If you’re looking for the ultimate Florida lifestyle while living steps from the Atlantic Ocean, good news! Your dream is easily within reach.

The Aruba Condominium, a new oceanfront development in Daytona Beach Shores by Aruba Ventures, LLC, is offering major savings with its pre-construction pricing. Interested buyers should act quickly as this limited-time offer ends on April 1, 2016.

“We are thrilled to offer significant savings to those helping us launch this community,” said Grady Miars, President of GreenPointe Communities, which manages The Aruba. “The Aruba is the first new condominium development for Daytona Beach Shores in more than seven years, and already 60 percent of our homes are under reservation.”

Located on South Atlantic Avenue in Daytona Beach Shores, the new oceanfront luxury condominium community recently received unanimous approval from the Daytona Beach Shores Planning and Zoning Board and final site plan approval from the Daytona Beach Shores City Council. Construction of The Aruba is slated to begin in June 2016.

Rising 12 stories, The Aruba will house 60 condominium homes offering unobstructed views of the Atlantic Ocean as well as 24 homes that offer spectacular ocean and Halifax River views. The Aruba’s thoughtfully designed floor plans range in size from approximately 1,400 square feet to more than 1,800 square feet. The spacious three- and four-bedroom plans all include a private covered wrap-around balcony showcasing expansive ocean and river views. Priced starting from the $300,000s, each residence will include luxurious interior appointments, designer bathrooms and gourmet kitchens with stainless steel appliances, designer wood cabinetry and beautifully crafted solid surface countertops.

From its upscale conveniences to its magnificent sun-drenched setting, The Aruba’s impressive amenities have been carefully planned. The community is steps from the beach and will feature an oceanfront resort-style pool with a copious sundeck. Residents will enjoy a state-of-the-art fitness center and a designer-decorated clubroom. Homeowners have numerous conveniences including on-site storage and secure, assigned under-building parking.

The Aruba Condominium is ideal for second home buyers. Not only does it offer a lock and leave lifestyle, the community also permits weekly rental opportunities.

Daytona Beach Shores is one of the hottest new resort areas in Florida. With the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Intracoastal Waterway on the west, the community is known for its pristine beach, perfect for walking, bicycling, shelling, sunning or surf fishing. The area is a haven for boating and fishing, near shopping and dining, and is a short drive from the theme parks of Disney, SeaWorld, Epcot, Universal and more in Orlando.

“If a beach home has been on your horizon, this is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for,” said Jim Mack, sales director for The Aruba Condominium. “But don’t delay. Our pre-construction pricing ends on April 1. You don’t want to miss out on this terrific opportunity.”

The Aruba Condominium sales office, located at 3162 South Atlantic Ave. in Daytona Beach Shores, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday and by appointment. For more information, call (407) 333-1559 or visit www.TheArubaCondos.com.

One-of-a-Kind Community Offers Location, Luxury and Lifestyle

The master-planned community of Tamaya is celebrating its second anniversary in 2016. In just two years, the community has flourished, welcoming more than 100 families who call Tamaya home.

“We are thrilled to mark this important milestone,” said Don Wilford, North Florida division president of ICI Homes. “Tamaya is an extraordinary one-of-a-kind community, offering an unmatched combination of natural beauty, Old World-style architecture and exceptional amenities.”

Located midway between the beaches and downtown Jacksonville, Tamaya presents a lifestyle unlike any other. Construction is underway on the community’s $11 million Residents Club. Designed exclusively for Tamaya homeowners, the Residents Club will feature a resort-style pool and outdoor recreation areas, including tennis and an event lawn. The clubhouse will span 10,000 square feet and contain nearly 4,500 square feet of interior fitness space including an expansive cardio room and a separate yoga and pilates studio overlooking a garden and fountain area. The Residents Club will feature numerous social gathering places to enhance the community living experience including a spacious great room with catering kitchen, a clubroom, a covered porch and an outdoor patio. Completion of the Residents Club is anticipated in late summer 2016.

