Thousands of Families Come to OakLeaf Plantation

July 2nd, 2007 — During the past four years, OakLeaf Plantation, the 6,400-acre, master-planned community located in southwest Jacksonville, in southern Duval and northern Clay Counties has experienced record sales. In fact, it has become one of the fastest-growing, fastest-selling communities the state of Florida, not to mention one of the most exciting addresses on the First Coast.

Just last week, builders at OakLeaf Plantation passed their "4,000th home sold" milestone in little more than four years of operations. Of those 4,000 contracts, more than 3,700 have closed, with nearly 300 either under construction or in the permitting process.

Several factors have fueled the rapid growth of OakLeaf Plantation, the first of which was extensive planning and a significant financial interest by its developer, Jacksonville-based, The Hutson Companies. Prior to the groundbreaking of the first home at OakLeaf, Hutson constructed almost all major infrastructure, including a $6.5 million amenity center, complete with a state-of-the-art watermark. Soon after, a second multimillion dollar amenity center, the Plantation Oaks Athletic Center, was completed. Between the two centers, residents have access to state-of-the-art water parks, complete with spraygrounds, play pools, a junior-Olympic-sized lap pool and slide towers. In fact, OakLeaf is home to Jacksonville's first dual-flume waterslide in a residential community. The centers also offer grand community clubrooms for private parties and gatherings, fully-equipped fitness facilities including an array of cardiovascular and strength training equipment, soccer & baseball fields, basketball courts, both recreational and competitive tennis courts, tot lots and concession areas.

Further lending to the growth of the community is the variety of homes available. From single-family to condominiums, OakLeaf features homes from the area's finest builders, each offering an array of plans and pricing options to suit most every family's taste, needs and budget. Above all, it appears that buyers are looking for an enhanced quality of life, which is readily available within the family-friendly community.

OakLeaf Plantation was planned with connectivity in mind, so that families don't have to drive far for groceries, pharmaceuticals, schools, worship, fitness, restaurants and entertainment. In fact, residents can walk, bicycle or rollerblade to many of these along OakLeaf's 15 miles of pedestrian and bike pathways.

Perfectly situated in the center of the community, The OakLeaf School, a kindergarten through eighth grade facility, opened its doors this past fall. And, ground has been broken on OakLeaf Village Elementary School, the second of five school sites planned for the community, all within Clay County's highly-rated rated District. Even the littlest residents in OakLeaf benefit from the learning opportunities available right inside the development. The Goddard School, a national preschool franchise, established its second Florida location in the heart of OakLeaf, the OakLeaf Village Center, one of two retail village centers planned for the community.

Just adjacent to one of OakLeaf's retail village centers, residents have peace of mind knowing that the county's newest fire station is located right in their own community. Station 26, a 12,000 square-foot facility houses an EMT crew, a paramedic and an Advanced Life Support engine.

Residents' furry friends will even be provided for at The Animal Hospital at OakLeaf Plantation. Within this 5,000 square-foot clinic, full-service veterinary care and boarding services are offered.

New shops and restaurants are opening in the area at a swift pace. Among them is the new OakLeaf Town Center, an open-air shopping and gathering destination, offering 860,000 square feet of retailers, eateries and must-have services. Super Target, one of the Town Center's anchor stores opened in March, with Kohl's and Home Depot not far behind. Chili's Bar & Grill is well underway, as is space for a number of specialty shops and restaurants.

Two churches have established themselves and assembled congregations in OakLeaf Plantation, including OakLeaf Baptist Church and OakLeaf Christian Fellowship, a United Methodist Church.

"Our vision for OakLeaf Plantation is a community where people will know their neighbors, where children will walk to school, families will gather for picnics in the park and where shops, restaurants, worship and entertainment opportunities will be just steps from your front door," said Deanna Cope, Vice President of Marketing for The Hutson Companies. By all accounts, OakLeaf is well on the way to the realization of this vision.

OakLeaf Plantation features more than 1,400 acres of preservation area; two multimillion dollar amenity centers; five planned schools; two retail village centers; 5.8 million square feet of non-residential space and 15 miles of bicycle and walking paths. OakLeaf has set the standard for master-planned communities and has maintained a strong foundation of family-friendly development practices, creating a unique natural, residential and commercial environment. For more information, call (904) 406-2200 ext. 3.