More St Johns County questions..... (Jacksonville, Plantation: new home, neighborhoods, preschools)

[dmbmama]

I know this has been asked over and over but I need to have some of my St Johns County questions answered for myself!!!

We will be relocating from Detroit MI to St Johns county this June/July 2008. We have 3 small daughters 6,4 and 9 months. We are looking at building or to find a spec home. 3500 sq ft or more around 700K plus we want to have a pool built as well. I have done A LOT of research already and we have a trip down after Thanksgiving to house hunt. The areas Im interested in would be Palencia, Worthington Park, Durbin Crossing, Julington Creek. Nocatee seems very over priced, I can build the same home for 70k less in another sub. I like the PVB area but I dont think I will find a new home in my size or price. Suggestions on communities would be awesome!!! My hubby is an ER Doc and will most likely be working for Baptist South and probably on midnights.

So any help would be awesome. Im wondering about shopping close to these subs, Targets? Malls?? Grocery?? Im coming from a metropolis with everything at my finger tips a mile away. I want to be able to drive to Jacksonville and St Augustine to run errands, do dinner, hang out for a few hours.

Thanks!!!

[6ofus]

Hi!
I live in Chicago area and have 4 children. We are also relocating to this area. Many people have been very helpful here. Palencia is beautiful. Check out the houses though. I'm not sure if you are going to get what you want for the $$$. So far, PV was my fave, but we've taken it off our list for the same reason as you. Right now, we are looking at St. John's golf and CC. We went there and it was super family friendly and super community oriented. We are also very fond of Julington Creek. It is HUGE and a little overwhelming, but much closer to activities for my kids. We've narrowed it to these two for now. If you can afford in Palencia, go for it! I don't know much about Durbin Creek, but have heard nice things about Worthington Park. Another place you might want to look at and it's gated (I think) is St. John's Forrest. It's a little more upscale and very nice. Nocatee is really beautiful when you first drive in. I will tell you that we went there and there were hardly any houses built. It is eventually going to be pretty sweet (full blown waterpark, etc.), but it is going to take years and years. The market in NE Florida is not very good, not that it's any better for sellers anywhere else. You can probably get a good deal in any of those neighborhoods. It just depends on your criteria - mine is great schools, family friendly subdivision and relatively close to my kids sports. I don't know if you have come down, but I had a totally different view when I actually drove into these neighborhoods. Believe it or not, they are all so different.
Good Luck!

[clouds]

I live in St Augustine Beach. Palencia seems very nice and reminds me of some kind of "fmaily land" out of a movie. We go there on our way to jacksonville to stop at the awesome pirate ship playground in the front of Palencia. However, it is a not yet developed area so it is surrounded by nothing at this point. In 5 years, it will be packed with tons of stuff I am sure. It is about 10 min from world golf village (grocery store) and 15 min tops from st augustine shopping(target, grocery, chain stores, local downtown shops) and maybe 15 or 20 min tops to jacksonville shopping (malls, everything else) but nothing right at Palencia...yet. Prob 20ish minutes to either PVB (east on 210) or Vilano beach (east over intercoastal to A1A which is S ouf palencia) St Augustine is very small townish and Jacksonville is not a walkable city but has all the restaurants, shopping etc. you will need. The two closest malls to Palencia will be the st johns town center or the Avenues mall.

Julington Creek/Durbin area is also nice but much farther from the beach (if that matters) and not really close to st augustine. It is practically in jacksonville so you will be closer to all the shopping and suburban sprawl you could imagine. None of those neighborhoods really stand out to me but they are all nice, safe, and family friendly. Nocatee is def overpriced. None of the areas you mentioned are a sketchy part of town or even close. St Johns schools are pretty much all great. My husband and I are both teachers and have kids.

Ponte Vedra would be my pick if you could afford it just because of the beach. They aren't making anymore ocean =) If not, Palencia would be my second choice. From Nov - April we have GORGEOUS weather most of the time but in the summer, the only outdoors I can handle is the beach and it is significantly cooler on the beach than say, the local park. So, living near the water was important to me but not necessarily for everyone.


Good luck! I will check back if you have more questions.

[phillyfemme444]

Palencia is very pretty and a nice place to live, but Julington Creek has more shopping nearby. You may also want to consider St. Johns Golf and CC. The shopping is really growing up along the 210 corridor. By the way, if you move to Julington Creek, I have an excellent pediatrician who is extremely knowledgable and helpful. Her name is Vicki Mosteller.

