Jacksonville New Homes on Florida’s First Coast

When you think Florida and cosmopolitan, Jacksonville may still not be the first city that comes to mind.  But when the city became host for Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005, it suddenly found itself out from under the shadows of Miami and Tampa and smack dab in the media spotlight. Who knew Jacksonville had so much to offer?  It took years of planning and building around one of the city’s natural assets, its location on the St. Johns River, to transform Jacksonville into the eclectic, metropolitan mecca that it is today.  

Jacksonville, FL Homes for Sale

With more than 800,000 residents, Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida and the 14th largest city in the U.S., according to 2006 census estimates.  And believe it or not, Jacksonville has more actual land mass than any other city in the continguous 48 states  - a total of 841 square miles within its city limits.  But the story of Jacksonville is about more than it size. The city’s unique appeal is its eclectic nature: river atmosphere, cosmopolitan edge, southern culture, coastal ease and the rich history of Florida’s First Coast.  For someone looking for new homes in Florida, Jacksonville has it all: from luxury condos and high-rises near its city center, to custom-built new home communities, to grand old historic homes exuding southern charm, to beach communities and coastal retreats.  

With a median home price of $195,581, no state income tax and a relatively low cost-of-living, Jacksonville is an affordable place to shop for new homes for sale.  Forbes considers Jacksonville a good place to find a job, placing the city in the #41 spot on its list of Best Places for Business and Careers.  The city’s downtown core is the insurance and financial center of northeast Florida.  With the largest deep water port in the South, four modern port facilities including the country’s newest cruise port, Jacksonville serves as a major, full-service, international seaport.  The city’s economy is well-diversified with biomedical industries, consumer goods, information services and manufacturing all contributing to its healthy business environment.

A River Runs Through It

Jacksonville’s waterfront draws people downtown.  One of the most visited venues is Jacksonville Landing - an entertainment hub with shopping, dining and live entertainment.  The Riverwalk, stretching more than two miles on the north and south banks of the St. Johns, attracts walkers, runners and outdoor lovers.  Metropolitan Park is a family favorite, with picnic space, open-air concerts, children’s play area and two-story overlook of the river.

Having Fun in Jacksonville

Outdoor Recreation

With 68 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline, 300 miles of river and over 57,000 acres of parks, outdoor recreational opportunities abound.  Jacksonville ranks first among U.S. cities in gross park acres, and the variety of park experiences run the gamut from nature parks with oak forests, to biking, hiking and horse trails, to salt marshes and boat ramps.  Along the Atlantic Ocean east of the city, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach and Jacksonville Beach offer miles of wide, white-sand beaches and opportunities to enjoy sport fishing, boating and water sports.

With all the golf courses in and around the city, golf enthusiasts could play one round, seven days a week for almost two months before they tried out every course.  In March, over 35,000 fans flock to see the world’s top golfers shoot it out in the annual PGA’s Players Championship.

Jacksonville Zoo

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (www.jaxzoo.org), covering 120 acres along the St. Johns River, boasts the second largest collection of wild life in the state with more than 1,000 exotic animals.  Features include “Plains of East Africa” - a walking safari, “Wild Florida” - a Florida wetlands attraction, “Australian Adventure,” “Range of the Jaguar” - sponsored by the owners of Jacksonville’s NFL team, “Savannah Blooms” botanical gardens and the Play Park for kids.

Sports

Jacksonville is a football town and the fans love their Jaguars.  Alltell Stadium is the center of the city’s sports complex and home to the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL.  In 2005, Jacksonville and Alltell Stadium hosted Super Bowl XXXIX.  The stadium is also site of two annual classic football events - the annual Southeastern Conference showdown between the Florida Gators and the Georgia Bulldogs, and the Gator Bowl.

Expanding its sports complex, the city built a new ballpark facility to serve as home for its minor league baseball team - the Jacksonville Suns.  The Baseball Grounds can seat 10,000 fans.

Completion of the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena (seating capacity 16,000) allows the city to attract and compete for national level entertainment and national hockey and basketball sporting events.

Culture & the Arts

For indoor enlightenment, Jacksonville has three major museums to explore.  The most visited museum, called “the MOSH” (The Museum of Science & History - www.themosh.org), features many award-winning and interactive exhibits.  Explore 12,000 years of northeast Florida history in the Currents of Time and study about mammals native to First Coast’s waterways in Atlantic Tails.  Visit native creatures like turtles, baby alligators, snakes, owls and birds in Florida’s Naturalist Center and experience science in action at the museum’s state-of-the-art Universe of Science exhibit.

Cummer Museum of Art (www.cummer.org) is the largest fine arts museum in northeast Florida, housing world-class art and collections spanning from 2100 B.C. through the 21st century. Its collection includes European and American sculpture and paintings from ancient, medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Impressionist and Modern Art periods.  Museum grounds are planted with formal English and Italian gardens that span along a stretch of the St. Johns River.

Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville (www.mocajacksonville.org) houses five changing exhibition galleries and a permanent collection of nearly 800 works of art, including painting, printmaking, sculpture and photography.

The first Wednesday of every month, Downtown Vision sponsors the Art Walk, bringing Jacksonville residents downtown to appreciate the local talent of the city’s art community.  Several independent venues withing a six-block radius serve as hosts for original works, and many galleries provide guests live music, food and drink.  There is no cost to attend and parking is free.

Between Florida Theatre, Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts and the Nathan H. Wilson Center for the Arts, Jacksonville has plenty of high-brow entertainment available including the Florida Ballet, Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Broadway plays and opera performances.

The river city of Jacksonville has a lot to offer: big-city life, arts and culture, historical interest and coastal communities with white-sand beaches.  If you want to relocate to a metropolitan city with warm weather and southern charm, check out Jacksonville new homes for sale.

[tag] Jacksonville FL Homes, Jacksonville Homes for Sale, Jacksonville New Homes, New Homes for Sale in Jacksonville FL [/tag]

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