Lifestyle of a Lifetime

Award-winning Palencia strikes balance between nature, luxury living

Special to Builders Showcase

June 10, 2006

Just a little more than five years ago, when the idea of Palencia was born, the developers recognized the distinctiveness of the unique wilderness they discovered.

Since that time, hundreds of residents have been drawn to the charm and uniqueness of Palencia to live in harmony with natural Florida, enjoy world-class amenities and choose from an exciting array of homes built by some of the area's most talented and respected builders in an award-winning master-planned community.

Palencia is located between Jacksonville and St. Augustine, off historic U.S. 1. The 1,450 acres on the western banks of the Intracoastal Waterway and the Tolomoto River succeeds in preserving the delicate balance between the diverse habitats that define Northeast Florida and enhance the quality of life. These continue to be top priorities for Hines, Palencia's developer.

Beyond the magnificent architecture, quality construction and sense of true community is the commitment to offer home buyers a solid choice in lifestyle and elegance.

Spectacular views that match luxurious living along Palencia's scenic Promenade Pointe are well expressed in multimillion-dollar homes built by McCumber Homes, Benchmark Luxury Homes and Artisan Homes.

It's all about a million-dollar lifestyle at Promenade Pointe, the new exclusive, high-end neighborhood that borders the waterfront across the lake from the community's spectacular award-winning clubhouse and ninth green of the Arthur Hills-designed championship golf course. Promenade Pointe also extends an invitation for a leisurely, tree-lined walk along the waterfront.

"People fall in love with the dramatic backdrop of the Palencia Club and golf course when they consider building along Promenade Pointe," said Naomi Lumley, sales and marketing director for Hines at Palencia.

Promenade Pointe offers a unique setting featuring magnificent views and builders who capture these vistas in their custom homes. These estate homes unveil the kind of luxury that has held fast as a residential trend throughout the nation and now comes to Palencia.

Savvy home buyers have embraced the Promenade Condominiums, situated on the picturesque Village Green and some of the most luxurious in all of Northeast Florida. Only a handful remains for purchase in the $3 million range.

Nearby, The Village Lofts at Palencia offer residents the opportunity to truly work where they live and play. Residents can choose from 22 three-story townhomes, with the first floors offering workspace and colorful sidewalk awnings to enhance the streetscape.

"We're really excited to be able to offer this new product in St. Johns County," said Marc Goodman, director of land development for Crosswinds Communities, a full-service development company based in Novi, Mich. "The Village Lofts at Palencia are a similar concept to other projects we've completed across the country. We expect that this exclusive homeownership opportunity will be met with the same level of enthusiasm."

Only three still are available for sale and all face charming Market Street. Purchasers are receiving a tremendous value as the pricing, which starts in the mid-$600,000s, includes a new home and new office and retail space.

The Village Lofts at Palencia will employ a Spanish Colonial design with cantilevered balconies and 2,875 square feet of living area, including a 575-square-foot studio above a detached, rear-loaded two-car garage.

Village Square is under construction. These condominium homes by Trident offer outstanding features and are located in the heart of Palencia Village.

The year 2006 continues to be spectacular as two of the area's most prestigious builders announced plans for luxury homes on a limited number of wooded estate lots in the third phase of Palencia's popular North River neighborhood.

North Florida Builders and The Vintage Group are well known for building quality homes at Palencia.

In addition to North River III, other neighborhoods, including Sebastian Square, Canterra, Monterey and Vista Norte, offer the discerning home buyer an excellent choice of luxury living by some of the area's most distinguished builders, all surrounded by Palencia's world-class amenities.

This summer Standard Pacific's Ron Coppenbarger is opening a new pool villa model in Monterey. Award-winning Rita Williams Merchandising Plus is merchandising the model.

Merchandising Plus, a Jacksonville-based interior design firm, has won national acclaim for outstanding work throughout the United States and most recently won the Grand Aurora Award for the Best Designed Condominium Resort Home in the Southeast United States. Williams is also the only designer ever to be named to the Florida Housing Hall of Fame.

"We are genuinely excited about Palencia's outstanding group of builders. All have great credibility, experience and commitment to quality," Lumley said. "Each has earned a reputation for offering customers consummate value and service throughout the building process."

A limited number of pristine lots in Santa Teresa, the newest area of Palencia, soon will be available. Only 16 lots, some on the spectacular marsh, are priced from the low-$300,000s to more than $1 million. There is no time limit to build, but they represent some of the last opportunities to build and are expected to be sold quickly.

