LIVING IN JACKSONVILLE, FL -JACKONVILLE REAL ESTATE

If you drive Race Track Road or State Road 9B in northern St. Johns County these days, you already know Durbin Park is one of the fastest-changing corners of Northeast Florida. What started as a Walmart and a Home Depot a few years back is turning into a full-blown town center, with a hospital, a YMCA, a new grocery-anchored shopping center, and a growing restaurant row all within a few minutes of each other.

Here is a straightforward, no-hype rundown of what is confirmed, what is still early, and what it means if you already live nearby or are thinking about moving to the area.

1. UF Health Durbin Park Hospital is on track to open fall 2026

The centerpiece of the area's growth is a new hospital campus just south of the Duval County line. UF Health Durbin Park is a 42.5-acre health and wellness campus, and it is on schedule for a fall 2026 opening.

• 220,000 square feet across five stories

• 99 inpatient beds and a 24-hour emergency department

• Six operating rooms and two endoscopy suites

• A separate medical office building with cardiology, neurology, orthopaedics, ENT, pain management and more

The project is expected to bring about 2,000 new jobs directly, with UF Health estimating a total of 12,000 jobs across St. Johns and Jacksonville over time, representing roughly a $1 billion investment in the region.

2. The Peyton Family YMCA is coming to the same campus

Right next to the hospital, the YMCA of Florida's First Coast is building the Peyton Family YMCA, named for the family behind Gate Petroleum, the company developing Durbin Park. It is planned as one of the Y's larger branches at roughly 50,000 square feet, with an outdoor "airnasium," indoor and outdoor aquatics, a teen center, KidZone, and a full wellness floor.

An exact opening date has not been announced yet. We will update this post as soon as one is confirmed.

3. Chick-fil-A is building at Race Track Road and Bartram Park Boulevard

Chick-fil-A has a permit in hand for a new location at 15455 Bartram Park Boulevard, right at the corner of Race Track Road, just north of the Publix-anchored Bartram Market. St. Johns County issued the building permit for the roughly $2.5 million project, which is planned with dual drive-through lanes and both indoor and patio seating.

4. Whole Foods, TJ Maxx, Firebirds and Shake Shack anchor a new shopping center

One of the biggest pieces of news for the area: Regency Centers is developing The Berkeley at Durbin Park, a roughly 106,000-square-foot, grocery-anchored shopping center on East Peyton Parkway, right next to the UF Health campus.

• Anchored by Whole Foods Market

• Confirmed tenants include TJ Maxx, Firebirds Wood Fired Grill and Shake Shack

• It is a roughly $55 million project, with construction expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2026

• Regency's own materials point to completion in 2028

This is a separate project from the existing Publix and Super Walmart already in the area, so northern St. Johns County is on track to have several grocery options within a short drive of one another.

5. Patel Brothers is building a large Indian grocery store nearby

Just down Race Track Road, Patel Brothers, a national Indian grocery chain founded in Chicago, has been issued a build-out permit for a 26,740-square-foot store. It will anchor the Shops at Race Track Rd, a developing center that also includes Dutch Bros Coffee, Another Broken Egg Cafe, Avecina Medical urgent care and Heartland Dental. This will be the company's second Northeast Florida location; the first has operated on Baymeadows Road in Jacksonville for about a decade.

6. V Pizza is opening a new location nearby in Durbin Crossing

Local favorite V Pizza has permits in hand for a two-story, roughly 8,274-square-foot restaurant with an outdoor bar at 150 Longleaf Pine Parkway. It is worth noting this address is in the Durbin Crossing area west of St. Johns Parkway, near the Borland Groover endoscopy center, rather than inside the Durbin Park development itself. It will be the chain's third location in St. Johns County.

7. A Life Time fitness club may be headed to the Durbin Park area

This one is still early. Life Time, the upscale athletic club chain, has confirmed it is exploring a second Northeast Florida location in the Durbin Park area of St. Johns County, after a utility filing signaled early-stage interest. The company's first Northeast Florida club is already under construction at Seven Pines in Jacksonville and is expected to open in 2027 as an 85,000-square-foot "athletic country club" with an outdoor beach club, pickleball courts and a Kids Academy.

A Durbin Park location is not confirmed. A company spokesperson described it only as "strong potential" the company is exploring beyond its planned Seven Pines club.

8. New restaurants are already opening inside the original Pavilion at Durbin Park

The original shopping center, The Pavilion at Durbin Park, anchored by Walmart, Home Depot and the Cinemark movie theater, keeps adding restaurants:

• Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux, co-owned by former NFL quarterback Drew Brees, opened in front of the Cinemark theater

• Chipotle Mexican Grill has a build-out permit for an interior storefront (no drive-through) near Firehouse Subs and Jana Steakhouse

• SoFresh, a healthy fast-casual spot, is already open in the center

Between the original Pavilion, the new Patel Brothers corridor, and The Berkeley coming later, this stretch of Race Track Road is turning into one of the busiest dining corridors in St. Johns County.

9. What all of this means if you're watching the Durbin Park corridor

Whether you already live in Durbin Crossing, RiverTown, Beachwalk or another nearby community, or you're relocating and comparing neighborhoods, a few things are worth keeping in mind:

• Retail and healthcare access in this corridor is improving fast, which typically supports demand in surrounding neighborhoods

• Much of what's listed above (the YMCA opening date, Life Time, several restaurant openings) is still in progress, not finished, so timelines can shift

• New construction near an active growth corridor like this comes with its own due-diligence questions, from builder incentives to future traffic and infrastructure plans

If you're comparing communities near Durbin Park, we've covered several of them in past posts, including Nocatee, SilverLeaf and RiverTown.

Local Spotlight: Northern St. Johns County

Durbin Park sits in the northwest section of St. Johns County, just south of the Duval County line, between Nocatee and Ponte Vedra to the east and Fruit Cove and RiverTown to the west. For local planning information, road projects and public meeting schedules that affect this corridor, these official sources are good places to start:

• St. Johns County Growth Management Department

• St. Johns County Property Appraiser

• St. Johns County School District

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Durbin Park is shifting from a shopping center off the interstate into a genuine town center, with healthcare, fitness, groceries and dining all landing within a few years of each other. If you're weighing a move to this corridor, get the confirmed timelines and the rumored ones sorted out before you make a decision.

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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• The Berkeley at Durbin Park (1)
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