People on their yachts, sailboats and fishing boats moving through the Salt Run Harbor in St. Augustine have long used the Conch House Marina as a landmark, but may soon start setting their sights on The Abacos at Salt Run when they boat through the area.
For those boaters who have been to the Abacos in the Bahamas, the design and architecture may even make them take a second look at their navigational charts.
The first two-story, single-family Ocean Manor has just been completed at this waterfront residential development – part of a 15-home residential enclave located on Inlet Drive that will reflect the same colonial architecture as our Caribbean neighbor to the south. 
Over the next 12 months, the colonial look of the islands will take further shape as the development team of Cronk Duch Partners and HCM Construction builds out the rest of the development – which includes another single-family ocean manor, five three-story townhome cottages, four two-story townhomes, four penthouse villa flats and a community pool to complete the project.
“We’ve heard great feedback about the layout and design of the first home when it was unveiled to the realtor community in early November,” said Abacos Listing Agent Michelle Cummings of Prudential Network Realty. “The Manors have a second-story balcony that offers a great view of both the inlet and the Atlantic Ocean and the same spectacular view can be seen from the master bedroom as well.”
The single-family homes are priced from $1.8 million. Each ranges in size from 3,125 to 3,570 square feet with four bedrooms and three bathrooms – with the option to add a carriage suite above the two-car garage.
“The carriage suite has a walkway that connects it to the home and its own individual entrance,” Cummings said. “It is really ideal for visiting guests or for use as a mother-in-law suite.”
Cummings said The Abacos at Salt Run is one of the most unique properties she has marketed in the First Coast.
“The interior and exterior designs of the entire development will be fantastic,” she said. “I’m excited to see this special project taking shape.”
All of the homes feature granite countertops in the kitchens and bathrooms, and a mix of stone and wood flooring throughout. Cummings says that upgrades can easily be made by buyers for the remaining homes since they are in the pre-construction phase.
The first floor of all the units are being built with concrete block, with the upper floors framed to allow for more architectural design elements.
As with all real estate, it is the area’s unique location on the waterfront that is The Abacos’ strongest selling point.
“Any buyer looking for a waterfront property really needs to see these expansive views to appreciate what The Abacos has to offer,” Cummings said.
The Abacos is the first major project in St. Augustine for Cranewoods Development LLC, a company known for assembling project teams to develop, design and build cutting-edge projects. The company focuses on specialty and high-demand waterfront markets along the Florida coast. Cranewoods has other condo projects now under way at Jacksonville Beach and Ponce Inlet.
Cranewoods Development Manager Andrew Howe says that the features along Inlet Drive, including the harbor protection, are very similar to those in the Abacos Bahamas.
“It is the perfect fit,” Howe said. “The area looks a lot like Abacos Bay and Hope Town Harbor where the cottages overlook the streets and waterways. The relationship of our houses to Salt Run are similar to what they have there.”
Also, the laid-back, relaxed atmosphere of St. Augustine fits the development on another level.
“St. Augustine has an incredibly rich history and is a great place to live,” Howe said. “I’m just really glad we have the opportunity to bring this project to the area. Our architectural approach fits right in with the residential designs already available in these coastal areas.”
Cranewoods worked with architects from Cronk Duch Partners, to create a West Indies-style architecture reminiscent of the Caribbean Islands. Cronk Duch actually applied some of the elements from projects they designed in the Caribbean. The company drew upon its work on Loyalist Hope, an enclave of 10 residences and a private estate at the north tip of Hope Town in the Abacos, Playa Cristal, a 140-unit condo hotel in Key Largo, and Angler’s Reef, a grouping of 52 cottages in Islamorada, Florida.
Cummings says the variety of residential options at The Abacos also appeals to a wide range of homebuyers.
“There are penthouse flats for young professionals or seniors who don’t want the responsibilities of yard work, and at the same time The Abacos also offers homes with yards for families who have children,” Cummings said. “The best part is that even with the degree of differences in home options, the architecture and community pool will tie it all together in a very special neighborhood.”
The flats, offering square footages between 1,150 and 1,250, are priced starting at $675,000. The villa townhomes, ranging in size from 1,900- to 2,000-square-feet, start at $896,000. The prices for the island cottages, offering about 2,860 square feet of space along with a two-car garage, start at $1.3 million.
The development is expected to begin occupancy by the middle of next year.
For more information about sales, contact Michelle Cummings of Prudential Network Realty at 904-241-7461, ext. 231, 904-477-6668, or at michelle.cummings@prudentialnetworkrealty.com. For more information about the development, visit www.abacosatsaltrun.com.
Everyone loves a little fun in the sun. From getting away from the history of your days in St. Augustine - those rough patches at work, the tourists who are in town to take a look at the Spanish colonial quarter, a day at the beach can be the perfect thing to get your mind off of it.
At the beach at Ponce Inlet, you’ll find that it’s easy to unwind in one of the most beautiful places around. Why settle for the ordinary when you deserve the best? After all, Ponce Inlet is home to one of 2007’s 10 best beaches.
