Nassau's Enduring Allure

Today, Florida's northernmost barrier island is a 13.5-mile-long slice of heaven to visitors and to year-round residents, who are attracted by the funky charm of Fernandina Beach, the state's second-oldest city, along with pristine shoreline boasting 40-foot dunes, numerous historic sites, expansive state parks, world-class resorts, championship golf courses and a plethora of festivals.

In fact, for years Amelia Island has been where the bulk of Nassau County's residential growth has occurred. That's still true, although more inland subdivisions are sprouting up as island acreage becomes scarce and expensive.

Nassau County's proverbial 500-pound-gorilla in real estate circles has been-and still is-venerable Amelia Island Plantation, a 1,350-acre resort and residential community founded in 1973 at the island's southernmost tip.

A model for environmentally sensitive development, the Plantation still retains 80 percent of its original tree cover and its beaches remain secluded and uncrowded. Offering every conceivable amenity-54 holes of golf, 22 tennis courts, a fitness complex, an aquatic center, walking trails and nature preserves-the Plantation shows no signs of slowing down.

How dominant is the Plantation? As recently as 2002, the dollar volume of home sales inside its gates accounted for more than 25 percent of the county's total-$107 million out of $403 million in transactions countywide.

"We had a record year last year, and that makes seven record years in a row," says Norman Bray, vice president of the Amelia Island Company, developers of the Plantation.

Although the Plantation is nearing buildout, several new projects are planned for the property, including Dunes Club Villas, offering posh oceanfront condominium units beginning at $1.2 million. Another condominium project, Spyglass Villas, will get under way early next year.

Certainly the Plantation will continue to get the lion's share of the market for the foreseeable future, in large part because there are no more vast oceanfront tracts left to develop. However a variety of new-home options on the island are designed with baby-boomers in mind.

Hot-selling Amelia Park, for example, is a Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) featuring historically styled architecture, narrow streets, public parks and a town center with shopping.

Developers Joel Embry and Michael Antonopoulus were determined that the 421-unit, mixed-use project blend as seamlessly as possible into the surrounding area, and drew inspiration from nearby Fernandina Beach, which boasts a 50-block historic district containing lovingly restored Victorian homes, specialty shops and some of Northeast Florida's best restaurants.

Embry and Antonopoulus also consulted with neighborhood planner Andres Duany of Duany Plater-Zyberk, the architectural firm that launched the TND movement. Brian Lendry, founder and CEO of Brylen Homes, is the builder. He notes that the project's single-family homes, townhomes and apartments combine retro exterior styling with floorplans reflecting modern lifestyles.

"People always say they'd love to go back to Grandma's house, but they'd never really want to live there," says Lendry. "That's why the homes in Amelia Park combine nostalgia with accommodations for how people live today."

Like most TNDs, Amelia Park homes have standard detached rear-loaded garages. But many buyers are choosing to add optional apartments above the garages. These 400- to 600-square-foot units, which have separate electric meters and addresses, may be rented but are more typically used as residences for extended family members-hence the name "granny flats."

Prices in Amelia Park start in the $200s, although single-family homes with all the bells and whistles can command considerably more. Still, that's relatively affordable for the panache of an Amelia Island address.

Perhaps surprisingly considering the island's trendiness, there's still a significant, if shrinking, inventory of modestly priced homes. According to the Amelia Island-Greater Nassau County Association of Realtors, as of late May there were 61 homes listed for sale at less than $200,000. That total included both new homes and resales.

Certainly, living on the island has considerable appeal. Fernandina Beach, sitting at the island's northern tip, is one of Florida's most picturesque and laid-back cities, unique in that it has retained cultural influences from its British, Spanish and French rulers while creating an ambiance distinctly its own.

Among Fernandina Beach's most popular hangouts is the Palace Saloon, at the corner of Centre and 2nd streets. Built in 1878, it is thought to be the state's oldest saloon housed in one location. In the early 20th century, clientele included members of the Rockefeller, Carnegie and duPont families.

Fernandina Beach is also home to the Isle of Eight Flags Fernandina Beach Shrimp Festival, which attracts some 150,000 visitors annually and salutes what is still a major industry on the island-nearly 80 percent of Florida's Atlantic white shrimp are harvested here.

Also on eclectic Amelia Island is the luxurious Ritz-Carlton, which operates a five-diamond restaurant and an oceanside golf course.

The Ritz actually sits within the borders of Summer Beach, an amenity rich resort development that offers everything from beachfront condominiums to luxury single-family homes. New at Summer Beach is Phase I of The Villas, an 18-unit condominium project in three Mediterranean-style buildings. Prices begin in the high $200s, and sales are brisk according to developer Phil Catanzaro.

"All of our Summer Beach projects are doing extremely well," says Catanzaro, who adds that a 140-unit courtyard/townhome project called The Preserve at Summer Beach is next on the drawing board. "We haven't had a dropoff in business at all."

Further south is historic American Beach, which was developed in the 1930s by A.L. Lewis, founder of the Afro-American Life Insurance Company. American Beach became a thriving resort community for blacks, who were then excluded from the area's public beaches.

But while the island's allure is undiminished, inland developments around the Nassau County communities of Hilliard, Callahan and Yulee are also gaining in popularity. "People just don't want to live on top of each other," notes Clyde Goodbread, executive vice president of the realtors association, who points out that Nassau's mainland offers larger lots in a rural setting.

Hilliard and Callahan, family-oriented small towns located in western Nassau County, are emerging as ideal bedroom communities for Jacksonville and King's Bay, Georgia. The rustic atmosphere is enhanced by the fact that much of the surrounding land consists of as-yet undeveloped forestland owned by commercial interests

Yulee is perhaps best known as the home of White Oak Plantation, a private resort owned by a trust tied to the Gilman Paper Company. President Clinton stayed there in 1998, prompting even some Floridians to break out their maps in search of the low-key unincorporated community.

But the Yulee area is quietly growing, with new developments such as Arnold Ridge, Flora Parke, Meadowfield, North Hampton Oyster Bay Harbors and Page Hill offering competitively priced homes in a lovely setting. Retailers such as Wal-Mart and Home Depot have followed.

Even the Amelia Island Company is moving inland-"across the bridge," as locals refer to it-with an upscale single-family project called Brady Point Preserve, where lots will be in excess of one acre in size. Marshfront and lakefront homes will likely top $2 million, according to Bray, who adds that Nassau County "is just exploding."

Maybe so, but the pace still seems leisurely enough from the ornate, 40-foot-long bar at the Palace Saloon. Yes ma'am, we'll have another round.