"The most important thing that community gardens grow is connection and community," Judith LaRue of Nature Connect Florida told the Beach Gazette this fall. Her group donated the garden on the grounds of the city's newest building.
That building is the Marsh Oaks Community Center at 100 W. First St., next to Beaches Veterans Memorial Park. It isn't a new build. It started out as a 4,500-square-foot assisted-living facility, which the City of Atlantic Beach bought in 2024. In a year when City Hall has been cutting costs, its public debut has been built around the park next door. The city chose to introduce the center through events that already bring people to Veterans Park instead of giving it a standalone grand opening.
From Purchase to Ribbon, in Order
The center has been rolling out in stages for more than two years. The city's construction updates and later local reporting show these steps:
- 2024. The city buys the former assisted-living facility at 100 W. First St.
- July 22, 2025. The Arts, Recreation and Culture Committee votes to approve the name Marsh Oaks Community Center.
- Aug. 11, 2025. The City Commission makes the name official. It honors the surrounding neighborhood, its canopy of live oaks and the marshlands nearby.
- March 23, 2026. The Commission accepts Nature Connect Florida's donation of a community garden for the grounds.
- July 11, 2026. The city holds a soft opening as part of Atlantic Beach's centennial celebration, with parking-lot improvements and the garden still to come.
- Nov. 11, 2026. The center's ribbon-cutting is scheduled right after the Veterans Day ceremony.
- Nov. 14, 2026. The garden's grand opening is scheduled.
Back in 2025, the city expected the center to open by July 2026. The July soft opening met that date for the building. The outdoor work and formal ceremonies came later.
Three Grants, Three Jobs
Each grant paid for a separate piece of the work. ACON Construction and its design-build team carried out the upgrades.
| Phase | Funding source | Amount | What it paid for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane hardening | Florida Department of Emergency Management, Hurricane Loss Mitigation Program | $220,000 | A new roof rated for 140 mph winds, interior bracing tying walls, roof and floor together, and impact-resistant doors and windows |
| Interior and exterior renovation | City of Jacksonville | $500,000 | New plumbing, electrical, air conditioning and fire sprinkler systems, followed by exterior improvements |
| Parking and landscaping | Community Development Block Grant | $200,000 | Removing the old parking area and fencing, then a new landscaped lot connecting the building to Veterans Park |
Together, the three grants named on the city's update page come to $920,000. They matter more because of the city's finances this fall. The City Manager's Oct. 12 community update describes a budget realignment for fiscal 2026-27. It includes workforce reductions, salary cuts for key leaders, a $500,000 contingency reserve, and warnings about delayed maintenance and less upkeep of public grounds. The same update covers a hiring freeze and says the Parks and Recreation divisions moved under the City Manager's Office on Oct. 1. So Atlantic Beach is opening a renovated public building at the same time it is shrinking spending elsewhere, and the building's main work was paid for by grants.
What the Building Is For
The city has described the center's purpose the same way since its first construction updates. It is meant to provide essential community services for seniors, veterans and others, and to house the Parks and Recreation Department's offices. It will also be available for events at Beaches Veterans Memorial Park and for private gatherings.
The hardening work gives the building a second role. In the city's words, reported by the Beach Gazette, it is a hub for everyday "blue-sky" days that can also serve as a safe haven during extreme weather.
Programming is still being shaped. The city ran a 2024 community centers survey and has posted the results. It is building an operational plan for Marsh Oaks and asks residents to send ideas for how the center should be used to [email protected]. Anyone hoping for a specific class, meeting space or rental option can still have a say at this stage.
Why the Debut Runs Through Veterans Park
The ribbon-cutting date came from the Arts, Recreation and Culture Committee. At its Sept. 8 meeting, Recreation Manager Jordan Leslie proposed holding it on Veterans Day, right after the 9 a.m. ceremony already planned at the park. According to the committee's minutes, the reasoning was practical. An established event would already draw people on a Wednesday, and it would cause fewer travel conflicts. The committee also discussed a community lunch at the center.
The Veterans Day ceremony plan in those minutes included a guest speaker who is a veteran, a color guard from the Beaches, a national anthem performance, a tribute ceremony, American flags for attendees and continued sales of engraved memorial bricks. The center's ribbon-cutting and reception were placed directly after it on the city's calendar.
The building's artwork follows the same theme. In September the city put out a call for artists for a permanent patriotic installation on the center. It wanted a visual landmark honoring local military service members and celebrating coastal Florida's natural beauty, made from materials that can handle salt air, humidity and strong sun. The city's call listed the civic values "Honor, Service, Sacrifice" and regional wildlife among its themes. Artists 18 and older who live, work or study in Duval, St. Johns or Nassau counties could apply. A committee of residents and city staff reviewed the entries, with the city manager making the final pick. The City Manager's update says the work is planned for the back wall of the center, and the city aimed to install it in November.
The Garden Got Its Own Saturday
At the Sept. 8 meeting, Leslie said it was uncertain whether the garden would be finished by Veterans Day. The city's calendar then gave it a separate date. The Marsh Oaks Community Garden grand opening was set for Saturday, Nov. 14. A garden party ran from 4 to 5:30 p.m., with the official ribbon-cutting at 5 p.m. The city's 2nd Annual Environmental Stewardship Awards Celebration followed from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., and the invitation encouraged garden-party attire.
Pairing the garden with the stewardship awards follows the same approach as Veterans Day. The new space was introduced alongside an event that already has an audience, this one in its second year.
The garden plan, as reported by the Beach Gazette, includes:
- 32 plots in total
- 6 wheelchair-accessible beds
- 6 community-managed beds
- Corrugated-steel raised planters
- A small pond
- Native plants for pollinators
The city's recreation department manages plot sign-ups. Residents who want a bed can start by contacting the city through [email protected] or the recreation pages on coab.us.
Saturday at Jack Russell Park
The next free public event on the city's calendar is at Jack Russell Park, 800 Seminole Road, not at Marsh Oaks. The Atlantic Beach Music Festival returns Saturday, Nov. 21, from 5 to 10 p.m. Magnolia Lane Builders is presenting it, and the lineup is Trash Panda, SunCatcher and StellaSoul. Drinks come from Mayport Garden Club and Reve Brewing, and local food trucks will be on site. The festival is free and open to all ages, with food and drinks for sale.
The same recreation team handles both parks. In the City Manager's Oct. 12 update, Recreation Division team members Veronica Richard and Jordan Leslie were credited with getting Jack Russell Park selected for the Florida Recreation and Park Association's 2026 Facility Showcase. The park will appear on the association's website and in the Winter 2026 edition of the FRPA Journal. Leslie also brought the Marsh Oaks ribbon-cutting plan to the committee. In the Oct. 12 update, the Nov. 11 ceremony and ribbon-cutting and the Nov. 21 festival appear as back-to-back entries on the same short calendar.
For many of our agents, the Beaches calendar has been part of life for decades, and we track how new public spaces like Marsh Oaks change the way neighbors use their town. If you're thinking about what's changing near your street and how it could affect your home's value, RiverPoint Real Estate can help. Get Your Free Home Valuation.
