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To quote our beloved former mayor of Port St. Joe, Frank Pate Jr., "St. Joe has put in the effort to help make Port St. Joe the best small town in Florida. When I look to the future, I know our time has come."
Port St. Joe is old Florida at its best. However, the face of the town, located on what has been called Florida's Forgotten Coast, is about to change dramatically. In the next five years, the plan is to have this sleepy coastal community evolve into a thriving waterfront village. Port St. Joe, in Gulf County, has long been the emotional heart of The St. Joe Company (www.joe.com) and it is the community from which JOE takes its name. For decades, the town and its paper mill were the foundation of the company's timber and paper business. But now, Port St. Joe is transforming itself into one of the most unforgettable places in Florida. (Source: The St. Joe Company 2005 Annual Report, NYSE: JOE) ~NEW UPDATE 06/04/08~ The "Village Center" in WindMark Beach is gearing up to begin opening this month. Retail shops include a market, fitness center, meeting hall, restaurants, kayak shop, art gallery and interior design shop. The first to open with be the School of Fish Restaurant, being completely managed by Brennan's, the famous seafood restaurant from New Orleans. Many events are scheduled throughout the summer, including art events, music festivals and movies on the green complete with packed ready-to-purchase picnic dinners. WINDMARK BEACH. WindMark Beach is a 2000 acre high-end resort coastal community being developed by the St. Joe Company. At build out, it will hold 1,662 homes, with over 1,000 acres dedicated to open spaces, parks, natural preserves and conservation. Plans include over 17 miles of interlinking boardwalks leading to a 5-mile waterfront beachwalk, an uninterrupted pedestrian path along a beautiful stretch of natural Florida coastline. This extensive boardwalk and beachfront trail system will link WindMark Beach's neighborhoods with St. Joseph's Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The "Village Center" section of WindMark Beach will have its own Town Hall, spa and fitness center, resort check-in, specialty shops, restaurants, and a quaint coastal inn referred to as the "Little Inn". Home to the 2006 Southern Accents Showhouse, WindMark Beach is emerging as the premiere coastal development for the St. Joe Company. Touring of the Showhouse ran from Memorial Day to Labor Day 2006, with thousands of visitors flocking to the area. OVATION ON CAPE SAN BLAS. Ashwood Development Company (www.ashwooddevelopment.com), based out of Atlanta, Georgia, is making a significant presence in the development of Cape San Blas. Their first Cape development, Jubilation on Cape San Blas, was nothing short of fabulous, only to be trumped by their most recent creation, Ovation on Cape San Blas. Spanning both the Gulf and Bay sides of this magnificent coastline, Ovation on Cape San Blas abounds with the signature characteristics of Ashwood: natural, undisturbed vegetation, beautiful wildlife, and isolated land where communities are rarely built. Community amenities include Gulf and Bay Clubs with swimming pools, tennis courts, fishing piers and docks, expansive bayside park, and access to the limitless possibilities of the Gulf and Bay waters. Future plans include over 19,000 square feet of commercial space with a restaurant and market. Ovation has quickly become the premiere development on Cape San Blas. Developer-released homesites start in the low-$200's with magnificent Gulf to Bay views, Gulf front and Bay front homesites. DOWNTOWN PORT ST. JOE. The historic downtown shopping district will be integrated into a revitalized waterfront shopping and residential district. Visitors to the area are encouraged to explore and discover the quaintness of the Port St. Joe community. Most downtown shops and restaurants are run by locals who have been described as "the friendliest people you will ever meet". For the individual who is searching for the right opportunity to leave the "concrete jungle" behind to re-invent their life, the opportunities are endless in our neck of the woods. To quote one of our local establishments, Indian Pass Raw Bar, "Throw open the car door and kiss the ground. You are here." Nestled on St. Joseph's Bay at the heart of Port St. Joe is the old paper mill site. Plans are to redevelop this land into a vibrant waterfront downtown that is planned to include retail and residential development, an entertainment district, public spaces, a 150-room hotel and a marina. Just across from the paper mill site is the future home of the City of Port St. Joe's new Town Center. Plans for offices and shops will integrate the town's historic district and capture the spirit of this special place that has drawn families and visitors to the area for nearly 50 years. Panama City-Bay County Airport Update Federal Aviation Administration has approved plans to relocate the Panama City-Bay County International Airport to a 4,000 acre site in Panama City, Florida. This close proximity to Port St. Joe will change our demographics from a regional market to a global market in just a few years. Anticipated to begin flights by 2009, this airport relocation represents an opportunity truly unique in North America as we anticipate the enormous growth of the area that this will inevitably bring. Hand-in-hand with the airport relocation is the West Bay Sector Plan which will cover approximately 16,000 acres, including 4.3 million square feet of industrial, commercial and retail space, 5,800 residential units, 490 hotel rooms and two marinas. CNN recently named Panama City, just 40 miles due west of Port St. Joe, as the #1 top market for real estate growth over the next five years with an anticipated 72% increase in property values. This growth is expected to sprawl the coast into our area as well. After more than three years of negotiating, the Port St. Joe Port Authority announced that within the next year the physical presence of the port should be clear and the first ships could be arriving within two years. This will be one of just 14 deepwater ports in the State of Florida. It will be a boost for economic development and the creation of many high-paying jobs.Sacred Heart Health System will be opening a full-service 49,000 SF hospital in Gulf County. The new 25 bed facility is scheduled to open in 2009 and will create approximately 160 new jobs. The site is approved for 20 acres donated by the St. Joe Company, located on Highway 98 near Gulf Coast Community College. The new facility will provide 24-hour emergency room care, 25 private patient rooms, intensive care unit, 3 operating rooms, urgent care clinic, diagnostic services and helicopter landing pad. In addition, a 20,000 SF medical office building adjacent to the hospital will provide 10 physician offices as well as dialysis and diagnostic services. We are very encouraged that Gulf County and Sacred Heart are moving forward quicker than we ever dreamed. Rapid Growth: Florida is one of the nation's fastest growing states, gaining more than 1,100 new residents each day. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau). Florida's population is expected to increase by 11 million by 2030. Changing Demographics: Florida has more than 700,000 temporary residents who spend more than 30 days in the state each year. Their average stay is approximately three months. (Source: Bureau of Economic Business Research, University of Florida) Rising Values: The value of rural and agricultural land in Florida is increasing dramatically, driven primarily by demand for non-agricultural uses. (Source: Florida Land Survey, University of Florida, 2005). |
