Community First Credit Union intends to add a branch to its Northeast Florida 24-location network with the purchase of a vacant property in the Middleburg area of central Clay County.
A company spokesperson said the credit union closed on a 1.14-acre lot at Blanding Boulevard and Henley Road Aug. 7 at an undisclosed cost.
The credit union currently serves more than 17,000 members in the county.
Jonathan Heldenbrand, managing partner of Proper Capital & Real Estate, represented Community First in the transaction. Ricky Ostrofsky and Kaelyn Cassidy of Franklin Street represented the Ferber Co., the seller.
As of Aug. 10, the sale had not been recorded by the Clay County Clerk of Court.
According to a news release, the Middleburg branch would add to Community First’s Clay County portfolio, joining locations in Orange Park and Fleming Island. Another is developing in Green Cove Springs, with the credit union securing property there in December 2024.
“Our Middleburg members have asked for a neighborhood location for many years,” Community First President and CEO Sam Inman said in the release. “We are pleased they will now have a full-service credit union branch right in the heart of their retail corridor.”
Community First is in the early stages of development of the branch, but it is planning a 3,100-square-foot, freestanding location with a drive-thru, two ATMs and the credit union’s signature tower feature. Construction and opening dates have not yet been determined.
Community First has grown from 19 locations in 2022 to 24 locations today. The credit union recently opened its Callahan branch, while its locations in Murray Hill in Jacksonville and in the Wildlight Community in Yulee are under construction and scheduled to open in late 2026.
Branches are planned in Treaty Oaks in St. Johns and Fernandina Beach, according to the release.
Community First Credit Union of Florida is a state-chartered credit union based in Jacksonville serving anyone who lives or works on the First Coast. It has $3 billion in assets, 194,000 members, 24 locations and more than 450 employees.