Growth: Southwood

[cityboy05]

Southwood is a new 3,200 acre community located in south Tallahassee. This community offers homes to fit all lifestyles. Southwood is complete with the features that match the rest of the city of Tallahassee. From its rolling hills, majestic oaks, and pristine lakes. This community feels that it is a place where nature and people can live in harmony. This townlike community includes a golf course and 2 private schools(Florida High, and Jean Paul II Catholic High ) and is now constructing a town center which would include YMCA, shopping, restaurants, and some offices. Southwood could really be summed up as, A small town way of life conviently located in the middle of everything.

This is the community map of Southwood

This is a house being constructed in Southwood

Another home in Southwood

Southwood Golf Club

Southwood towncenter- under construction

Southwood and nature

Indeed a well-planned community!

[Florida]

Don't forget the famous Southwood house...

This house was actually moved from its Original location to its present location. How in the world do you move a house this big!!!!!

I've heard rumor of a Macoronni Grille moving into the area... anybody hear of any restaurants for Southwood?

[cityboy05]

I remeber when I went to southwood for my highschool track meet. This place looked like a whole different town. I forgot I was still in Tallahassee. Southwood is a very gorgeous community. I wouldn't mind moving to Southwood myself. I heard rumours of a Houston's restaurant moving into the area. Hope that's true!

[stjoe]

I remeber when I went to southwood for my highschool track meet. This place looked like a whole different town. I forgot I was still in Tallahassee. Southwood is a very gorgeous community. I wouldn't mind moving to Southwood myself.  I heard rumours of a Houston's restaurant moving into the area. Hope that's true!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is a Houston's restaurant moving to Southwood, but it is different than the chain people are familiar with and spelled differently. It is a local restaurant, owed by the family that own's the Loop.

They also have a Subway moving there (mistake). The YMCA is very nice, as is the rest of the area.

[Florida]

Yeah its a locally owned place called Huston's not Houston's. The names are similar and from what I understand they will share a common theme in food.

The Subway is not a mistake.

[stjoe]

Yeah its a locally owned place called Huston's not Houston's. The names are similar and from what I understand they will share a common theme in food.

The Subway is not a mistake.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is to many of the folks that live there.

[Florida]

Too many of the "folks" that live there will be dining at the Subway, just like they ate at Patsy's Soul Food, and the Chinese Restaruant, and Purchase subs from the Publix Deli. I know them well, they aren't as snobby as you'd think.

[bobliocatt]

Is Southwood near buildout already?

[csmurphy8885]

I remember going into the fields of southwood.... now it is totally transformed. 12 years ago i was on a hot air balloon ride, landed by the lake, there were no houses... and they just began all the talk of development. wow what a change.

I also noticed alot of development along Tram between cap cir and South monroe, so there will be alot of market for the cities plan to rejuvinate the commerce on the south side. I think the development of that area is going to be great for the city's economic plans, but as a graduate of Rickards High School ('02) there are no schools for the none private school children. com ments

[stjoe]

Lakelander,

Southwood has built about 1,000 units. It is planned to be over 4,000.

Southwood is just over 3,200 acres, but St Joe owns over 50,000 in Leon County alone. There are no immediate plans to build on any of that until Southwood is built out.

I remember going into the fields of southwood.... now it is totally transformed.  12 years ago i was on a hot air balloon ride, landed by the lake, there were no houses... and they just began all the talk of development.  wow what a change. 

I also noticed alot of development along Tram between cap cir and South monroe, so there will be alot of market for the cities plan to rejuvinate the commerce on the south side.  I think the development of that area is going to be great for the city's economic plans, but as a graduate of Rickards High School ('02) there are no schools for the none private school children.  com   ments

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Murphy,

There are 1 or 2 large lots reserved by St Joe for public schools at Southwood. It is just a matter of when Leon County wants to build some there. Also, I think Florida High is a public school.

[csmurphy8885]

Cool. I hope that the schools are built well.

[cityboy05]

There are public schools for southwood. There is Rickards High, Fairview Middle, and Apalachee elementary. There isn't any public schools in the actual Southwood area but the schools i just named aren't that far from this community. Fairview is about 2 miles from Southwood, and Rickards High is exactly 0.8 miles from Fairview. By the way Florida high is a private school.

[csmurphy8885]

These are schools that were not designed for a populated south side. When i graduated from Rickards it was falling apart, flooding, and had nowhere near adaquate facilities for its current students and the magnet IB program. My younger brother still attends, and in my best of educated views, i think it would not support more than 50 extra students before it falls off the hill it already pollutes. Fairview housed my little sister for the last 3 years (she is goin off to rickards this year) and it too is not far from capacity with its portable classrooms encrouching all around. I think that these schools would require immediate attention if they were expected to handle the influx... provided the new schools are not developed shortly. and elementery schools... i know that those well off parents in southwood would love thier children in the current SS schools... hehe

[cityboy05]

I thought they were doing construction for Rickards. I think Rickards should be able to hold a little over 1700 students. There were about 1389 students enrolled at this school for 2004-2005 school year.

http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/fl/1686/

[Florida]

Is Southwood near buildout already?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not quite. At last update they sold 1,000 homes or homesites, leaving them with 3,000+ more to build.