Earlier this year, Hines announced the 850-acre expansion of Palencia. As part of the expansion, Florida-based ICI Homes announced that it will be constructing approximately 600 new residences in the expansion.

This newest phase of Palencia contains consists of 641 home sites. The expanded area will feature more than 1 mile of frontage along the scenic Tolomato River and a section of the Intracoastal Waterway. As part of this expansion, a new, expanded swim and fitness facility and additional parks and trails and other community amenities will add to the already amenity rich master plan at Palencia.

The community is designed for 2,642 residential units featuring a variety of housing options by lifestyle and price. The product mix at Palencia offers something for most segments of the market, with homes from the $200,000s to $3.5 million, including Village Center live/work units, cottages, villas, condominiums, single-family and estate homes. Meanwhile a portion of the community zoned for commercial use is under development, with a Walgreens drugstore and People's Choice bank currently in the works.

Joyce Development Group will soon begin construction on Mercado Walk at Palencia. Last year Joyce acquired a 6.3-acre site from Hines. The site is located along Paseo Reyes Drive just north of the main entrance to Palencia.

This signature commercial development will include both retail and office space in one- and two-story buildings integrated within a pedestrian-friendly village environment.

"With the tremendous growth in and around Palencia, and Northern St. Johns County, this is a perfect location for retail shops, financial institutions, restaurants, office space and many of the basic services the area is beginning to desire and need," said John Joyce, group president. "Mercado Walk's architectural style conveys the same Spanish heritage found in the nearby Village Center and throughout Palencia and nearby St. Augustine."

The First Coast Chapter of the Florida Planning & Zoning Association recently honored Palencia, a Hines' master-planned community, with the Design Award for most innovative large-scale private development. Palencia has been recognized as Best Master Planned Community by the Florida Home Builders Association and the National Association of Home Builders cited Palencia for Best Smart Growth Community with a prestigious Best In America Living Award.

"Hines is honored to receive these honors for Palencia, a community which we feel was designed to significantly contribute to the quality of life throughout Northeast Florida and in particular for the residents of the community," said Roman Stephens, Palencia project manager.

Roads, boardwalks, hiking trails and walking paths allow the residents of Palencia access to a wide range of residential, recreational and retail delights. Neighborhoods incorporate boardwalks that keep children off the main roads and allow them to experience the natural landscape.

An intricate network of hiking and bike trails serve as passageways to breathtaking Intracoastal views and numerous neighborhood parks. And all paths, paved and unpaved, lead to the community's central social and recreational hub, Spanish-influenced village center that incorporates open green spaces and lake views with upscale retail and dining venues.

The private golf club encompasses 33,000 square feet and features a luxurious members-only dining room, a bar and grill overlooking the spectacular ninth and 18th greens and banquet facilities. The Cafe on the Green, prominently located with a breathtaking view of the ninth hole, is open to the public.

Palencia's swim and fitness facility has something for everyone, from the active pool, wading pool and tower slide to the elegant leisure pool. The fitness center, complete with dedicated aerobics and weight rooms, well-appointed men's and women's locker rooms, sauna and steam rooms, massage room and a children's play room, provides residents with access to a full-service amenity. Tennis enthusiasts soon will enjoy the tennis complex, home to Har-Tru clay courts and a covered pavilion area.

Palencia residents also may obtain a membership to the Serenata Beach Club, Ponte Vedra's newest and most exclusive private ocean club. Residents have the opportunity to interact with nature and enjoy the wonderful views by accessing an extensive network of boardwalks that reach out to a handful of preserved natural islands along the Intracoastal.

Hines is a privately owned, international real estate firm involved in real estate investment, development and property management. The Hines portfolio of projects under way, completed, acquired or managed for third parties includes almost 900 properties representing more than 345 million square feet of office, residential, mixed-use, industrial, hotel, medical and sports facilities, as well as large, master-planned communities and land developments. With offices in 68 U.S. cities and 14 foreign countries, and controlled assets valued at approximately $12.5 billion, Hines is one of the largest private real estate organizations in the world. Visit www.hines.com for more information.

To visit this award-winning, mix-use community, take U.S. 1 south to Palencia Village Drive, east of International Golf Parkway in St. Johns County. The Palencia sales and information center is located approximately 1 mile inside the entrance. The center is open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information call (904) 810-0500 or visit Palencia online at www.VivaPalencia.com.