JAX 101

Jacksonville, geographically the largest city in area in the continental United States, is a rapidly growing metropolitan area, with a total population of almost 1.4 million. It also has the youngest population of any city in Florida, with a median age of 37. And the multicultural population has been growing more than 2 percent each year, which is twice the national average.

But numbers, of course, tell only part of the story. When you consider all the quality-of-life benefits Northeast Florida has to offer, Jacksonville definitely lives up to its reputation as one of the “Top 10 Best Cities for Relocating Families,” a designation given by Mobility magazine.

Residents of all ages have plenty of opportunities to enjoy life to the fullest, whether they visit the area’s spectacular sandy beaches, attend cultural events, dine at a signature restaurant or cheer on their favorite team in asports arena.

Every year, Florida Homebuyer Jacksonville presents an encyclopedia for newcomers and longtimers alike. So in this article, you’ll hopefully learn everything about Northeast Florida youneed to know. If we’ve left anything out, call us at (904) 724- 3330 or email us at penelopeg@florida-homebuyer.com.

EMPLOYMENT
Northeast Florida has a highly skilled, youthful and diverse workforce that can meet the needs of expanding businesses. According to figures compiled by Cornerstone, the economic development arm of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce, more than 689,651 are employed in a variety of industries across Northeast Florida. In fact, Jacksonville is home to more than 80 corporate and regional headquarters, including three Fortune 500 corporations.

The region also has a thriving small business community; more than 90 percent of Jacksonville businesses have fewer than 50 employees. Some of the area’s top employers include school systems, hospitals and the Navy.

With great weather, proximity to the coast and a favorable tax environment, the Jacksonville area draws number of relocating companies each year. Following are some of the major announcements made in 2009-2010:
> Adecco announced an expansion in its corporate office, adding 100 new jobs.
> Digital Risk expanded its mortgage risk mitigation business, adding 300 new jobs.
> Flightstar announced a new aircraft maintenance facility, adding 200 new jobs and $25 million in capital investment.
> Interline Brands expanded to another distribution center, adding 70 new jobs and more than $3 million in capital investment.
> Lender Processing Services expanded its financial services operations, adding 350 new jobs.
> Mercedes-Benz consolidated its Florida and Georgia operations in a new distribution center, adding 98 new jobs and $24 million in capital investment.
> North Florida Shipyards received funds from the Recovery Zone Program and is adding 246 new jobs and $7.7 million in capital investment.
> Ocean Galley Seafood in Clay County expanded its distribution center, adding 30 new jobs and $4 million in capital investment.
> PNC Bank opened a new mortgage banking operations center, adding 200 new jobs.
> The Boeing Company expanded its military aircraft modification and maintenance facility, adding 35 new jobs and $500,000 in capital investment.

In addition, Hillwood, a Texas-based commercial real-estate investor and developer, has been selected by the city to serve as Master Developer of 4,474 acres at Cecil Commerce Center.

Hillwood will work with the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission to direct redevelopment and rebranding of the property as Alliance Florida at Cecil Commerce Center. Over time, the development is projected to add at least $425 million to the City’s tax base — and potentially more than $648 million as economic conditions improve.

HOUSING
From charming historic areas to amenity-rich, masterplanned communities, a variety of housing options are available across Northeast Florida. In Jacksonville, the downtown now boasts condominiums, garden homes, townhomes and loft apartments as well as lovingly restored historic homes in the infill neighborhoods of Springfield, Riverside/Avondale and San Marco.

Clay and St. Johns counties are home to many master-planned communities with mixed-use town centers.
If you’re seeking a rural lifestyle, parts of northern Duval County remain sparsely populated while there are still wide-open spaces in Nassau, St. Johns, Baker and Camden counties as well.

Of course, one of the region’s primary draws is water, including the Atlantic Ocean. The communities comprising the Jacksonville Beaches—Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach—and neighboring beaches in St. Augustine, Flagler County and Nassau County provide an ideal coastal lifestyle.

SPORTS
Northeast Floridians love sports and sporting events. In addition to the beloved NFL Jacksonville Jaguars, the following events and teams rank high on lists of local favorites:
> The Players Championship
> The Florida-Georgia Football Classic
> The Jacksonville Suns Baseball
> The MPS Group Tennis Championship at Sawgrass
> The Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament
> The Gate River Run
> The Progressive Gator Bowl
> College sports at Jacksonville University (the Dolphins), the University of North Florida (the Ospreys) and Edward waters College (the Tigers)

CULTURE AND THE ARTS
Jacksonville boasts an active and thriving culture and arts community. The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is the largest fine arts museum in Northeast Florida and home to more than 6,000 pieces while Jacksonville’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) is one of the largest contemporary art institutions in the Southeast.

The performing arts in Jacksonville take center stage at The Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts, a state-of-the-art facility encompassing three venues.

In addition to hosting concerts and traveling Broadway shows, it’s also the permanent home of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra.

The Ritz Theatre and LaVilla Museum features African-American- related exhibits and performances including “AmateurNight at the Ritz,” one of the most popular talent showcases in Jacksonville where the audience picks the winners.

