By Carole Hawkins, Staff Writer
David Robbins of Victoria Robbins Realty has sold a lot of waterfront properties over his 30-year career.
At this one, he’ll build a home.
“This is absolutely the prettiest piece of property I think I know of anywhere around,” said Robbins, the project’s broker.
Waterman’s Bluff, a Nassau County subdivision that went offline during the recession, is coming back.
Eight spec homes are under construction by the community’s three builders, Trevett Homes, Dostie Homes and North Florida Builders.
The community sits at the site of a 19th century plantation on the Bells River, an arm of the St. Marys. It’s surrounded by waterfront and marshes.
“This subdivision is so beautiful and that’s what makes it unique,” said Chris Dostie of Dostie Homes.
The style is Old South, with a wrought iron entrance gate anchored by brick pillars.
The community’s 144 lots are laid out for variety, with both alley-loaded and front-loaded garage options.
It’s Dostie’s only project in Nassau County, he said. But it’s one that plays to his company’s strengths. That means an upper-end product, with options for hundreds of buyer-selected finishes and features.
“You’re not going to get a rock-bottom home here,” Dostie said.
Waterman’s Bluff’s original developer was Strickland Holloway of Amelia Island. But he lost the project during the recession. Only seven homes were built, along with a dock, the gated entrance and a chapel.
Harry Trevett of Trevett Homes reclaimed the project in the latter half of 2014 as managing partner for a set of investors.
Dostie started building by the end of the year.
Lots in the community start at $85,000 and go up to $235,000 for those on the waterfront, Robbins said. The eight homes under construction are $375,000 to more than $500,000.
The revival of Waterman’s Bluff mimics that of other projects in Nassau County, a place where the housing recovery lagged until last year. Now, with St. Johns and Clay counties running out of the recession’s bargain-priced lots, Nassau is taking a turn.
“Greenpointe Homes picked up 25 lots in Amelia Walk, and they didn’t even get their models finished before they had them pretty much sold,” Robbins said. “They couldn’t get any more for a second phase.”
Waterman’s Bluff is getting ready to take off as well, he said.
A local Realtor group was invited to hold its annual meeting this month at the chapel, which doubles as a community center, and one of the spec homes has been entered in this year’s Parade of Homes contest. A canoe and kayak launch has been finished and the dock has been rebuilt.
It’s entitled for a 32-slip marina. A marsh walkway leading up to it is interrupted by a private island.
“From there you can literally see St. Marys, Cumberland Island, the sound with the Atlantic Ocean, Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island,” Robbins said. “It’s just amazing.”