by Michele Gillis, Staff Writer
The excitement could not be contained by Nocatee resident, Heather Douglas, as she explained how Nocatee's amenities were the main selling point for her family.
"We weren't even going to move here, we were going to move to Avondale," said Douglas, who has lived in Coastal Oaks for two years. "But when we visited Nocatee and went on the multi-purpose trails it was the most amazing experience. It was beautiful and I knew my son would be raised in this nature natural environment.
"It's the best thing living in the suburbs. I am literally 20 minutes from everything and I have the best of both worlds. You see the stars at night. You can sit outside and hear nature. That's what sold me on moving here. I know monetarily I made a very smart investment."
Not only is she a resident, she also works there two days a week as a Welcome Center ambassador.
"I came into the Welcome Center one day and told them that I was not looking for a job, but if I could tell people about Nocatee, that's what I love to do anyway," said Douglas.
Nocatee's amenities were opened in 2010 and that's when sales really started to take off.
"Since opening the amenities in 2010, sales have almost doubled," said David Ray, the development's community manager. "In 2012, Nocatee was the 10th fastest selling community in the country."
Matt Wilkinson of Re/Max Unlimited was a site agent in Coastal Oaks in 2009 and said the amenities made a huge difference in helping him sell in Nocatee.
"In 2009, The Splash Water Park was a construction zone and was not safe for touring," said Wilkinson. "We used artist renderings to show what was coming. Buyer confidence was not what it is today, so it was a real challenge.
"Once the Splash Water Park was complete, it we were no longer selling a promise. We could tour the facility and show the wow, the lifestyle and have instant gratification. Sales have had double digit increases every year since. It reminded me of the line from the movie Field of Dreams: 'If you build it, they will come.' And they did."
Nocatee has three types of amenities — infrastructure amenities, natural amenities and events/activities — for the over 4,000 residents.
They include the $20 million Splash Water Park which includes two five-story high-speed water slides, a lazy river, lagoon pools and a zipline.
"One of the nicest features of going under contract with a builder at Nocatee is that the buyers get an instant membership in the Splash Water Park, rather than having to wait until their home is finished and they are occupying it," said Clare Berry of Berry and Co. "This membership includes the amazing pool and lazy river, as well as the fitness center and social activities. My customers who are building love that aspect, since it will give them an opportunity to get to know their neighbors well before they take occupancy."
There is also Crosswater Hall, a banquet facility, a welcome center and a fitness club.
The natural amenities include community parks, several dog parks, ball fields, Greenway Trails and more.
East West Partners started the amenity hype many years ago at Eagle Harbor but Nocatee is trying to take it to a whole new level.
"The amenities have had a strong impact on attracting families to the area," said Priscilla Johnson. "To have an 'all inclusive' package is a strong selling point. The concept of the Greenway Belt System is very attractive to folks who want to spend more time outside and enjoying nature at its best."
The 2,400-acre Nocatee Preserve is protected land on the Intracoastal Waterway where residents can hike, horseback ride, canoe, kayak or mountain bike on their five miles of biking trails. There are also four beach accesses within three miles of Nocatee.
Starting a master-planned community before building the amenities was a little risky, but after the amenities were completed it really put Nocatee on the map.
"One fear many people have about purchasing a home in a large planned community is whether or not the amenities will be completed and, if so, will they be what was promised," said Johnson. "The PARC Group made a wise decision in moving forward with the infrastructure as promised. It gave people the confidence to build and be a pioneer in the early stages. Now it adds strength for both new sales and resales."
Rachel Robertson is the community event coordinator or "director of fun," as she has been nicknamed.
"I love getting suggestions from the residents," said Robertson. "I like to find out what the niche is and what people like to do and then take it a step further. One resident wanted to do a dance party, but I wanted to do something more, so we had an 80's dance party and it was a great success."
Robertson's job is to fill the Nocatee community calendar, which is full of resident club meetings, arts and crafts events, Bunko night, laser light shows, dance parties and drive-in movies.
"The draw of neighborhood gathering spots and planned activities is huge," said Berry. "I have several buyers who have recently chosen to build in Nocatee because of the social aspects such as the Splash Water Park, where they and their children can get to know other families with children the age of theirs.
"The Nocatee staff also offers summer daytime activities for the children, as well as social gatherings on weekend evenings, like casual dinners while the children are watching movies nearby."
They also have a monthly Farmer's Market at the Town Center with over 80 vendors and an entertainment feature as well. They have had everything from a live tiger show, BMX-extreme show, a pirate invasion and recent visit from members of the Jacksonville Jaguars organization.
"The PARC group built some incredible amenities, but events and activities are the ones we can control and have a direct impact on the lifestyle of Nocatee residents," said Ray. "The latest thing that we are doing is facilitating resident clubs. If someone has an interest in getting neighbors together for a book club, we'll help. It's virtually no cost, just a little effort on our part. We are having a lot of success. We started it last month and already have eight clubs."
Berry said The Town Center, while still in its infancy, provides convenient shopping for Nocatee residents.
"The retail area will continue to grow and will likely become another community gathering spot, similar to Sawgrass Village and Riverside Market Square," said Berry.
The second phase of the amenities will be revealed this month and should be open to the residents next summer. The master plan includes multiple phases of amenities that will continue to expand as the community expands.
"Nocatee would just be another Planned Unit Development if it were not the PARC Group's commitment to building such a diverse mix of amenities and marketing them so well," said Matt Wilkinson of Re/Max Unlimited. "You can find nice homes and neighborhoods all over town, but what buyers want most is to be able to visualize what kind of lifestyle they will have before they move."
Nocatee does not have any golf courses but residents can purchase a discounted golf membership to the Marsh Creek or Marsh Landing country clubs. They can also purchase a discounted membership to the Serenata Beach Club.
There are plenty of churches and schools, too.
Crosswater Community Church was built a few years ago. Jacksonville's First Baptist Church, which has been meeting at Ponte Vedra High School since 2009, recently purchased land and plans to move into its new facility in 2015.
Two more churches are coming: the Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra Presbyterian Church have purchased land.
Ponte Vedra High and Nease High serve the area. St. Johns County recently broke ground on a K-8 school that will be ready for the 2014 school year. At build out, there will be six elementary schools, two middle schools and a high school serving Nocatee residents.
Residents do pay a Community Development District fee, but they are getting a lot of bang for their buck.
"I'm constantly getting feedback from residents that everything from the landscaping, quality of amenities and quality of events and activities are a great value for their assessments," said Ray.