[Florida]

I remember going into the fields of southwood.... now it is totally transformed.  12 years ago i was on a hot air balloon ride, landed by the lake, there were no houses... and they just began all the talk of development.  wow what a change. 

I also noticed alot of development along Tram between cap cir and South monroe, so there will be alot of market for the cities plan to rejuvinate the commerce on the south side.  I think the development of that area is going to be great for the city's economic plans, but as a graduate of Rickards High School ('02) there are no schools for the none private school children.  com   ments

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

About the schools... there will be some Leon County schools placed there in the community. The locations have already be chosen, its just a matter of time before they are built to accomidate the 3000 remaining homesites they will build in the Southwood community. But space has been reserved for county schools in addition to churches, and additional retail and commercial space.

[Florida]

I thought they were doing construction for Rickards. I think Rickards should be able to hold a little over 1700 students. There were about 1389 students enrolled at this school for 2004-2005 school year.

http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/fl/1686/

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He's right. My older Sister and Brother went to Fairview and Rickards. Both of those schools alone could not accomidate the growth that will occur on the southside catalyzed by Southwood, there will have to be other schools. I know many of the students also attend Lincoln and Apalachee Elementary. Im not sure if any are traveling as far as Swift Creek for Middle, but Fairview and Rickards aren't going to meet the growing needs for additional student space.

[cityboy05]

He's right. My older Sister and Brother went to Fairview and Rickards. Both of those schools alone could not accomidate the growth that will occur on the southside catalyzed by Southwood, there will have to be other schools. I know many of the students also attend Lincoln and Apalachee Elementary. Im not sure if any are traveling as far as Swift Creek for Middle, but Fairview and Rickards aren't going to meet the growing needs for additional student space.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

True, so Southwood will eventually have public schools within the community.

[Florida]

Absolutely.

If you want to see the future of the Southeast side, travel north to the Killearn area. There it is! Killearn was a master planned community along the forrested North East side and then it exploded... mark my words.

[cityboy05]

Ok well i hear that there is a new development that will have more homes than southwood. It will be called Welaunee Plantation. I have been trying to follow up on it and have gotten some info, but I want more. Does anybody have some good info or things you "heard" about this development.

[Florida]

Welaunee, talked about for years as the next big development in eastern Leon County, may be moving closer to reality. The family that owns 7,000-acre Welaunee Plantation announced they are planning for development on about 2,000 acres of land along Miccosukee and Centerville roads. Talking to neighbors is part of that process to coordinate planning. Traffic and drainage would be the two most important issues as a plan is developed.

Mixed-use development is proposed for two parcels of about 1,000 acres each, both adjacent to the Miccosukee Canopy Road Greenway. The development is still conceptual.

Welaunee Parkway, which would be a major road from Capital Circle into Welaunee to take pressure off Miccosukee and Centerville Road.

The land of rolling hills and shady oaks has long been considered some of the most desirable real estate in the county. Miccosukee Road is believed to be a former trade route for the American Indians who once lived here. After settlers chased away the Indians, farmers planted cotton in the area until the late 1800s. When cotton crops failed, northerners bought the land for winter homes.

[cityboy05]

WHOA! Welaunee really sounds like the next big thing. Looks like the growth of Tallahassee is expanding eastward, but what about the future of west Tallahassee. Are there developments for the west. I would hate to see all the growth go just to the North East.

[Florida]

You've still got some activity in the Lake Jackson area. But the west side will primarily experience alot of infill development and redevelopment because of the fact that most of it is already built-out.

Now there is some construction activity on U.S. 20 (Pensacola St West of Capital Circle) but Im not sure if this will trend or drop off after a while. It'll take a few more projects and a major road "makeover" to convience me.

Additionally I believe the west side of the community will become central for employment and economic development by transportation related, automotive, and medical industries. I say transportation because of the simple fact that the Airport is on the west in addition to the fact that Wakulla and Franklyn counties are accessed easier from the west and southwest.

I mention medical because of the fact that there are virtually no major medical facilities on the west side of Tallahassee. If nothing but Clinics, we need something on that side of town for more immediate access those who live and work on this side of the community, 30-45 minutes from the nearest hospital both on the east side.

I propose the next hospital should be installed in the Downtown area.

[cityboy05]

The hospital to be downtown, now that is a huge step. Even though the Hospital would be closer do you think it will have any affect on the lifestyle of the area. I think this will make us a 24hr downtown.

[Florida]

I like the thought of a 24 hour downtown... I guess that would be a positive side consequence of having a hospital downtown. In mentioning it I was thinking of it from an accessability standpoint, but you've got something with the 24 hour vibrance. It would be a perfect fit with the fact that FSU has its new medical school also. Where would it go... Why not at the Corner of Lake Bradford and Gaines. Both FSU and FAMU can influence its creation, FAMU with its very good Pharmacutical education.

Any thoughts?