Rivertown

[m092034]

Anybody know the status or hear any news about the Rivertown development?

[blizz01]

This was in the The Times Union on Friday (various construction updates):

RiverTown

RiverTown is an ambitious project in St. Johns County. It spreads over both sides of Florida 13 and features 4,500 home sites spread out over 4,100 acres.

The St. Joe Co., developers of the project, refused to comment at all about how sales are going.

But a real estate agent involved said that six homes have been sold so far. The project's Web site lists another seven for sale, ranging from $313,900 to $425,000.

http://jacksonville.com/business/2010-02-11/story/works_in_progress_old_jacksonville_library_waiting_to_add_1_big_tenant

[St. Auggie]

6 homes? OUCH! Even Nocatee has gotten up to a population of about 1200 and these project broke ground at about the same time.

[Overstreet]

The project does not look like the St Joe I know from the panhandle. Over there they work for environmental harmony. They work to maintain the native plants and animals around the house. They lower light levels to permit "dark sky" so you can see stars. They go to great lengths to make the architecture interesting and blend in to the local landscape. Many lots are an acre or more per house.

In Rivertown they built the biggest box on the lot they could to get the inside square feet. They clear cut the project in way more acreage than they could build on and failed to do any errosion control. They silted the river. They failed to replant trees in the neighborhood around the houses. They planted lots of grass and tried to make it like every other over built development.

I have no doubt sales will be slow.

[cline]

Over there they work for environmental harmony. They work to maintain the native plants and animals around the house.

I don't consider destroying thousands of acres of pristine habitat so that rich people could retire on the beach working for environmental harmony.

But I digress, in relation to Rivertown, they have been fined three times by the SJRWMD for improper runoff- so they got that going for them.

[reednavy]

Not surpised, and IMO, I hope it fails completely. Years ago when they just got done blowing up the forest, we had a windy day while I was on 13 and that stretch of road was completely shrowded in a dust cloud.

Now, it is just covered in weeds and looks so sad. I've said it before, they should be forced to replant all the trees they destroyed and some. I would jsut love to go to the St. Johns County commission that approved this and slap every single one of them for this travesty along a SCENIC ROUTE.

[Ocklawaha]

I've been in WGV on the St. Johns for a half a year, and have not noticed a single new start in the Rivertown subdivision along 13.

If the project fail's I don't think it's due to economy or karma, I think there is a fatal flaw in what I've seen so far.
The home designs are classic Florida and/or steamboat style. The area is very rural, with most shopping limited to either Green Cove Springs, Julington Creek or highway 210, making it a bit out of the way. But the unforgivable sin in rural country is to try and build one of those extreme high density neighborhoods akin to old Springfield. Few people want to move to the country so their neighbors house can be 5 feet from their bathroom window.

If St. Joe would wise up and figure a way to spread that land around among homeowners I think they'd do better.


OCKLAWAHA

[Overstreet]

............Now, it is just covered in weeds and looks so sad. I've said it before, they should be forced to replant all the trees they destroyed and some. I would jsut love to go to the St. Johns County commission that approved this and slap every single one of them for this travesty along a SCENIC ROUTE.

Mostly pines and a tree farm it does not fall under the tree protection ordinances.  They do have to plant, grass and/or cover crop to control errosion on disturbed lands.

They could have just cut the trees, ie harvested, left the cut offs, or pushed up the stumps into wind rows. Then planted a cover. Not necessarily trees. However the trees will spread if left alone. 

If it is any consolation the St Joe folks that did it have all been laid off.

[Miss Fixit]

It's going to be hard to fix this project - I believe that most of the lots were sold to builders who are now out of business...

[British Shoe Company]

Not surpised, and IMO, I hope it fails completely. Years ago when they just got done blowing up the forest, we had a windy day while I was on 13 and that stretch of road was completely shrowded in a dust cloud.

Now, it is just covered in weeds and looks so sad. I've said it before, they should be forced to replant all the trees they destroyed and some. I would jsut love to go to the St. Johns County commission that approved this and slap every single one of them for this travesty along a SCENIC ROUTE.

Why would you hope it fails? 
That's not Christ like.
The dust is long gone, let it go.  Instead of wishing failure, you should hope it was done to benefit people, and the local government.
It would be a shame to take down  nature, and not benefit from it.
Sorta like nature, it's OK to kill  fish, birds, and animals for food.
It's not OK to kill for sport.
I agree that you should plant a tree, and 2 if possible every time you take one.
That's my rant, and I'm sticking to it.

[reednavy]

Christ like, who the f*ck am I, Tim Tebow?

I hope it does fails because it is the single worst use of land I've seen since I've been down here. I love taking my bike out and cycling that route, and the prospect of thousands of crap looking homes there doesn't sit well with me. The St. Joe Company, IMO, should be raked over hot coals for this sad excuse for "Old Towne Florida". They ruined pristine waterfront property on the river side of S.R. 13 by cutting apart the brush and scrub under the canopy of trees, plowed hundreds of acres of forest and turned into a big grass field, and have apparently caused drainage issues already.

[British Shoe Company]

Christ like, who the f*ck am I, Tim Tebow?

I hope it does fails because it is the single worst use of land I've seen since I've been down here. I love taking my bike out and cycling that route, and the prospect of thousands of crap looking homes there doesn't sit well with me. The St. Joe Company, IMO, should be raked over hot coals for this sad excuse for "Old Towne Florida". They ruined pristine waterfront property on the river side of S.R. 13 by cutting apart the brush and scrub under the canopy of trees, plowed hundreds of acres of forest and turned into a big grass field, and have apparently caused drainage issues already.

You are no Tim Tebow. 
Why don't you ride your bike to the site, and plant trees.

[thelakelander]

Wasn't this thing the reason the Outer Beltway's river crossing will replace the Shands instead of being an additional bridge between Green Cove Springs and the Buckman?

[stjr]

Like Nocatee/Dee Dot Ranch, Rivertown would have made a fantastic state or local park.  It seems developers save their worst projects for NE Florida.  I guess our standards are so low, they can just dump anything on us and we will take it.

I haven't been through the area since Rivertown was started, but based on the descriptions, I know, as a life long native familiar with the original landscape, I will be sure to be sickened.  As with Palm Valley, St. Johns County is sacrificing another big chunk of its character and charm for a quick buck.  When the Outer Beltway gets built, much of St. Johns will be indistinguishable from Blanding, Beach, Atlantic, Roosevelt, or San Jose.  I hope traffic jammed (can you say CR 210 and I-95?) "Anywhere USA" makes 'em happy.

[reednavy]

You are no Tim Tebow. 
Why don't you ride your bike to the site, and plant trees.

Because the St. Joe Company can suck it for all I care on this "development".