The Florida Theatre, a landmark in the heart of downtown, first opened its doors to the public in 1927 and since then has hosted a galaxy of stars, including Elvis Presley, whose first concert on an indoor stage was at the venerable venue in 1956. The Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, a 15,000-seat multi-purpose venue, also welcomes big-name artists such as Elton John. The facility is also slated to host the 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

Northeast Florida’s events calendar is packed year-round with events celebrating the holidays, history and a diversity of cultures. Music-lovers won’t want to miss the annual Jacksonville Jazz Festival, held downtown at various outdoor venues and in the historic Florida Theatre. One of the largest jazz events in the world, this four-day celebration has welcomed such wide-ranging jazz and blues artists as Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Guy, Harry Connick, Jr., Grover Washington, Jr., the Robert Cray Band, Kenny G, the Manhattan Transfer and Spyro Gyra. A prestigious jazz piano competition is also a highlight of the event.

Over the summer, grab your passport and experience international sights, sounds and tastes at the world of Nations Celebration, a festival that celebrates the rich cultural traditions and unique heritage of people from around the world. And for those with an appetite for seafood, the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival in Fernandina Beach is a don’t-miss. Did you know Jacksonville was once a mecca for production of silent films? The city continues to celebrate its film industry heritage with an annual Film Festival, during which both independent and big-budget movies are screened.

Historical and special interest museums in the region include: The Amelia Island Museum of History, the Camp Blanding Museum & Memorial Park, Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas National Monuments, Florida State College at Jacksonville Kent Campus Museum/Gallery, the Jacksonville Maritime Museum Society, the Kingsley Plantation, the Lightner Museum, the Museum of Science & History, the Museum of weapons and Early American History, the Oldest House Museum, the St.Augustine Lighthouse & Museum, the St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine, the Sojourner Truth Library Museum, the Ft. Caroline National Memorial and world Golf Hall of Fame.

RANKINGS
We don’t mean to brag—but we think some of the notable honors Jacksonville received over the last several years are worth mentioning.
> Forbes.com ranked Jacksonville among the Top Ten Best Cities to Buy a Home
> Mobility magazine listed Jacksonville in the top 10 Best Cities for Relocating Families.
> Forbes magazine ranked Jacksonville fourth on its list of America’s Best Cities for the Outdoors as well as Top 10 Best U.S. Cities to Find a Job.
> Newsweek ranked Jacksonville’s Stanton College Preparatory School and Paxon School for Advanced Studies as the fourth and sixth best high schools in the nation in its compilation of America’s Best High Schools.
> Inc magazine ranked Jacksonville among its dozen Best Large Cities for Business.
> U.S. News & World Report ranked four Northeast Florida high schools in the top 10 percent in its compilation of Best High Schools of 2008.
> A Fit Pregnancy study ranked Jacksonville 11th among Best Cities in American to Raise a Family and 11th for Most Stroller-Friendly City.
> Money Magazine ranked Flagler County third in its compilation of Best Places to Live/ Where the Jobs Are.
> National Geographic Adventure magazine ranked Jacksonville as one of the Top Six Beach Towns in the U.S.
> Black Enterprise magazine ranked Jacksonville among the Top 10 Best Cities for African Americans to Work, Live and Play.

PARKS AND NATURE
Jacksonville is immensely proud of the mighty St. Johns River, which has for centuries shaped its geography and its spirit. Stretching 310 miles, the St. Johns is the longest river in Florida and one of the few rivers in the United States that flows north. The source of the river, or its headwaters, is a large marshy area in Indian River County, south of Melbourne. It flows north and turns eastward at Jacksonville before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Mayport. The total drop of the river from its source to its mouth is less than 30 feet, or about one inch per mile, making it one of the “laziest” rivers in the world.

Saltwater enters the riverat its mouth. In periods of lowwater, tides may cause a reverseflow as far south as Lake Monroe,which is 161 miles upstream.The St. Johns basin is actuallyan ancient intracoastallagoon system. As sea levelsdropped, barrier islands becamean obstacle that prevented waterfrom flowing east to the ocean.

Instead, the water collected in the flat valley and slowly meandered northward for about 300 miles. This eventually formed the St. Johns River. Jacksonville has an extensive park system with almost 84,000 acres or 131 square miles of city, state and national parks— larger than the city of San Francisco. The city also has several new outdoor recreational projects in the works. The 10-footwide Timucuan Preserve multiuse walking/biking/riding trail, which first opened in 2005, will span about 15 miles from Hanna Park to Amelia Island State Park when completed.

Also under way is a new boat ramp at Cedar Point and a northsouth bike trail that will link Jennings State Park to Cary State Park and cross the east-west Jacksonville/Baldwin Rail Trail. Castaway Island is one of the newest park initiatives, located in south Jacksonville between Beach and Atlantic boulevards on San Pablo Road.

Also in the works is Camp Milton Historical Preserve, another preservation park that borders the Jacksonville/Baldwin Rail Trail on the Jacksonville side.