So you’ve heard the news, right? That would be the news about what’s coming to Wildlight — a whole other side of the community, immersed in nature and connected to the St. Marys River. (If you haven’t heard, you should hit pause on this story and take a few minutes to watch the video.)
Ok, so if you know that story or at least watched the vid, you know the other side of Wildlight will begin with a place called the Garden District, which will include a variety of neighborhoods, miles of trails and acres upon acres of parks and pure unadulterated nature. And at this point you may be asking yourself a couple questions. Beginning with: exactly what is Wildlight growing into?
In short, Wildlight is becoming a town. That means more than just homes. It means the full spectrum of community. Workplaces. A grocery store. Schools and daycare centers. Banks and boutiques and burger joints. And what that adds up to is a place where you can walk or bike more and drive less. A place that lives like a small town because it is a small town.
Maybe another question is: if the new part of Wildlight is called the Garden District, then what is the existing part of Wildlight called?
Well, we started with the piece of Wildlight that will contain most of the community’s offices, shops and restaurants. It also includes plenty of neighborhoods where you can buy a lovely new home. But because of the businesses that are here and the businesses that are coming, you can think of this first part of Wildlight as the downtown of the community. So, we’re calling it the Town District.
And finally: will Wildlight add more districts after the Garden District?
Yes, over the coming years and decades, Wildlight will continue to grow. And the beautiful thing about Wildlight is how it’s been designed to become even more diverse and interesting as it grows. So at every stage, it will have so much to offer and yet so much more to look forward to.
Finding a new job is hard. But finding a home that’s the right fit for your family can be even more daunting. Add moving to a new city or state to the list. Now that’s a doozy.
With help from Find Your JAX, newcomers and locals alike can find their forever home right here in Northeast Florida. But let’s say you want information from actual residents in a community you’re eyeing – like the Dugan family who live in Wildlight to be exact. We have the perfect video for you.
Why Wildlight?
“It’s a very convenient, comfortable and tranquil place to call home.” – Dugan Family
Convenience
Not only does Wildlight offer an abundance of fresh restaurants and charming retail stores, it’s conveniently located by the robust job market found in Jacksonville. Did we mention that Jacksonville has the #2 trending job market in the U.S.? And let’s not forget that Wildlight is just minutes away from I-95 and I-10 making your commute to and from work a breeze.
Having the #4 rated public elementary school in the state of Florida, Wildlight Elementary School, right in our backyard (literally) is another major perk of our community. Parents can drop their A+ students off on a golf cart or walk them in on a trail. Students also get to enjoy nature during the school day at their outdoor learning center – connecting them back to what Wildlight is all about.
Comfortable
Nothing feels better than coming home to a community that you are safe and comfortable in. Especially when you have a family-focused lifestyle. With five community events and counting, Wildlight is the ideal place to come together with the ones you love. From mornings spent at the Wildlight Market Place, to our very own Run Wild 5k & 10k race, there’s something for every member of the family no matter what the season may be.
Wildlight is a place where everyday feels like vacation, especially with events, family and friends all around the corner. It makes life more comfortable knowing everything you need is right at your fingertips.
Tranquility
Imagine having easy access to 12+ miles of trails and parks with ample green space. That could be your Wildlight reality. We like to call our trailways our main amenities, because after all, who doesn’t love connecting with nature after a busy day? Whether you’re a biker or a hiker, Wildlight has the trails to take on any adventure.
Then there are the parks. We could go on and on about how wild we are about them (check out this article). With four parks here in Wildlight that range from family pools to playgrounds and ponds for fishing, there is always something to see, explore, and experience. There’s recreational equipment for the workout kind and hammocks for the leisure ones.
Calling Wildlight Home
It’s safe to say that Wildlight is the ideal place for convenience, comfortability, and tranquility. If you’re new to Northeast Florida or a local looking for a fresh adventure, add Wildlight to the top of the list.
But don’t just take our word or the Dugan’s family for it. Stop by for a visit and see what Wildlight is all about.
Morning coffee on mom’s porch. A bike ride to baking cookies at grandma’s. A trail hike with Papa. And … let’s talk about a biggie … free babysitters, right in the neighborhood. When the whole family lives at Wildlight, everyone can find the home, along with community events and amenities, that best suits their needs. Along with the best feature of all — relatives right down the street.
Your closest relatives, close by
There’s something special about being just a short walk or bike ride away from family. No need to schedule a family dinner weeks in advance. No rushing through weekend visits. No long drives or fighting traffic. Here, grandparents are close enough to attend every school program — or meet up for an impromptu ice cream cone down in the Village Center. At Wildlight, spontaneous family time is the norm, not the exception. And when you’re just blocks (or a trail) away from one another, the physical proximity can make you feel that much closer. It’s like you’re all living under the same roof … but with the perfect amount of breathing room.