Tamaya’s new grand entrance fronting Beach Boulevard is well underway with completion anticipated in spring 2016. The community’s new grand entrance will provide a warm and inviting welcome to residents and guests, and will be the gateway to Tamaya’s beautiful parks, meandering walking trails and luxurious Mediterranean-style homes.

ICI Homes of Tamaya offers a wide variety of distinctive, flexible and customizable home designs showcasing Tuscan, Mediterranean and Spanish architectural influences. The plans feature flexible spaces for living and entertaining, spectacular outdoor living space and generous storage spaces. Homes range in size from 1,400 square feet to more than 4,000 square feet and range in price from the $300,000s to $600,000s. ICI Homes is known for its ability to completely customize a floor plan to uniquely suit the homeowner while delivering the highest quality craftsmanship, personal service and value.

As Tamaya prepares to release a new phase of homesites, ICI Homes is offering special incentives on the remaining homesites in the community’s first phase. For more information on this limited-time offer, visit the community and see a sales associate for more information. ICI Homes has eight designer-decorated model homes available at Tamaya. The community is located off Beach Boulevard, midway between Kernan and Hodges boulevards in Jacksonville, Fla.

Tamaya offers proximity to top-rated Duval County public schools – Kernan Trail Elementary, Kernan Middle School and Atlantic Coast High School. The community is located near many excellent private schools, universities and colleges. Residents also enjoy easy access to the Jacksonville area’s corporate, medical, retail and entertainment centers. For more information, call (855) 279-6053 or visit www.TamayaFL.com.

Judith Sisler Johnston, president, Sisler Johnston Interior Design, was featured in an article on the front of a recent Homes Section of the Florida Times-Union.

To see the article, click here.

The article discussed splurge-worthy home improvements to give yourself.  The article included a photo of sample books with a caption reading, “Shown are just a few of the hundreds of wallcovering sample books, stacked high on shelves in the design center at Sisler-Johnston Interior Design. According to Judith Sisler-Johnston, today’s wallcoverings are more about texture than pattern, and even classic styles have an “edgier” quality.”

Sisler Johnston Interior Design offers comprehensive interior design services for commercial and residential clients. The company specializes in marketable designs for active adult and continuing care senior lifestyle communities. Sisler Johnston Interior Design also designs community centers, builder model homes, private residences, hotel guest accommodations and office suites.

Judith Sisler Johnston

Sisler Johnston, president of Sisler Johnston Interior Design, is a licensed Interior Designer (FL ID 217) and an allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), the Certified Green Professional (CGP) Council and is a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS). She is Florida’s leading authority on designing spectacular environments that are inspiring, functional and contribute to the wellness and self-esteem of their occupants. Sisler Johnston and the company’s team of licensed, talented designers work with clients to enhance their surroundings with designs that range from traditional elegance to contemporary classic.

Sisler Johnston’s design work has been featured in numerous books, newspapers, magazines and television programs. The company has worked with clients throughout Florida for 30 years and has received more than 200 industry awards.

For more information about Sisler Johnston Interior Design, call (904) 288-0908 or visit www.sislerjohnston.com.

Jacksonville Public Library‘s (JPL) Main Library proudly contributes to the community’s cultural life by offering a wide variety of classical music programming.

Since its inception in March 2006, JPL’s Music @ Main programs, including the popular monthly Intermezzo Sunday Concerts, have remained the best-attended ongoing series of adult programs in the history of JPL. All of the performers freely donate their time and talents for the opportunity to perform in the series and presented programs have been in partnership with area schools, colleges and universities,  the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, and Friday Musicale, Jacksonville’s oldest community music society.

Music @ Main concerts are open to the general public and reservations are not required. Unless otherwise noted, these free concerts are presented in the Main Library’s Hicks Auditorium, located on the Conference Level of the Library near the Main Street entrances.

