Jacksonville, FL Community Information

New luxury and market-rate projects, including upscale apartments, condos, lofts, garden homes and townhouses and historic building conversions are adding depth to the downtown area. New residential activity downtown is expected to bring about 2,200 new homes by 2010, while a total of 10,000 homes are projected by 2013. The housing trend brings with it the next wave of entrepreneurial opportunity —more loft, condo and multi-use developments that include residential, retail and office space.

Downtown Jacksonville has undergone dramatic changes in the past five years, and its renaissance harkens back to a time when living on Laura Street and in the historic Springfield and Brooklyn areas was in vogue. From a new baseball stadium and the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville to ongoing development projects along the banks of the St. Johns River, the transformation of downtown is well underway.

Traditional and charming, the city's first suburbs included Riverside, Avondale, San Marco, San Jose, Springfield and Ortega. These neighborhoods, set along lovely, tree-lined streets, offer unique character and the tranquility of a bygone era. Housing options range from grand mansions along the riverfront to newly refurbished bungalows. The Riverside and Avondale communities make up the nation's largest historic district with 6,000 structures. Popular styles in the architecturally diverse neighborhoods include Mediterranean Revival, Florida Vernacular, Prairie School and traditional Queen Anne/Colonial Revival.

Drive in any direction from the city and you'll find new construction homes on the market. Choose from upscale gated communities for active adults or contemporary and older dwellings in established areas such as Fleming Island, North Jacksonville, Yulee, Westside, Green Cove Springs, Baymeadows, Gateway, Fruit Cove and Arlington. Each community offers its own appeal and housing options that fit almost any budget.

National Geographic Adventure magazine ranked Jacksonville as one of the top six beach towns in the United States, and nearby Amelia Island was recently listed among the Top 10 North American Islands by Conde Nast Traveler's Reader's Choice Awards. With 90 miles of mostly undeveloped coastline extending from Amelia Island southward to St. Augustine, Florida's northeastern coastal communities of Fernandina, Mayport, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Ponte Vedra offer a low-key, outdoors lifestyle.

Wherever you go in metropolitan Jacksonville, you won't have a hard time finding your dream home. So grab your sun block and begin your Jacksonville real estate search today!

'Sources and more information:
http://www.myjaxchamber.com/index.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacksonville,_Florida
http://www.visitjacksonville.com/