Gathering spots that feel like home
When you live at Wildlight, the community itself feels like an extension of your home. Planning a big family picnic? Head to one of our parks. Don’t feel like cooking? Meet up at one of the restaurants. Love trivia? Mocama hosts weekly themed trivia nights. There’s no shortage of places throughout the neighborhood where you can enjoy the company of those who matter most. (And even get a side of fries or craft beer while you’re at it.)
And then there’s the year-round events that provide more ways to play. Do a family 5K or 10K at the annual Run Wild race. Check out the weekend market place. Even play in the snow (yes, snow) at Winterfest. There’s always something going on here, which means making plans (and memories) just got easier.
Yep, there’s a club for that
Okay, so you can’t spend ALL your time with family. Which is why there are lots of ways to meet your neighbors, too. Whether you’re into games or gardening, books or cooking, there’s a club for almost every interest. Get together for Bunco night. Get in on the pickleball craze. Stay fit while making friends (and exploring the trails of Wildlight) with the Run/Walk club. If you have a hobby, there’s probably a club for it. (And if there’s not, well, we’d love for you to start one!)
So where will everyone live?
At Wildlight, it’s easy to find a home that fits your needs. Families with kids love Riverside Homes single-family homes — with plenty of space to grow, and an easy walk or bike ride to Wildlight Elementary. Dostie Homes’ Village Homes are modern and stylish — and low-maintenance. The new Pulte Homes bungalows in Hawthorn Park are perfect for those just starting out, or empty nesters who are settling down. And if you’re 55+, Del Webb Wildlight is a gated community with its own exclusive clubhouse that offers everything from a pool to a fitness center to a craft room to a bar & grill. In other words, everyone gets the home that suits their life, but they’re all still just a hop, skip or jump (or bike ride) away from each other.
Healthcare and wellness just around the corner
One of the perks of living in Wildlight is that your health and wellness needs can be handled right in the community. UF Health is right in the neighborhood, making doctor’s and physical rehabilitation appointments easy. The Wildlight Y has everything from fitness classes and equipment to an indoor running track to keep you moving. There’s a dance studio to help kids get some creative energy out. And when it’s tooth-cleaning time, Family Dental at Wildlight can take of your smile.
For the school-aged family members
At Wildlight, a great education is a given. Kids can start out at St. Clare Early Learning Center or KinderCare, both ready to help get them prepared for school. And then it’s on to Wildlight Elementary — a top-rated school right in our community. Carpooling just got that much easier.
A whole new kind of family friendly
No matter how big your family, or how old its members, everyone has a place here at Wildlight. We can’t wait to help you find it. (All of you.)
A retail/commercial facility along Florida 200 near a new Wawa is the latest development in the works for the area in and around the master-planned Nassau County community.
Read the full article at the Jacksonville Daily Record.
Read more at the Jacksonville Business Journal.
WILDLIGHT, Fla.—July 16, 2024—Wildlight, a master-planned mixed-use development in Nassau County, today announced its newest Town District neighborhood, Westerly Park. The community’s westernmost neighborhood will feature a new amenity center available to all Wildlight residential association members. David Weekley Homes and Pulte Homes have been selected as the residential homebuilders.
Westerly Park will offer fresh home designs alongside a recreational facility designed to welcome Wildlight families for outdoor entertainment. An open-air pavilion will overlook a family-sized pool adjoining a six-lane lap pool, nestled beside a playground and picnic area. Spacious lawns will further enhance the gathering space, set for resident access by spring 2026. The neighborhood offers close proximity to Wildlight Elementary School and the YMCA at Wildlight.
New to Wildlight, David Weekley Homes will add a mix of townhomes and duplexes situated on 20- to 35-foot homesites, with an expected delivery date of fall 2025. Pulte Homes will present thoughtfully designed floor plans on 50- to 60-foot homesites reflecting Wildlight’s lowcountry aesthetic and is slated to break ground this fall.
“We’re excited to introduce Westerly Park and our plans for a new amenity center, adding to the vibrancy of the Town District,” said Wes Hinton, vice president of Wildlight. “By teaming up with respected builders David Weekley Homes and Pulte Homes, we’re blending exceptional home offerings with top-tier amenities to enhance the Wildlight community.”
The initial phase of Wildlight, a long-term development project, is well underway. This spring, Nassau County approved the next phase of Wildlight, which is planned to span several decades. The immediate objectives for this phase include much-needed infrastructure improvements, the provision of land for civic facilities such as parks and schools, and creating public access to nature.
Read the full article on The Yulee News here.
