected,” Taylor said.
“In this particular community, TrailMark, we’re trying to connect people to nature as well.”