Intermezzo Sunday Concerts are held at 3 p.m. on the following dates:

• February 14: Cliff Newton, trumpet
• March 13: Douglas Anderson Piano Students
• April 10: Maila Springfield, piano & Linda A. Cionitti, clarinet
• May 8: Joshua Ross, piano
• June 12: JiWon Hwang, violin

Library customers who use the public garage at the corner of Duval Street and Main Street may take their garage tickets to our ground-floor Popular Services Desk to get validation for free parking weekday evenings when entering after 5 p.m. and on weekends. Free on-street parking is also available on weekends and evenings after 6 p.m.

The Police Athletic League (PAL) will host its 3rd Annual Sheriff’s Round-Up on Saturday, Feb. 27, at 6 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront.

Guests will enjoy cocktails, food, gaming tables, silent auctions and dancing at the western-themed event.

The proceeds raised from this event will go toward the education, athletic and leadership programs PAL provides to more than 2,200 children living in the most economically challenged areas of Jacksonville.

The cost to attend is $130 for general admission or $75 for Young Professionals (40 and under).

For additional information, sponsorship opportunities or to register online click here.

About PAL

PAL is a youth activities program run by police officers and volunteers for the purpose of preventing juvenile crime and drug use. The program provides positive role models. It develops discipline, self-esteem and positive moral values through wholesome competition.

Some of the sports activities are basketball, boxing, cheerleading, football, karate, and track and field. Other activities include mentoring, tutoring and a summer day camp.

For more information call (904) 630-2160 or to access the Jacksonville PAL website directly, click here.

A Power Breakfast meeting on Tuesday, March 1 at the Deerwood Country Club will explore trends in transportation. The U.S. Department of Transportation has issued a challenge to America’s mid-size cities including Jacksonville to address growing demands on transportation infrastructure in the decades to come and will fund projects that can solve transportation problems.

Competitors must demonstrate how advanced data and ITS technologies and applications can be used to reduce congestion, keep travelers safe, protect the environment, respond to climate change, connect underserved communities, and support economic vitality.

To register, click here. The event is planned from  7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., will cost $40 and the registration deadline is Feb. 26. The event is hosted by the Jacksonville Business Journal and sponsored by the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization, BBVA Compass and Holland & Knight.

Small businesses crafting their marketing plan should consider attending this Business Growth Workshop on Wednesday, Feb. 10 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the JAX Chamber’s Hadlow Board Room at 3 Independent Drive in Jacksonville.

The workshop, presented by Steve Goranson, MBA, President, ActionCOACH Jacksonville, is free for JAX Chamber members and is $20 for non-members. Registration is required and RSVPs should be made to Shirley Moore at [email protected] or 366-6618.

Steve Goranson, President, ActionCOACH Jacksonville and 2012 ActionCOACH Marketing Coach of the Americas

Hosted by the Chamber’s Entrepreneurial Growth Division, the workshop aims to deliver a dynamic learning opportunity for current and emerging small business owners and entrepreneurs.

• See and think about your business differently.
• Understand that marketing is math. It’s all about customer acquisition and how much does it cost to buy a customer.
• Learn how to develop a market niche.
• Learn seven steps to marketing plan clarity.

Lisa Villar, Broker Associate and Joann Gaudette, Realtor, Watson with Mike Bugg, Principal of The Condo Group LLC

The Palazzo on St. Johns recently hosted a Grand Opening of the new Sales Gallery and Designer Models.

Tyler Shields and Tim Holden, Realtors, Watson

Guests were the first to experience the newly designer-decorated model condominiums while enjoying live music from Chris James, delicious hors d’oeuvres by The Well and fine wine.

Kathy Browning of The Condo Group LLC and Jill Moore of EverBank

For more information about The Palazzo on St. Johns, visit www.PalazzoOnStJohns.com or call (904) 627-4762. The Palazzo on St. Johns is located at 3958 Baymeadows Road, Jacksonville, Fla. and its Sales Center is open Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m.

 The Mortgage Bankers Association of Jacksonville is hosting the 2016 Northeast Florida Real Estate Symposium on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016 at 11:30 a.m. at the University of North Florida. For more information and to register, click here.