LIVING IN JACKSONVILLE, FL -JACKONVILLE REAL ESTATE

If you're weighing a move to Jacksonville, or you're already local and looking for something more central, Seven Pines probably has your attention. It's one of the few large master-planned communities sitting inside the city's core, right where J. Turner Butler Boulevard meets I-295. That location is the whole story here — and it's also where the trade-offs start. Here's what buyers need to know before they sign anything.

1. Where Seven Pines Sits, and Why That Matters

Seven Pines sits at the southeast corner of Butler Boulevard and I-295, reached from the southern extension of Kernan Boulevard, which serves as the community's main entrance. That's a genuinely central spot in Jacksonville. You're a short hop from St. Johns Town Center, close to the University of North Florida, and within easy reach of the beaches, downtown, and I-95. For buyers relocating for a job at Mayo Clinic or reporting to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, that central position can shave real time off a daily commute compared to communities further out in St. Johns County.

• Quick access to I-295 (the city's loop) and I-95 north-south

• Minutes from St. Johns Town Center shopping and dining

• Close to UNF, Mayo Clinic's Jacksonville campus, and NAS Jacksonville

• A shorter drive to the beaches and downtown than many St. Johns County communities

Editorial note: exact drive times shift with time of day and traffic on Butler Boulevard, which backs up during peak commute hours. Treat any specific minute count as a rough estimate, not a guarantee.

2. The Skinner Family Legacy Behind the Name

Seven Pines is named for the seven Skinner brothers, whose family held this roughly 1,063-acre tract of Jacksonville timberland for generations before deciding to develop it. The community's official tagline, “A Legacy of Gathering,” nods to decades of family gatherings held on the land. The Skinners were selective about who they partnered with, choosing two established, family-owned homebuilders rather than turning the project over to a single national production builder.

Editorial note: some retellings of the community's history include specific claims (such as a land donation to UNF) that we couldn't independently verify with a primary source. We've left those details out rather than repeat them as fact.

3. Two Builders, Two Different Ways of Building

Seven Pines has exactly two builders: ICI Homes, a Daytona Beach-based, family-owned Florida builder, and David Weekley Homes, a national builder headquartered in Houston that is also family-owned and has built in Nocatee and eTown.

• ICI Homes: more design flexibility for structural and finish changes, modern floor plans with taller ceilings and larger sliding glass doors

• David Weekley Homes: a more streamlined, less-customizable process, with its own distinct floor plan library and design center approach

• Both builders offer single-family homes; David Weekley also builds 24-foot rear-entry townhomes in the community

Neither approach is objectively “better.” It comes down to how much you want to customize, and how much of that customization you're willing to pay for. This is exactly the kind of decision where independent buyer representation earns its keep: someone who has walked both builders' contracts before you can tell you where the real flexibility is, and where it isn't.

4. Home Types, Lot Sizes, and Price Ranges

Seven Pines is planned for roughly 1,600 homes total across single-family homes, townhomes, and a mix of lot widths, from 40-foot lots up to 70-foot lots. As of this writing, published starting prices from the builders looked roughly like this:

• 40' front-entry single-family homes: from the $529s

• 50' front- and rear-entry single-family homes: from the $639s–$641s

• 70' rear-entry single-family homes (3,435–4,759 sq. ft.): from roughly $1 million

• 24' rear-entry townhomes (David Weekley, 1,672–1,797 sq. ft., 3 bed / 2–3 bath): pricing available directly from the builder

Editorial note: builder pricing, incentives, and available inventory change often — sometimes week to week — as sections sell out and new phases release. Treat these figures as a starting point for a conversation, not a locked-in number. Always confirm current pricing directly with the builder or your agent before making decisions.

The 70-foot lots, which back up to preserve or water views, are the smallest slice of inventory and the first to sell as the community nears build-out. If a larger, more private homesite is a priority for you, that's a conversation to have early, not after you've fallen in love with a floor plan that isn't on one.

Thinking about Seven Pines? The 9/90/180-day plan gives you a clear, no-pressure way to figure out whether this community — or another one — actually fits your timeline and budget. Reach out to start that conversation.

5. What's Coming to The Village at Seven Pines

The community's commercial component is officially called The Village at Seven Pines, a 22-acre, roughly 250,000-square-foot open-air retail center being developed by Jacksonville-based Regency Centers. Construction broke ground in February 2026, with the first stores expected to open in 2027.

The center will be anchored by a two-story, roughly 52,000-square-foot Publix. Announced tenants so far include Chase Bank, 1928 Cuban Bistro, Ember & Iron, Hawkers Asian Street Food, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Pottery Barn Kids, Williams Sonoma, West Elm, ToyTopia, Yoga Joint, Solidcore, RE Spa, Imperial Nails Spa, Chey & Chawn, Beau Outfitters, and LifeTime Fitness.

