Grand Haven: GoToby.com Featured Community of the Month – January 2015

Grand Haven is the most successful large development in Palm Coast, benefiting from a great location, visionary planning, responsible development and great timing.

Palm Coast, FL – January 12, 2015 – Grand Haven is the most successful large development in Palm Coast, benefiting from visionary planning, responsible development and great timing. The project came to market in the late 1990s. The huge surge in local population was just about to begin. During the boom years of 2003-2006, it was difficult at times to navigate the residential streets due to construction vehicles and building activity.

I know Grand Haven well. Shirley and I chose our lot in Grand Haven in January 2000. There were only a couple of hundred homes in the community at the time so we had an opportunity to watch the community grow and prosper. I spent time on the Master Homeowners Association Board and we were both active golfers. We enjoyed our Grand Haven home for years until downsizing in 2011. We still maintain our Club membership and have many friends there.

Grand Haven Today
Nestled along the West side of the Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Coast, Grand Haven is a Master planned gated community with homes available in the $190’s to $900 range. Chose from Intracoastal, lake, golf course or preserve homes and home sites. Home sites range from $50K for interior lots to $400K for Intracoastal sites. Live side by side with ospreys, eagles, herons, egrets, and deer. I’ve seen bobcat, wild boar, and otter as well. Launches from Cape Canaveral are often visible.

A private highly rated Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course with a beautiful clubhouse winds through the community. The course is the focal point of the community, however golf membership is optional. Of the hundreds of courses I've played, Grand Haven ranks among the best. It's a challenging course. It punishes poorly hit shots but never good ones. One can play Grand Haven for years and never become bored with the course.

Two Village Centers offers 7 Hartru tennis courts, a fitness center, a large heated pool, bocce, croquette, a meeting/card room, and a café/deli. Numerous community activities are organized by the Village Center staff. A walking/jogging trail follows the Intracoastal Waterway for the entire length of the development. Two adjacent county parks, one with a boat ramp, offer convenient access to the Intracoastal Waterway.

Originally developed by Lowe and purchased by LandMar Group (a division of Cresent and ultimately Duke Power), Grand Haven has been developed in stages since the late 90’s by opening a succession of “villages.” Grand Haven has a strong sense of community, making it a great place to live. The community fared better than neighboring communities during the Great Recession because it had reached critical mass before the housing bubble burst.

Grand Haven consists primarily of single family homes along with a mixture of town homes and condominiums. Covenants restrict short term rentals ensuring the residential nature of the community. While many residents are in the 50 – 75 year age bracket, there are several young families, especially among more recent arrivers. School buses are a common site.

Grand Haven was permitted as a Planned Unit Development (PUD) with clustered density which allows for large open spaces. All of the developer-offered building lots were sold. Only about 200 building lots remain with 50 listed for sale.

Discovery Village
Grand Haven will soon have a place to offer area residents a continuing care retirement opportunity at Palm Coast's premier master planned club community.

Discovery Village, the final residential parcel in the master plan, will include retirement residences, recreational facilities and medical offices for active adults, seniors and retirees.

The idea for Discovery Village is to offer residents of Grand Haven, and Palm Coast, the opportunity to remain in their community as they age. There are currently few options for assisted living in the area and none within a gated club community like Grand Haven. This will create a welcome new option for residents.

A campus-style setting is envisioned for Discovery Village to include a variety of housing choices, medical facilities and access to recreation.

Shoppes at Grand Haven
The City of Palm Coast has just issued the development approval for this commercial project on Colbert Lane across from the main entrance to Grand Haven. Site development and construction in the first phase will start soon. When complete the Shoppes at Grand Haven will have over 50,000 square feet of commercial space.

This month’s featured Community of the Month was sponsored by Grand Haven Realty, 7 Sandpiper Court. Their professional representives can help you buy or sell your next home or building lot or introduce you to Grand Havens preferred home builders. Grand Haven Realty can be reached at (386) 447-0800 or visit their website at www.GrandHavenPalmCoast.com.

Grand Haven is located off of Colbert Lane in Palm Coast, FL.