SHEARWATER

ST. JOHNS, FLORIDA

In one of the nation’s fastest-growing counties, Shearwater offers residents a chance to slow down and connect with the natural Florida landscape. The 1,500-acre community includes 2,800 homes, townhomes, and cottages woven among more than 600 acres of preserved habitat, parks, open spaces, and amenities.

Nature is integral to daily life at Shearwater. More than 13 miles of trails wind through natural areas, along lakes and wetlands, connecting neighborhoods with pocket parks, playgrounds, and community destinations.

At the heart of Shearwater, the Kayak Club provides resort-style recreation with swimming pools, a lazy river, slide tower, tennis courts, clubhouse, playground, and fitness center. Nearby, the Outlook is nestled among existing oak trees and features an outdoor pavilion, fire pit, nature playground, and a boardwalk leading through the wetlands to a kayak launch on the Trout River.

Paseo Park forms the community’s recreational backbone. The 19-acre linear park stretches nearly two-thirds of a mile, connecting the Kayak Club to the Outpost through a series of playgrounds, shelters, lakes, open lawns, trails, and overlooks that also provide gathering spaces for community events.

Throughout Shearwater, sustainably sourced robinia wood play equipment, a community garden, and an interconnected network of parks encourage outdoor activity and interaction. Native and Florida-adapted landscaping reinforces the community’s natural character while reducing maintenance and irrigation demands.

Careful planning preserves wetlands, strengthens existing upland buffers, and incorporates established trails and mature vegetation into the community fabric. The result is a connected landscape where neighborhoods, amenities, recreation, and preserved natural areas come together to create a distinctly Northeast Florida sense of place.


CLIENT

Freehold Communities

SERVICES PROVIDED

Community Master Planning

Community Amenity Design

Architecture

Community Landscape Architecture

Trail Planning & Design

Entry and Signage Design

PRESS

URBAN LAND MAGAZINE: Defying expectations for Master-Planner Communities

FAST COMPANY: Utopic Wellness Communities are a Multibillion-Dollar Real Estate Trend

THE FLORIDA TIMES-UNION: Shearwater community wins prestigious awards for design, construction

PONTE VEDRA RECORDER: Shearwater community wins five design and construction awards

THE ST. AUGUSTINE RECORD: County developments mix gated, ungated neighborhoods to attract customers

NEWS4JAX: Growing St. Johns County population draws more developments: Shearwater community using amenities to attract families

THE ST. AUGUSTINE RECORD: Did Freehold consider building a golf course when first developing the plans for Shearwater?

THE ST. AUGUSTINE RECORD: Shearwater hosts grand opening celebration

JACKSONVILLE BUSINESS JOURNAL: Major residential community in St. Johns County celebrates opening

JACKSONVILLE BUSINESS JOURNAL: Homebuilders begin construction on St. Johns County community

AWARDS

2018 SEBC GRAND AURORA AWARD
Best Recreational Facility or Amenity

2018 PCBC GOLD NUGGET AWARD OF MERIT
Best Community Land Plan; Best Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle for a Community

2017 SEBC AURORA AWARD
Residential Housing Community of the Year — Masterplan; Best Recreational Facility; Best Community Site Plan; Best Interior Merchandising — Community Amenity or Clubhouse

2017 ABC EXCELLENCE IN CONSTRUCTION EAGLE AWARD
Commercial Construction – $5-$10 million Category