Right next door, Baptist HealthPlace at Seven Pines is already open as of this writing. It's a two-story, roughly 52,600-square-foot medical building offering primary care, cardiology, orthopedics, rehabilitation, a wellness center, and lab services. It does not have an emergency room; the nearest ER, Baptist & Wolfson Town Center Emergency Room, is about three miles away.

Editorial note: the community's retail center is officially named “The Village at Seven Pines,” not “Seven Pines Village.” We're using the developer's official name here so it's easy to search for and verify.

6. The Real Cost: CDD Fees, HOA Fees, and Property Taxes

Seven Pines is in Duval County, which generally carries higher property tax rates than neighboring St. Johns County. On top of that, expect a Community Development District (CDD) fee and a modest homeowners association (HOA) fee.

• CDD fees on recently listed Seven Pines homes have run roughly $3,486–$3,654 per year, layered on top of your property tax bill

• HOA fees have run roughly $90–$100 per year, which is on the lower end for a master-planned community

• A CDD fee pays down the debt the developer took on to build roads, amenities, and infrastructure; it's charged to each homeowner and typically phases out over a set number of years

Editorial note: CDD and HOA amounts vary by specific lot, phase, and section within the community, and can change as new bonds are issued or paid down. Confirm the exact figure for any specific home before you write an offer.

7. The Trade-Offs Worth Weighing Before You Sign

Seven Pines has real strengths, but a central, in-demand location comes with trade-offs. Here's what to think through:

• Smaller lots and less privacy: most homes are on rear-entry lots with the garage accessed from an alley behind the home, and larger 70' lots with preserve or water views are limited and sell quickly

• Higher Duval County property taxes, plus CDD and HOA fees layered on top

• Traffic on Butler Boulevard and around the I-295 interchange, which can be heavy during peak commute hours

• A concentrated community: roughly 1,600 homes on a little over 1,000 acres means less green space between homes than lower-density communities

None of these are dealbreakers on their own — they're simply the cost of a highly central location in a community this popular. The right move is knowing about them ahead of time, not discovering them at closing.

Local Spotlight: Schools, Healthcare, and Nearby Alternatives

Seven Pines sits in Duval County, so families weighing public schools should research options directly through Duval County Public Schools. For private school options within a reasonable drive, families in the area often look at Providence School of Jacksonville, Episcopal School of Jacksonville, and The Bolles School, whose Upper School San Jose campus sits on the St. Johns River.

For healthcare and major employers, Seven Pines is a relatively short drive from the Mayo Clinic Jacksonville campus and from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, which makes the community a common landing spot for both medical relocations and military families.

If Seven Pines isn't quite the right fit, two other Jacksonville-area communities worth a look are EverRange and eTown, both developed by The PARC Group. Worth noting: both sit in far southeast Duval County along U.S. 1/Philips Highway, between Nocatee and eTown — a genuinely different part of town from Seven Pines, not a next-door alternative. For buyers who want a similar master-planned feel but a golf-course, gated setting closer to Seven Pines itself, Glen Kernan Golf & Country Club sits right at the Kernan and Butler intersection and offers ICI Homes custom estate lots for buyers with a budget north of $2 million.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Seven Pines offers something genuinely rare in Jacksonville: a large, amenity-rich master-planned community sitting right in the middle of the city, with its own retail center and healthcare campus arriving over the next couple of years. The trade-off is tighter lots, Duval County taxes, and CDD fees on top of your mortgage. Whether that trade-off makes sense for your family depends on your budget, your commute, and how much space you actually need — which is exactly the kind of thing worth talking through before you walk into a model home.

LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR NEXT MOVE

Call/Text: (904) 599-2125

Email: greg@livinginjacksonvillefl.com

Website: https://www.livinginjacksonvillefl.com/

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About Greg DeTullio, Broker/Owner, Living in Jacksonville FL Team

Greg DeTullio is a Florida-licensed Real Estate Broker and the founder of the Living in Jacksonville FL Team. With a decade of industry expertise, he has successfully managed over 200 closed transactions and earned five-star Google reviews. Greg specializes in Jacksonville relocation services and new construction within St. Johns County, proudly serving Nocatee, SilverLeaf, RiverTown, St. Johns, EverRange, Ponte Vedra Beach, and the surrounding Northeast Florida communities.

Living in Jacksonville FL Team | Phone: (904) 599-2125

Equal Housing Opportunity. Greg DeTullio, FL Real Estate Broker License #BK3332620, is a member of the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors (NEFAR). This article is general information only and does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Confirm your specific costs, tax obligations, and transaction details with your attorney, tax advisor, lender, or closing officer.

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