OakLeaf Plantation: Suburbia Built to Last?
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/4481001052_MDBHfjk-L.jpg)
Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2015-nov-oakleaf-plantation-suburbia-built-to-last
Look at MetroJax, showing the suburbs some love! Or at least giving them some attention. The burbs just aren't sexy. Practical though. Those home prices are pretty tempting, especially after house hunting in Mandarin.
Looks like a more affordable Nocatee. I doubt they will build the village center the way it is shown in the conceptual drawings but I applaud them if they do. They did the same at Durbin Crossing and to a certain extent Nocatee. Tried to sell this beautiful, walkable village center idea with really nice renderings to buyers but at Durbin they never built it, just built more houses where it was supposed to go and at Nocatee just built a strip center with a Publix, a massive parking lot in the middle of it and outparcel establishments and called it a Town Center. The only suburban community around here that followed through on what they were selling with a "real village center" was Palencia I believe. That one turned out pretty nice in my opinion but prices are much higher.
Quote from: David on November 11, 2015, 12:02:58 PM
Practical though. Those home prices are pretty tempting, especially after house hunting in Mandarin.
People seem to often forget the true cost of where they live. It is important to look at the housing-transportation cost combo. While places like Orlando and Tampa are cheaper than many metro areas in the country, their combined housing-transportation costs rank near the top.
So, depending on where you shop, work, etc., Oakleaf may or may not make sense over other areas like Mandarin.
Quote from: David on November 11, 2015, 12:02:58 PM
Look at MetroJax, showing the suburbs some love!
How in the hell did this get past Stephen? Ennis -- you subversive!
I'm long overdue on updating the neighborhood photo tours. I'll be focusing more on them (urban, suburban, and rural) over the next few months.
I became a little more depressed with each photo.
Reminds me of when I asked my nephew to play catch with me on the next the block over. He didn't know what a "block" was, because he grew up without them in suburbia.
Save the children.
I always find the pricing signage interesting. It says homes from $100,000's. I seriously doubt there are homes for sale in the $100,000 to $109,999 range.
The price is right on a lot of these homes, and those just south along Branan Field. But for me, the drive to work would be pure hell.
Unless your life is centered around that area, the drive to anywhere worthwhile is complete hell. Add in those transportation costs and things might not end up being as affordable as originally mentioned. Long term plans include more office and commercial space. Oakleaf will also benefit from additional industrial and aviation related development at Cecil Field. With that said, would anyone be opposed to multifamily housing like this being built in the city?
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Having lived in ATL from 1994 to 2006, I have to chuckle when I here "commute from hell" as related to JAX. My wife does a 45 minute commute here you would not even think about in ATL. It would be 1.5 to 2 hours each way (Sorry MARTA was not available where we lived). I do agree with total costs to live some where and I'm a big believer in mass transit, but unless there is a car accident (opps I meant crash) commuting here by car is not bad.
Where does the "built to last" part come in? Looks like your typical cheap particleboard and tyvek wrap construction.
It'll be a run-down ghetto in thirty years.
Quote from: finehoe on November 12, 2015, 10:43:54 AM
Where does the "built to last" part come in? Looks like your typical cheap particleboard and tyvek wrap construction.
It'll be a run-down ghetto in thirty years.
You are correct.
It's going to be like the rest of Argyle Forest. My family moved there in 1991, in Chimney Lakes. At the time that was the "nice part" of Argyle. Then it got pushed back to by the elementary school as the newer, nicer part. Then when they extended Argyle Forest past Shindler, those new developments were nicer. And then Oakleaf, and then Eagles Landings, and so on.
Quote from: jaxjags on November 12, 2015, 10:20:55 AM
Having lived in ATL from 1994 to 2006, I have to chuckle when I here "commute from hell" as related to JAX. My wife does a 45 minute commute here you would not even think about in ATL. It would be 1.5 to 2 hours each way (Sorry MARTA was not available where we lived). I do agree with total costs to live some where and I'm a big believer in mass transit, but unless there is a car accident (opps I meant crash) commuting here by car is not bad.
That's a commute from hell as well. For me time is money. Unless I'm being paid to travel 45 minutes to 2 hours each way (with my mileage covered), I wouldn't do it.
Quote from: stephendare on November 12, 2015, 08:58:52 AM
I guess because the only world in which there is some bizarre dichotomy between suburbs and urban areas exists only in your own head?
Says the man of the website
MetroJacksonville who apparently has no clue what "metropolitan" or "metro" means. Here's a clue: it doesn't mean urban core.
Would be nice if they did something like the townhomes (without the street facing garages) in Brooklyn adjacent to McCoy's Creek. Mixed income so the displaced individuals currently living in the few still inhabited homes there had options too.
Much of the land area is former Gulfstream Land Development Corp, and later, the (then) Florida Game & Freshwater Fish Commission 1900 acre Brannon Chaffee Wildlife Mitigation Park. At one time,the crux of the 1900 acres was deemed to be necessary for the mitigation of Brannon/Chaffee (First Coast Beltway).The parcel became abbreviated to about half.........
In fact,Oakleaf began to take shape about a decade prior than the era referenced here,and technically,regards speculative land purchases,twenty years,and finally,spanning back to Gulfstream and the local government planning act of 1973 and Clay County future roadway concept depicting Clay Beltway.