[suzanne2460]

Baptist South is a great hospital to work for. I love the feeling of the hospital as you walk through it. It is one of the best hospitals I have ever seen!

[riveree]

Originally Posted by suzanne2460

Baptist South is a great hospital to work for. I love the feeling of the hospital as you walk through it. It is one of the best hospiatls I have ever seen!

The new location in St. John's is nice, but the one downtown is pretty nasty, IMO. Maybe I've only seen the unrenovated parts or something, but I've had to visit post-op quite a few times in the last couple of years and I've found the rooms to be gross - they felt super-germy, outdated and just generally unclean.....I hate having to go there .

[riveree]

Originally Posted by dmbmama

So any help would be awesome. Im wondering about shopping close to these subs, Targets? Malls?? Grocery?? Im coming from a metropolis with everything at my finger tips a mile away. I want to be able to drive to Jacksonville and St Augustine to run errands, do dinner, hang out for a few hours.

Thanks!!!

To have everything at your fingertips a mile away as you're describing, you'd need to be in Jax.

That really is the long and short of it.

Of the locations you mentioned, Julington Creek Plantation is probably going to be your best bet, but even JCP is too far away for my taste and may be for yours too. Still, if those were my choices, that's what I'd focus on if I wanted the options you're speaking of.

BTW, most people who live in St. Aug - for example, the people who live on Anastasia Island - still have to travel to Jax for some shopping needs, so the shopping area you'd want to be closer to is Jax, not St. Aug - they're not equal in that regard .

[FLPL75]

dmbmama
you have been given some great info

6ofus mentioned some great areas I have heard nothing but good things about St. John's golf and CC
If I can add my 2 cents if your not 100 % on St Johns County may I suggest checking out Deerwood and Deercreek on the Southside in Duval county both are gated and not only would your husband be maybe 15 min from Baptist south but the elementary and middle schools for that area are both excellent "A" schools plus a new high school is going to be built that they say will be opening in a couple years.
Another neighborhood would be Glen Kernan also gated and about the same distance from Baptist.
Any of these would have you within minutes of the shopping you mentioned.
and because it wouldn't be a "karla" post without mentioning "pizza" there is a great pizza place close to them also
A friend of mine helped 6ofus when they came down if you want I can DM you his info

The funny thing is over on the Southside we are 12 miles from the ocean so we actually do get the sea breeze effect

Come on down and have a look around
Karla

[dmbmama]

Wow thank you to everyone who has helped so far. You are awesome!! I can respect all that you have said!!! Regarding the Deercreek area of south Duval, I have looked into that a little bit, I heard Mandarin is amazing for families and the schools are great. Also Glen Kernan does look amazing too but I wasnt sure what schools they have in Duval and if they are good as well. What about taxes in those 2 areas????
I will keep the 210 corridor on my list, St Johns Forest does seem very nice but I think the lots are smaller there. Worthington Park is close to the river so Im wondering what shopping is near that area.
Im glad Baptist South has some of your approval, it looks beautiful from what we have seen and the people are treating my hubby like a king so far!! Very nice!!!
Also how is the shopping at The Avenues?? Is it a nice mall, safe for Moms and kids and in a good area??? How is it going to downtown Jacksonville for shopping, easy to get there and safe as well?? Or is it intimidating for a Mom w/ little ones???
I would love any suggestions on pediatrician groups you all have. You can even PM me the info so I have it. Ill be needing to get that all set soon as June will be here fast!!!
Another thing is preschools,we are Catholic and I was thinking of doing that for my 4 year old. I was looking at San Juan Del Rio. Any suggestions???
Thanks again!!!!

[phillyfemme444]

The Avenues is a nice mall and it has a number of great stores and a lot of the basics. I would definitely take a few small kids there. They have one of those kid-play areas with lots of room for parents to sit and regain a moment of sanity. I have had the most success with parking in the parking garage on the second floor. There's a walkway that will take you directly into either Dillard's or Sears and the food court is not too far away after that. However, with the ages that your children are, I don't think I would do downtown without another adult.

Regarding San Juan del Rio, my next door neighbor had her kids there for years before they moved to Indiana. She liked it pretty well. St. Joseph's is also an option but a little hard to get into, from what I understand. But St.Joseph's is a huge complex and has the nickname "Catholic Corner" because between the parish offices, church, school, and original church dating from a long time ago, it occupies all four corners of a major intersection.

Deercreek is super nice with good amenities, as well as Deerwood. Deercreek is a newer area and has LOTS of shopping. Deerwood has older, beautiful homes on big lots and the club is nice with a great pool.