Almost a year after closing on land in the Wildlight community in Yulee, Community First Credit Union has a building permit under review with Nassau County for a branch at the site.
The credit union bought 1.19 acres for $900,000 on Dec. 12, 2024, from Wildlight LLC, according to the Nassau County Clerk of Court. The branch is planned at Crosstown Avenue and Florida 200 at 148 Kindred Lane, according to the county’s building department. The road is being developed.
The project calls for a 3,100-square-foot freestanding branch with a drive-thru and two ATMs. Construction will begin when permits are approved with an opening planned for 2026, a spokesperson said.
TTV Architects designed the Wildlight branch and Auld & White Constructors is listed as the contractor on the application. The project cost is estimated at $935,366.
“Our new Wildlight Branch is part of our commitment to expanding our network to serve members where they are,” Sam Inman, president and CEO of Community First, said in a Nov. 17 news release.
“This branch is designed to fit in the unique character of the growing Wildlight community and serve this new neighborhood with a modern banking experience.”
Community First has served Nassau County in Yulee since 2018. It has nearly 10,000 members in the county, including about 2,000 in the Wildlight area, according to the news release.
The Wildlight Branch will be the credit union’s third in Nassau, joining locations in the Villages of Amelia shopping center and in Callahan.
The credit union is expanding and upgrading its branch network to enhance member service. New branches feature open floor plans, upgraded digital technology and site-specific historical murals.
Community First has added five locations since 2022, when it operated 19 across Northeast Florida.
It recently announced renovation and restoration work for a Murray Hill branch and property purchases for potential locations in the Treaty Oaks community in St. Johns County and in Green Cove Springs in Clay County.