RiverTown, Busting at the Seams

[Metro Jacksonville]

RiverTown, "Bustin' at the Seams."



Having sat through several years of inactivity, RiverTown is suddenly bursting from it's boundaries in a rapid and rather massive building boom. Metro Jacksonville's Robert Mann provides us with a visual tour of St. Johns County's RiverTown

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2013-jan-rivertown-bustin-at-the-seams

[dougskiles]

Impressive.  And just think how much money St Johns County is getting for their schools and infrastructure with each new home, about $12,000.  Doesn't seem to be scaring people away.

[fieldafm]

Impressive.  And just think how much money St Johns County is getting for their schools and infrastructure with each new home, about $12,000.  Doesn't seem to be scaring people away.

Rivertown is a CDD.

34 home sites have been completed (46 have been sold) in this development that is platted for around 4500 sites.  Nocatee and Durbin Crossing are still by far the more healthy master communities in the area in terms of new growth.  Most of the construction happening at Rivertown is infrastructure related from bonds sold through the CDD.  In today's environment, it has been cost advantageous for Joe to move forward with these projects and have used some of their cash on hand to pay down some of this bond debt.

[Charles Hunter]

The text sounds like it came from Rivertown promotional material.  Have they solved their chronic river siltation problem?  That said, nice looking homes and amenities.

[Noone]

I want to join that kid on the fishing pier. Thanks for the update Bob.

[CityLife]

Field, Rivertown is a CDD, but the builders still pay impact fees and residents still pay property taxes to the county.

As for the busting at the seems comment, kind of irresponsible to say when Nocatee and Durbin Crossing are blowing it out of the water. Nocatee is miles and miles ahead of Rivertown right now and seems to be growing steadily. My brother in law is a builder there and says they are really busy with no slowing in site.

That said, I do like the Old Florida feel that St. Joe has gone for with RiverTown. They have also attempted to stay true to TND principles, but I have reason to believe the lack of a market is going to make them modify some of their neighborhood plans.

[cline]

The text sounds like it came from Rivertown promotional material.  Have they solved their chronic river siltation problem?

+1 Hardly classify a clubhouse and a handful of houses as busting at the seams but whatever.  As for the silt problem, I think they just decided to continually pay the fine instead of actually spending the money to fix the problem. 

[fieldafm]

Field, Rivertown is a CDD, but the builders still pay impact fees and residents still pay property taxes to the county.

As for the busting at the seems comment, kind of irresponsible to say when Nocatee and Durbin Crossing are blowing it out of the water. Nocatee is miles and miles ahead of Rivertown right now and seems to be growing steadily. My brother in law is a builder there and says they are really busy with no slowing in site.

That said, I do like the Old Florida feel that St. Joe has gone for with RiverTown. They have also attempted to stay true to TND principles, but I have reason to believe the lack of a market is going to make them modify some of their neighborhood plans.

I was aware that residents still paid ad valorum taxes... but I thought the master development paid a mitigation fee up front... so, they still have to pay a fee per building pemit pulled?

Joe has some nice communities.  I wouldnt want to rely on SR13 when the Rivertown community gets built out... and as noted, they have some significant environmental concerns with that development... but places like WaterColor (which I vacation at regularly) in the Destin area and Southwod in Tallahassee are really nice places to live if that's the style of living in which you prefer. 

[John P]

Why is this article titled "bustin at the seams" when theres 30 homes built out of 4000 and why does this feel like a commericial for the developer?

[CityLife]

Field, Rivertown is a CDD, but the builders still pay impact fees and residents still pay property taxes to the county.

As for the busting at the seems comment, kind of irresponsible to say when Nocatee and Durbin Crossing are blowing it out of the water. Nocatee is miles and miles ahead of Rivertown right now and seems to be growing steadily. My brother in law is a builder there and says they are really busy with no slowing in site.

That said, I do like the Old Florida feel that St. Joe has gone for with RiverTown. They have also attempted to stay true to TND principles, but I have reason to believe the lack of a market is going to make them modify some of their neighborhood plans.

