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Around Oakleaf Plantation
Established in 2002, Oakleaf's series of residential communities could eventually include 11,000 homes at buildout.
Oakleaf Plantation is designed with decent density. Unfortunately, the community is a combination of single access oriented residential developments, where neighborhoods next door do not connect.
Land set aside for future commercial development. 
The future football field of Oakleaf's high school, which is currently under construction.
Oakleaf Town Center
Completed in 2007, Oakleaf Town Center is anchored by Target, Kohl's and Home Depot. The development also features a "miniature Main Street" as its centerpiece and main entrance. The 800,000 square foot shopping center is located at Argyle Forest Boulevard and Old Middleburg Road.
Images by Ennis Davis
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jandar
April 23, 2009, 08:22:06 AMUm, someone miss the editor button?
It straddles Duval and Clay, not Duval and St Johns.
thelakelander
April 23, 2009, 08:27:58 AMNice catch. That definitely needs to be changed.
fsujax
April 23, 2009, 08:35:12 AMNocatee would be Duval St Johns county line.
reednavy
April 23, 2009, 08:55:02 AMI really love the abandoned, not finished home that was under construction with the broken streetlight out front. Adds a touch of hood to the burbs.
JeffreyS
April 23, 2009, 09:05:22 AMThose unfinished home sat vacant for months but just last week some took over pulling off the damaged wood and completing construction.
willydenn
April 23, 2009, 09:39:05 AMWhat kind of siding are they using on the homes? Was that aluminum?
Dapperdan
April 23, 2009, 10:06:55 AMI am considering living in Oakleaf as I like its location and quick access to 10 and then downtown. It has most stores and grocery that you would need, so you would rarely need to venture out to Blanding.
comncense
April 23, 2009, 10:26:04 AMI used to live out there, about a block away from the Town Center. It was nice to have most of what you need in that area. However, the one thing I hate was that it seems like it takes FOREVER to get out of there. I work over in Baymeadows, so leaving for work in the morning would take at least 20 mins to get from my house to just the front of Blanding. I always avoided going 10 because I hate the 10/95 merger. If you can deal with not having really quick access to 10, 95 and 295, it's definitely a nice place to live.
fsu813
April 23, 2009, 11:49:06 AMi don't think anyone would consider it "quick" access to Downtown
Dapperdan
April 23, 2009, 11:59:01 AMTo me it is quicker than try to get to downtown from Orange Park. You can hit Brannen Field- Chaffee then get to 10 while avoiding Blanding all together.
Bike Jax
April 23, 2009, 01:17:30 PMOne word: Stepford
Deuce
April 23, 2009, 01:23:02 PMI would definitely not call it quick to downtown.
The siding and those fake ass shutters. Horrendous!
stjr
April 23, 2009, 04:47:41 PMI drove through there a few months ago. Although, superficially, attractive while new, I am not sure this will stand the test of time. Cheap construction, poor planning, blah architecture. Likely home to future traffic congestion as it builds out. Urban sprawl at its best. Current occupants will move on and values will not hold up. I say it's Arlington-like in 25 years.
TheProfessor
April 23, 2009, 11:02:03 PMConversely I think in 25 years Arlington will be the place to be with its proximity between downtown, the beaches and plethora of river views, along with its 50/60's era infrastructure in place. The southside will become the landlocked suburban ghetto of the future and St.Johns Town Shathole will be a crusty wasteland by then.....
copperfiend
April 24, 2009, 03:31:01 PMThe new Publix is one of the lowest performing stores in Jacksonville. That shopping center is dead.
thelakelander
April 24, 2009, 03:48:17 PMThe Publix next to SJTC or the new one in Oakleaf?
Doctor_K
April 24, 2009, 04:28:29 PMDefinitely not the SJTC location. With its proximity to the rest of the Town Center and it becoming the grocery-of-choice for UNF students, it's booming.
GatorDone
April 24, 2009, 09:48:37 PMI looked really hard at Oakleaf but ultimately choose to build in NE St. John's county. Schools are better than Clay County, although Clay is good, and shopping is not as convenient as the Oakleaf Town Center, home prices are holding up very well compared to Oakleaf and most neighborhoods are being well maintained. Unlike Oakleaf, there is still a lot of construction in St. Johns County. Oakleaf has really gone down hill over the 1 1/2 years I looked out there, the whole feel of the place has really deteriorated between prices, tons of homes for sale or in forclosure, poor home maintenance, the CDD fees, and poor construction, I just couldn't do it. I think it will rebound some but never be what they planned or what it was a few years ago. The good news is that it will provide nice housing options for the Cecil Commerce Center if that ever reaches it's potential and they are working on widening or constructing some very nice 2 and 4 lane roads to I-10.
JeffreyS
April 26, 2009, 08:08:51 AMThe good news for Oakleaf is the construction of Clay St. Vincent's hospital on Brannon Feild hundreds of Jobs. The hope is for the new Cecil developer to bring some more activity to the area.
billy
April 26, 2009, 10:53:23 AMIs the hospital construction moving forward?
JeffreyS
April 26, 2009, 04:26:58 PMThey have not broken ground but they are commited to within 18 months of Clay County approval which was about 5 moths ago.
jandar
April 26, 2009, 09:58:09 PMYup, Supposed to have ground broken by 2010 (or sometime in 2010) or the permit is revoked.
The hospital, more than anything else will help the area grow.
Considering it is a mile from my house, I hope it gets done quickly. I refuse to take my son to Orange Park medical, I would rather drive to Nemours/Baptist. In Clay, you have but 2 choices. Drive to Jax for care, or wait at OP Medical. (great staff, just not equipped to handle the entire county)
The new Publix off of Oakleaf Plantation (not the OLTC one) is very slow. The area has slowed in growth tremendously. But due to this, its my favorite Publix to shop at. I hate lines.
And I agree about Oakleaf houses, overpriced. That's why I built where I did off of Old Jennings. My house would have cost 3 times as much had I built in Oakleaf.
Now only if the jobs (and employers) realize they should/could build in Clay, my commute will suck. But my wife being a teacher in Clay County keeps us out here. I refuse to have my kids in Duval Schools.....
*maybe I should sue the NAACP for all the forced busing I had to deal with and the 1+ hour bus rides daily during my school years.....
CrysG
April 27, 2009, 12:04:10 PMAhhhh Home.....
copperfiend
April 27, 2009, 12:28:06 PMThe new Oakleaf store.
Abhishek
April 28, 2009, 11:27:12 AMDo they also supply a ball and chain to tie you to your car? Can they make condos look any worse? Where are the plans for Mass Transit connecting to other parts of the city in the supposed 'Master Plan' quoted in the article?