Yulee's Wildlight area sees growth surge

Development in and around the Wildlight master-planned community in Nassau County shows no signs of slowing. What had been miles of trees now serves as the site of thousands of homes and counting, grocery and commercial spaces, a health care hub, expanded dining options and most recently the county's first Wawa.

A new retail-commercial facility also might be coming. On Aug. 27, the Nassau County Development Review Committee heard plans for a project called Yulee Commercial, a proposed mixed-use center in its early stage. It is planned on about 14 acres west of Wawa off Florida 200/A1A.

Jacksonville-based Prosser | PRIME AE is the engineer. The Morgan Companies of Fort Lauderdale is listed as the developer and landowner with Acorn Ridge LLC.

The committee told Prosser representatives Aug. 27 that several considerations are required before the project can advance, including rezoning a portion of the site from Open Rural to Commercial and addressing parking and landscaping requirements, building orientation and buffers.

It also requests "more basic information" and a complete site plan.

Construction can begin on the project after committee approval and permits.

Planning for pains

Conceptualized in 2007, Wildlight is in Yulee along Florida 200/A1A east of Interstate 95 on land mostly owned by timber and real estate investment firm Rayonier, through Wildlight LLC.

Through subsidiary Raydient Places + Properties, it is the master developer of Wildlight.

Groundbreaking took place in 2016.

Wes Hinton, vice president of Wildlight at Rayonier, said the development continues to be planned with the community in mind. Over time, Wildlight calls for 24,000 homes.

Communities ready for move-in include town home neighborhood Founder's Park; the gated 55+ Del Webb Wildlight; single-family home development Forest Park; and The Lofts at Wildlight, an apartment community.

Wildlight announced plans July 22 for Westerly Park, a 500-home neighborhood with an amenity center.

Single-family rental development Hamlet at Wildlight is under construction.

Hinton said each residential site is planned to complement the community and planning.

"The thing we constantly talk about is that we know growth is a lightning rod. Some people hate it. Some people embrace it," Hinton said.

He said that opposition to growth is generally because of planning issues.

"That doesn't mean everything gets built. It doesn't mean that schools are never going to have portables or every park is going to get built before there are residents or any of that. The point is to say what are the pain points and how do we plan for these things in total."

Hinton said long-term planning sets Wildlight apart from smaller neighborhoods with multiple landowners that are individually planned.

"If you think about a small neighborhood that's 200 units, that doesn't demand a new school. It doesn't demand a new park. It doesn't demand roadway improvements for just those 200 units," he said.

"But if you approve 20 of those, well now there's a problem because no single neighborhood justifies it. You have to look in summation," he said.

"To be able to plan on a regional scale for something this large allows you, especially with a single landowner, the opportunity to go in and plan for things in the future. "

He explained the strategy.

"We know Nassau County will continue to grow whether we're a part of it or not. People want to live here," Hinton said.

"But I know that if done responsibly we can increase the quality of life in and around this area through smart planning and taking a measured approach to how things come together."

Here are some of the projects underway in Wildlight and the area.

The Crossings at Wildlight

Publix at The Crossings at Wildlight shopping center opened in June 2022. It is the second Publix in Yulee. The chain has a store about 6 miles west in the Villages of Amelia shopping center.

Construction began in July 2021.

Sleiman Enterprises developed the more than 80,000-square-foot shopping center at 76010 William Burgess Blvd.

Other Crossings tenants include the UPS Store, Bloom Salon and Iron Valley Real Estate, along with restaurants Bohemian Bull and Grumpy's Restaurant. A franchised Huey Magoo's Chicken Tenders opened July 10.

"We enjoyed working with Publix, Raydient Places + Properties, and the Wildlight team," Sleiman Enterprises President Toney Sleiman said in a news release.

"We look forward to developing more properties together in the future."

"The much-anticipated opening of this exceptional store with quality products and legendary customer service is an amazing addition to Wildlight's overall commercial offerings," said Wildlight's Hinton in the release.

Health care hub

Wildlight is the site of several medical services currently open or under construction.

UF Health was the first to move into the development. In 2017, UF Health and the University of Florida were chosen to join developer Raydient Places in a "strategic health alliance." That meant developing a YMCA rehabilitation center and an ambulatory care center with primary care, urgent care with several specialists.

Baptist Health bought 24.6 acres in May 2019. Work continues on an emergency center, helipad and a 30,000-square-foot retail office building. Baptist Nassau Crossing Medical Campus plans a November opening.

HCA Healthcare is building an 11,000-square-foot emergency center expected to open in the first quarter of 2025. It broke ground in May on the development that will have 10 exam rooms and spaces for CT scans and radiology.

Wawa opens

More than four years after plans were announced, Wawa opened July 11 to a line of 200 people.

It is the county's first Wawa and the 21st in Northeast Florida, according to the company website.

Wawa is at 50 Daydream Drive off Florida 200 across from the Crossings at Wildlight.

"We had record-breaking crowds this morning," said Wawa Director of Store Operations Karen Myers at the opening.

"It's been a long time coming."

Wawa General Manager Michael Carragher said the Wildlight location was chosen after the company's real estate team researched the area and met with community leaders.

"Wawa is very passionate about being a part of the community and being a community partner," he said.

"I absolutely see more stores in Nassau County. Our real estate team is working vigorously every day."

Aside from made-to-order food, coffee drinks and retail items, the Wildlight store has 16 fueling stations with 32 gas pumps and six charging points for electric vehicles.

Industrial opportunity

Pattillo Industrial Real Estate announced in November 2022 the development of a 1.5 million-square-foot industrial complex.

The "environmentally friendly" Wildlight Commerce Park will be constructed over the next 10 years as one part of the economic growth component of Wildlight's master plan. The industrial park is about 165 acres.

The Class A park will include 12 buildings surrounded by wetlands preserve to accommodate light manufacturing, logistics, offices, laboratories and warehousing from 5,000 to 500,000 square feet, said Peter Anderson, Patillo vice president of new investments.

Countywide Impact

Paul Schwend chairs the Nassau County Economic Development Board.

He said Wildlight has changed not just Yulee, but the entire county.

"Wildlight is a magnet for development. It's a win, win, win," he said.

"It's a win for ecology. It's a win for the consumer. It's a win for the community," Schwend said.

"Even in this challenged economy, it hasn't hindered positive healthy growth for Wildlight.

"When this all started Rayonier was an unknown. People didn't know what to make of them," Schwend said.

"They needed to convince the naysayers. And they've done it."