Boston-based Freehold Communities broke ground Jan. 30 on its Saratoga Springs “agrihood” in Clay County.
Built on 2,240 acres, the development could bring as many as 4,489 homes to Green Cove Springs, the company said in a Jan. 31 news release.
Construction could begin early 2026. Lennar and Ryan Homes are the builders.
Freehold Communities says agrihoods are “an organized community that integrates agriculture into a residential setting.”
“Saratoga Springs will emerge in a market ranked among the fastest growing in the region,” Freehold Capital Management Executive Vice President Andrew Smith said in the release. “The amenities and sense of togetherness of Saratoga Springs are what today’s homebuyers actively seek. This approach underscores our commitment to creating desirable innovative places that respond to the evolving needs of families and individuals in North Florida.”
Freehold, a property development company, bought the Saratoga Springs site Jan. 10 for $70.02 million.
It acquired the land through SRTG Dev Owner LLC. The seller was Orange Park-based Reinhold Corp. through Peters Creek Investments LLP.
Smith confirmed plans for a master-planned residential community there Jan. 13.
Saratoga Springs will be anchored by multiple working farms throughout the development. It will include five neighborhoods, interconnected walking trails, parks and other amenities, according to the release.
The property, east of Florida 23, also called the First Coast Expressway, is bisected by Cathedral Oak Parkway, which is under construction.
It is west of the Willow Springs and Magnolia West communities and Spring Park Elementary along Florida 315.
The First Coast Expressway will connect Interstate 10 in the north to Interstate 95 in the south when completed.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime piece of land and we will work closely with our builder partners to ensure we maximize our place in one of the most promising submarkets in Florida,” Smith said. “Residents will enjoy farm-to-table living with open spaces that encourage outdoor activities and a strong connection to nature. With thoughtfully crafted homes and a vibrant community spirit, Saratoga Springs promises to be a place like no other where modern living meets the beauty of rural Florida.”
Freehold is the developer of Shearwater in St. Johns County. That community along County Road 210 in northern St. Johns is 1,500 acres with plans for 2,000 homes.
Freehold sought to develop a 3,300-home agrihood community along County Road 214 in St. Johns but those plans were unanimously denied in November by the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners. Arden, another Freehold project, is a 2,300-home community in Wellington 22 miles west of Palm Beach. Features include a 5-acre farm, an event barn and a clubhouse with a pool.
In Orlando, The Grow is a 1,200-acre mixed-use subdivision centered on a 9-acre farm.
Freehold also has developments in South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and California.
Plans for development in the area are not new. In 2005, the Daily Record reported that LandMar Group planned to develop a 4,300-home Saratoga Springs as a “grand resort” heritage of the late 1800s.
LandMar and its parent company filed for bankruptcy in 2010.