I was aware that residents still paid ad valorum taxes... but I thought the master development paid a mitigation fee up front... so, they still have to pay a fee per building pemit pulled?

Joe has some nice communities.  I wouldnt want to rely on SR13 when the Rivertown community gets built out... and as noted, they have some significant environmental concerns with that development... but places like WaterColor (which I vacation at regularly) in the Destin area and Southwod in Tallahassee are really nice places to live if that's the style of living in which you prefer.

The developers and builders may have prepaid some of their impact fees and may have credits from SJC, but they still do pay impact fees on a per home basis. The fees are either coming from pre-payment, credits, or in cash at the time of each building permit being pulled.

Agreed on St. Joe's other communities. They've done some great stuff on the Panhandle. Unfortunately growth patterns and traffic issues are a major hindrance to RiverTown getting going. As pretty as the St. Johns is, you can't beat the preserves along the Intercoastal in northern SJC, as well as proximity to PVB, and easier access to DT Jax, St. Augustine, and the TownCenter/SS.

[If_I_Loved_you]

Why is this article titled "bustin at the seams" when theres 30 homes built out of 4000 and why does this feel like a commericial for the developer?

Amen!

[If_I_Loved_you]

Hey Stephen whats up with this Re: RiverTown, \ ? And why does it come with my post and John P post and no one else who has posted to this thread?

[fieldafm]

The developers and builders may have prepaid some of their impact fees and may have credits from SJC, but they still do pay impact fees on a per home basis. The fees are either coming from pre-payment, credits, or in cash at the time of each building permit being pulled.

How are they getting trip credits per home then unless they paid up front?  I could see trip credits in the commercial portion b/c a lot of those vehicle trips could be shown to have been absorbed when buildout of the Bartram Trail High School roadway/infrastructure was built.

I was under the impression that these fees were paid when Joe cleared the land out, so I am trying to clear up that apparent misconception on my part. 

[Ocklawaha]

As for the busting at the seems comment, kind of irresponsible to say when Nocatee and Durbin Crossing are blowing it out of the water.

Seam : a line, groove, or ridge formed by the abutment of edges.

The edges (native forests to developed area) of the community have remained static for years, virtually all of the growth, infrastructure, parks, roads, and new houses has sprung to life in the last few months. Thus the 'edges' or 'seams' of the community have been broached by a new frenzy of development.

Rivertown Baseball Grounds

The Creeks Baseball Club is proud of the new facility we call home. Rivertown Baseball grounds has four first class fields with batting cages and bull pens for training and teaching fundamental of baseball.

Field number 1 is our Showcase field that hosts 8U through 12U teams. With 60 to 70 ft base paths along with 40 through 50 ft pitching mounds available, Field number 1 is quickly adjusted to the proper specs by age group. This field has a 6 ft fence at 225 ft through out the outfield and covered stadium seating.

Fields number 2 and 3 are set up to also host 8U through 12U teams. With 60 to 70 ft base paths along with 40 through 50 ft pitching mounds available, Field number 1 is quickly adjusted to the proper specs by age group. These fields have a 6 ft fence at 200 ft through out the outfield and stadium seating.

Field number 4 is our big field that hosts our 13U through 16U teams. This field has the classic set up with a 4 ft fence that is 300 ft that is challenging for this age group, however allows for the offensive power to come into play. Stadium seating is also provided here

All venues have Bermuda Grass and Crushed Brick Clay. The care for the fields come from the Creeks Baseball Club and St. Johns County Park and Recreaction.

Rivertown does indeed pay more then a passing salute to 'old Florida', IMO it's attention to detail seems to me superior to any other similar project in the area.

[Adam W]

I used to date a girl who grew up right around there - she lived in a house on the water in Orangedale. It's kind of sad for me to see this new development blighting the landscape around there - I'm sure her old house is no longer. But I guess that's the way of the world.

It looks worse than the third circle of hell to me, but better than a lot of other developments I've seen. To each his own, I guess.