What are your opinions about Orange Park? (Jacksonville, Plantation: 2010, crime)

[Keeper]

Threads merged from FL and Jacksonville

[cutler7]

REDSOXFAN!!! LISTEN TO ME! DO NOT move to Orange Park. It is way too congested, a lot of it in my opinion is really run down and not as nice as saint johns county would be. I would move by the beaches (aka intercoastal) or to saint johns county. Orange park feels like New Jersey with a stray Palm Tree here and there. If there werent Florida license plates everywhere I swera you wouldnt even know you were in Florida! stay clear.

[mawipafl]

(Red Sox fan from NY?? well, true, upstate NY is different than the island :-)

I live in the Fleming Island part of Orange Park, and I consider it the best of two worlds. We really like it here. I honestly don't mind the traffic on 17 at any time of day - nor on Blanding for that matter - and it can be thick. However, it's quite rare (in my experience) to sit through more than one or two traffic light cycles at the height of commuter traffic.

My husband commutes from Fleming to west Jacksonville in about 35 minutes (6:30 am), but I can't vouch for the travel time heading east at the time of day. Our daughter commutes to FCCJ on Beach Blvd for a 6 pm class. If she leaves between 4 pm and 5 pm, her trip is less than 40 minutes. If she leaves between 5 and 6, it can take longer since there's invariably construction or fender benders or both.

Last Wednesday, I went into downtown by way of 17 at 5 pm, and it took me 30 minutes. Going by way of 295 and 95 can take a little longer (sometimes up to 45-50 minutes) depending on travel conditions on those roadways or a trickle-down effect if something has gone awry on I-10.

The Jacksonville area is huge and diverse, and as you'll see in many, many posts, the recommendation is to visit here and do test drives between your workplace and a potential home to see how it feels. Additionally, there are differences between all the different sections/communities, and within them the many neighborhoods. Some in the forum say Clay County is best; some say St. Johns County is superb. Some love the cookie-cutter communities, and some prefer more diverse neighborhoods. Some love the urban feel while others prefer suburban. And that's the thing --- there is a perfect home for every taste! Such variety!

The one thing that holds true everywhere is that the pace of life is slower here, and I think that's the reason I honestly don't mind the traffic - I'm already quite adapted to the pace and I don't feel the frustrations of traffic -- I easily left the rat-race mentality behind in NJ.

[riveree]

The Orange Park traffic issues are, of course, in relation to other areas of the first coast (Jax, St. Augustine, etc.).

If we compare OP's traffic to cities up north - no comparision, OP's would be better in most cases. But compared to most areas here in this part of Florida, the OP traffic is considered worse than most other areas. It's not so much about population, I think, but poor road planning. Blanding - for example - has no break-down lane/shoulder.......what modern major road is built like that today??

And the fact that a very large percentage of people who live out in OP commute into Jax for work is no small fact. It should not be brushed aside. If you're coming from the NY/NJ area, then you know how commuting in to NYC - even just a distance of 20 miles or so - can be a major commute - you've seen the future, so to speak . Population in NE Florida is increasing.....commutes will increase in relation.

I can only cite my own experience - having moved from up North, I too thought I wanted a "major" change, but sometimes, too much of a change is not a good thing . After the initial "newness" wears off, you start to see what is lacking in an area. This might even take a year or two.

As prompted above, take a good look around at all three of the major counties - Clay, Duval and St. John's before making a final decision. With such a big move, I would not eliminate any of the three as possibilities.

[Landlord2]

Orange Park is going down, it doesn't seem to be holding it's own. Traffic on Blanding is awful, and traffic on 17 is awful. The problem is those are the only two roads going through Orange Park. Meanwhile they just keep building huge neighborhood after huge neighborhood. There is constant traffic on these roads. If the sun is shinning there is traffic on those roads.

As far as Fleming Island and Eagle Harbor, they are very nice neighborhoods. You might squeak in one of them for 300,000 I'm not totally sure. I didn't know Fleming Island was considered OP. The only problem with those neighborhoods is you have to take either 17 or 23 (Blanding) to get just about anywhere.

All in all Orange Park is decent. But let me put it this way; I've lived in Jacksonville my whole life. I'd never live in Orange Park. no way, too many places here thats much better in every way.

[joninclay]

Originally Posted by cutler7

REDSOXFAN!!! LISTEN TO ME! DO NOT move to Orange Park. It is way too congested, a lot of it in my opinion is really run down and not as nice as saint johns county would be. I would move by the beaches (aka intercoastal) or to saint johns county. Orange park feels like New Jersey with a stray Palm Tree here and there. If there werent Florida license plates everywhere I swera you wouldnt even know you were in Florida! stay clear.

"Run down"? With all due respect, you don't know what you're talking about.

Yes, there are parts of Orange Park that are "run down", just like there are parts of St. Johns County that are "run down". But the Fleming Island/Eagle Harbor/Hibernia parts of Orange Park are the exact opposite of "run down". Seriously, that's a crazy thing to say!

[daisies76]

Originally Posted by moving123456

One drive down Blanding blvd with a quick stop at the Orange Park Mall made me decide to look elsewhere in the Jacksonville area to live.

I can second that one.

Blanding traffic esecially near Argyle is AWFUL

Everytime I drive down Blanding to go visit my brother and sister-in-law, I just want to pull my hair out.

[titaniummd]

Originally Posted by joninclay

"Run down"? With all due respect, you don't know what you're talking about.

Yes, there are parts of Orange Park that are "run down", just like there are parts of St. Johns County that are "run down". But the Fleming Island/Eagle Harbor/Hibernia parts of Orange Park are the exact opposite of "run down". Seriously, that's a crazy thing to say!

I second that comment regarding the nonsense about Run Down appearances. Fleming Island is very beautiful and I am proud to live here. I feel like I am always on vacation.

[moving123456]

Originally Posted by daisies76

I can second that one.

Blanding traffic esecially near Argyle is AWFUL

Everytime I drive down Blanding to go visit my brother and sister-in-law, I just want to pull my hair out.

The traffic wasn't even the worst part of it for me. The area looked ugly and the people in the mall made it a place that I would not want to do my weekend shopping.

[daisies76]

Originally Posted by moving123456

The traffic wasn't even the worst part of it for me. The area looked ugly and the people in the mall made it a place that I would not want to do my weekend shopping.

Oh yes, I know what you mean and agree 100%