G&F/Trust For Public Lands Mitigation acreage was wrestled from the control of the Trust For Public Lands- three or four individuals purchased acreage. Referred to as "The Farm". (Game & Fish Commission local Officer Skip Truby stormed in to my office one day,upset about events that I would not clearly appreciate for over a decade)
How interesting that the profile here depicts land owner Mr. Pittman's once favorite Turkey hunt areas. Mr. Pittman,upon Oakleaf development proceedings, thence headed to St Johns County to purchase acreage;"Silver Leaf".
Then enter Brannon/Chaffee "Sector Plan". I witnessed one (of many) public "Vision" meeting where disgruntled members finally agreed to "inevitable" development if the neighborhoods 'were like Avondale'. The role and function of the Planner &Consultant retained by Clay County with both B/C Sector Plan and later,Lake Asbury Sector Plan (Both of them... 8)) was interesting.
The erroneous promotion of Brannon/Chaffee as 'alternate' to Blanding Blvd.,traffic alleviation had always enjoyed four well drive traction.
For the longest time,our very own State Duval Delegation refused to ardently promote Brannon/Chaffee funding.(Even in the face of a $3,000 lobster dinner lobby effort hosterd by the Clay County Chamber of Commerce).
Eventually,the stars aligned with King,Thrasher and Horne.
Eventually,Mayor Delaney would interject key support for the permitting of Brannon/Chaffee during pivotal Fl DOT Brannon/Chafee permit application placed before the Water Management District and US Army Corps of Engineers.The DOT application was careful to state that Brannon Chaffee ,as per Permit application,was a "Stand Alone" project,in other words,not associated with (or feared) the Outer Beltway. The USCOE head would eventually become the COJ Public Works Director for a short time span,and the Trust For Public Lands was warmly embraced as central Delaney era enviro presence quotient.
That's how we cranked out More Of The Same.
Many get caught up in the aesthetics of suburbia, but what really matters is functionality (good schools, safe area, nearby shopping etc). Schools are a main reason why many families move to the suburbs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxrezcHi1Wk
Indeed the public schools have ben a key driver behind the popularity of adjoining counties.
I have a friend who moved his family to Oakleaf, and right back out in a hurry. Just not quite the same it seems.
Well inland Oakleaf,Brannon Chaffee developments were considered a "dark horse' relative to coastal aspirations.
The great thing about the Outer beltway is that if Oakleaf proves unpopular, decline et al,there is a vehicle for Flight. No doubt Penney Farms,Lake Asbury Sector will prove improved. ;)
I find many are amazed at the level of future growth 'planned',and vested,yet unseen.
I was amused at the call for "Avondale" like neighborhoods. A rather myopic view of geography,demographics,placement,historical influences. Susan Fraser was the Clay Planner during the Brannon/Chaffee Sector Plan proceedings.......and a resident of Avondale.
Susan confidently ushered the BC Corridor transformative growth because "Clay wants it".
Quote from: I-10east on November 22, 2015, 07:56:38 PM
Many get caught up in the aesthetics of suburbia, but what really matters is functionality (good schools, safe area, nearby shopping etc). Schools are a main reason why many families move to the suburbs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxrezcHi1Wk
It's an obvious truth, but some folks on here have an incredibly narrow perspective on "beauty" -- and the ability of people to figure out for themselves what they like and want.
^Just like living in the urban core, everyone has their own reason. For some it's schools, for others it may be housing costs or what they believe is a better quality of life. To each his own. We have enough space to accommodate several different types of lifestyles.
Last week someone made comment as to the 'run down' look in pockets of Argyle.....
QuoteLast week someone made comment as to the 'run down' look in pockets of Argyle.....
Go to Mandarin, you will see the same thing in places like Ramsgate, which have been there since the 80s and earlier. Ranch style homes do not age well.
Quote from: mtraininjax on December 14, 2015, 11:06:21 AM
Ranch style homes do not age well.
Cookie-cutter homes don't age well when you know you can upgrade to the latest and greatest every 10 years....
I feel that most who move out to the burbs to get away from the 'hustle & bustle' have found that it's time to move on by the time most of the major purchase items lifespans are reaching replacement age: appliances, roof, A/C, pool lining/equipment etc.. Add to that, in that same timeframe, the 'hustle and bustle' is surrounding them, so it becomes a double-whammy and becomes time to move on and let someone else deal with the replacement issues and the 'new' crowds.
Quote from: Non-RedNeck Westsider on December 14, 2015, 12:20:23 PM
I feel that most who move out to the burbs to get away from the 'hustle & bustle' have found that it's time to move on by the time most of the major purchase items lifespans are reaching replacement age: appliances, roof, A/C, pool lining/equipment etc.. Add to that, in that same timeframe, the 'hustle and bustle' is surrounding them, so it becomes a double-whammy and becomes time to move on and let someone else deal with the replacement issues and the 'new' crowds.
I think you pretty much summed it up.
Quote from: Non-RedNeck Westsider on December 14, 2015, 12:20:23 PM
Quote from: mtraininjax on December 14, 2015, 11:06:21 AM
Ranch style homes do not age well.
Cookie-cutter homes don't age well when you know you can upgrade to the latest and greatest every 10 years....
I feel that most who move out to the burbs to get away from the 'hustle & bustle' have found that it's time to move on by the time most of the major purchase items lifespans are reaching replacement age: appliances, roof, A/C, pool lining/equipment etc.. Add to that, in that same timeframe, the 'hustle and bustle' is surrounding them, so it becomes a double-whammy and becomes time to move on and let someone else deal with the replacement issues and the 'new' crowds.
Or... the kids grow up and move away... and now they down size or upsize or move to the city or the country and the next generation of couples with kids move in...