(ST. AUGUSTINE, FL) Hundreds of guests attended the recent grand opening of the Markland Manor House amenity center. Representatives of Hines, Markland’s developer; architect Basham & Lucas Design Group, Inc.; landscape architect Prosser, Inc.; interior designer Micamy Design Studio; engineer England Thims and Miller; and contractor Carlton Construction celebrated the completion of the Manor House and grounds in style.
Attendees enjoyed food and drink from Anthony’s Catering as they toured the Manor House and six stunning model homes. As evening set in and a bright moon rose over the palm trees, guests were drawn to the grounds of the Manor House where they relaxed in pool-side cabanas and Adirondack chairs by the fire pit while guitarist Ace Winn performed.
The Markland Manor House adds to the rich heritage of the area. The classic, architecture combined with impeccable interior detailing and extensive landscaping, made a memorable impression on all who attended. Paul Basham, who led the design effort noted, “Attention to detail was critical in the design of the Manor House–given our goal to authentically reflect the rich tradition of 19th-century Greek-Revival manor homes.”
The Markland Manor house is the amenity centerpiece of the community and its architecture is inspired by the historic grand homes of nearby St. Augustine. The tree-lined walkway leading from the community gatehouse to the Manor House provides a dramatic and formal entrance that complements and frames the building. The first floor of the Manor House is warm and expansive with a gathering room, card room, several large televisions, and a coffee bar for residents to enjoy daily. The second floor is dedicated to residents’ health and wellness with an impressive array of Life Fitness strength and aerobic equipment, free weights and a yoga/spin studio equipped with an innovative “on-demand” fitness class system. The elevated location of the fitness room provides inspiring views of the pool grounds and expansive central lakes.
The exclusive, resort pool adjacent to the Manor House has a zero-entry area, lap lanes and fountain jets, and is framed by private cabanas, shaded pergolas and lounge areas on all sides. Beyond the pool, and beside the 30-acre lake network, is a fire pit and event lawn where residents and friends can gather to enjoy community concerts and share stories.
Outside of the Manor House and pool, residents and guests can play tennis by the lake on the two hard surface tennis courts which have been adapted for pickle ball use as well. Numerous neighborhood parks are purposefully spaced throughout the neighborhood so that young children can play “sandlot” games of soccer and football within earshot of home. The central playground features a Kompan “Explorer Dome” designed to inspire imaginative and collaborative play and the grand lawn for any variety of field sports. All of the amenities within Markland, as well as nearby shops, are connected by a series of linear parks and sidewalks that promote residents to walk and bike in their travels or they can use a golf cart on the roads within Markland.
Those in attendance at the grand opening took note of the quality and early delivery of amenities. Lisa Vernon of Keller Williams noted, “I saw the plans for Markland when I visited Palencia a while ago, but they did not do it justice. To see it all built is just magnificent.”
While Debbie Pappas of All County added, “Having the main amenity center available to future residents as their homes are being built makes it easier for realtors to convince potential buyers to move into the community.”
Hines took an unusual approach in the planning and development of Markland and rezoned the property from over 800 homes down to only 345 homes.
Walter O’Shea, managing director of Hines explained, “By limiting the number of homes, we have been able to create a unique offering in St. Johns County. Residents will enjoy more access to the amenities in Markland than in much larger planned communities - residents will have more use of the pool, fitness equipment and the tennis courts as there are less people competing for these facilities. In addition, the reduction in density has allowed us to offer larger lots to homebuyers. The added lot depth and width will allow builders to offer homeowners the ability to have a home, a pool and still have a backyard for the children to play. Finally, we hope that Markland responds to families, couples and individuals who want an amenity-rich lifestyle but want to do so in a setting where you see more familiar faces and get to know your neighbors.”
Markland is centrally located on International Golf Parkway just east of I-95 with model homes open daily. Our six outstanding home builders offer a diverse mix of house plans with pricing that ranges from $300,000 to over $700,000.
Hines is a privately owned global real estate investment firm founded in 1957 with locations in 192 cities in 20 countries. Hines has $93.2 billion of assets under management, including $47.9 billion for which Hines provides fiduciary investment management services, and $45.3 billion for which Hines provides third-party property-level services. Hines has 105 developments currently underway around the world, and historically, has developed, redeveloped or acquired 1,180 properties, totaling over 379 million square feet. The firm’s current property and asset management portfolio includes 483 properties, representing over 199 million square feet. With extensive experience in investments across the risk spectrum and all property types, and a pioneering commitment to sustainability, Hines is one of the largest and most respected real estate organizations in the world. Visit hines.com for more information.