Wildlight’s newest neighborhood, Hawthorn Park, doesn’t have a pond. It has three. But that’s not the only nature you’ll find here. This enclave by Pulte Homes backs to a preserve and has trail connections right outside your front door. And if you want to stroll to sushi or the hair salon, or bike to a craft beer at Mocama, you can do just that, because those trails will lead you to the Village Center.
Want to experience even more of the great outdoors? Whistling Duck Pond will be opening nearby soon (hint: start looking for a kayak or canoe). And Four O’clock Park, Coin Toss Park and Waterbug Park offer even more ways to spend your days — from sports courts and an event lawn to bocce ball and a playful pool. Even the furry family members of the four-legged kind have their own opportunity to expend some energy, at their very own off-leash area. If you’re thinking that sounds like a pretty perfect place to live, well, you’re absolutely right.
New homes … and a new kind of home
Hawthorn Park has two kinds of single-family homes by Pulte Homes. New-to-Wildight bungalows, with front porches and alley-load garages (many with homesites facing the pond). And the Village Homes, with thoughtful features like family-friendly gathering spaces and oversized kitchens. Whatever stage in life you’re at, or whichever floorplan you prefer, you’ll find the home that suits you best in this exciting new neighborhood.
Ready to find your new home at Hawthorn Park? Prices start in the $300s.
The next 30 years of development in Wildlight were recommended for approval by the Nassau County Planning and Zoning (P&Z) board.
Read the full article on News-Leader here.
Northeast Florida is booming and making room for new arrivals. New York’s Long Island is frozen in the 20th century.
Read Full article on Bloomberg News here.
A well-known and highly respected amphibian once said, “It’s not easy being green.” And he was right. Figuring out how to build a community that lives in balance and in close relationship with nature is a complicated, work-intensive undertaking. But is it ever worth it.
When a community is oriented around nature — protecting it and connecting to it — day-to-day life takes on a different complexion. It becomes richer. Healthier. Filled with more activity, more fresh air and more moments of quiet awe.
So that’s the kind of community we’re creating in Wildlight. Here’s how …
Sustainable by design
Long before construction began, a team of engineers and scientists worked together on a plan that would allow community and nature to thrive together. What resulted was a new pattern of community, in which neighborhoods and business districts are carefully interwoven with each other and with parks, trails and conservation land. Creating a place that both preserves nature and inspires everyone to get out and enjoy it.
Conservation gone wild
We’ve set aside roughly half of Wildlight’s overall acreage as dedicated conservation land, much of it in the 7,000-acre Wildlight Conservation Network located in the next phase of Wildlight. In Wildlight’s permanently protected wetlands and forests, native species can continue to thrive. And the expanding Wildlight Trailways network (already 10+ miles long) lets you explore these pristine expanses of Northeast Florida lowcountry nature.
All-natural water management
Nature is more than beautiful. It’s practical. It’s really good at what it does. And one of its most important jobs is capturing and purifying water. With its extensive natural forest and wetland areas, Wildlight allows rainfall to seep into the ground, slowly being cleansed as it travels down into the soil, and eventually making its way to the underground aquifer that supplies the region’s drinking water. Even the developed areas of Wildlight are designed to intelligently manage stormwater runoff and allow nature to do its thing.
Mixing it all together
It’s one thing to conserve nature. It’s another to make it readily accessible to people. The community plan for Wildlight lets us do both at the same time. Each homesite has easy connections to parks, trails and big swaths of nature for even more access to the outdoors. And by providing plenty of walking/biking paths and bringing the homes closer not only to nature but to restaurants, shops and offices, we create a community that lives more like a small town where everything is an easy stroll or bike ride away.
More nature, just around the corner
The Wildlight Conservation Network isn’t the only important new nature area we’re introducing in our next phase. We’re also creating a 13-mile-long linear park that will stretch along the bluffs of the St. Marys River. We call it the Green Ribbon. And with its 8 miles of river frontage, the park will be anchored by a variety of experiences including a publicly accessible trail that ties the park together.
Also, we can’t talk about nearby nature without mentioning the White Oak Conservation center. Located about 10 miles north of Wildlight, White Oak shares some of its heritage with our community since both places are built on land that was once part of Rayonier’s sustainable timber-growing operation. On its 17,000 acres, White Oak helps to protect and advance the understanding of dozens of endangered species including the Florida panther, the Mississippi sandhill crane and three different types of rhinoceros.
Get a little wild
If you visit Wildlight, you’re welcome to take some time exploring our Wildlight Trailways. You might spot a fox or bobcat or one of the dozens of bird species that migrate along the Atlantic Flyway. You can even experience some of the wetlands using our boardwalk trails. And all along the way, you’ll find fun, informative signs that inspire a deeper understanding and greater appreciation of all things wild and Floridian.
Download our trail map.