Velara, a 312-unit luxury apartment community in the Nocatee master planned area, is officially open. Thompson Thrift marked the debut with a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, July 21, at the clubhouse at 345 Burbank Ave., celebrating nine three-story buildings of one, two and three bedroom apartments. Published asking rents run from about $1,545 to $2,496, and tenant move ins actually began back in March 2026. The company also said it would mark the occasion by presenting a $2,000 donation to a local children’s charity during the ceremony.
What Velara offers
Velara is pitched as resort style living tailored to Nocatee’s master planned vibe, with amenities aimed squarely at renters who like their creature comforts close at hand. According to Thompson Thrift, the community sits on just over 12.5 acres and wraps a heated pool with a sunken fire pit and covered pool-deck patio. There are private golf-cart garages, a pickleball court, a 24-hour fitness center, a pet spa and a dog park.
Inside, the apartments come with designer kitchens and smart home capabilities, and select units offer detached garages and private yards. In other words, if you have a pet, a paddle and a golf cart, Velara is very much trying to get your attention.
Ribbon cutting and community gift
The formal ribbon cutting for Velara’s opening was set for July 21 at the community’s clubhouse, where Thompson Thrift planned to present a $2,000 donation to HUGS St. Johns, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record. The paper reports that tenant move ins began in March and notes that asking rents range from roughly $1,545 to $2,496.
HUGS St. Johns describes itself as a local nonprofit that provides clothing, school supplies and meals to children in St. Johns County, per HUGS St. Johns. The donation folds a bit of local philanthropy into a project that is otherwise very much about lifestyle and amenities.
Location and neighborhood perks
Velara sits near Nocatee’s western Town Center interchange, giving residents quick access to shops and restaurants along with outdoor recreation. Nearby, renters can plug into a kayak launch, two waterparks, a 75-acre community park and miles of hiking and fitness trails. As outlined by Nocatee, those town center and on-site amenities are a major selling point for people choosing master planned living in the area.
Sale and ownership
The dirt under Velara changed hands before the pool deck ever went in. The land was sold to Thompson Thrift on Feb. 5, 2025, for $13 million by members of the Davis family, founders of the Winn-Dixie grocery chain, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record. Thompson Thrift has been rolling out multifamily projects across the Southeast and positioned Velara as a complement to Nocatee’s growing mix of for sale and rental housing.
Market context
Velara is arriving in a Jacksonville region that has been anything but sleepy on the apartment front. The community joins an active multifamily pipeline as developers respond to population and job growth around the metro area. Market reports point to steady investment and new deliveries in early 2026, and investors continue to track renter demand across the region. Cushman & Wakefield’s Q1 2026 MarketBeat highlights that ongoing activity.
Developer footprint
Velara also represents another notch in Thompson Thrift’s Sunbelt belt. The company says this will be its 18th multifamily development in Florida as it expands around key Sunbelt markets, according to Thompson Thrift. The developer has emphasized amenity-forward finishes and community programming that it believes line up with demand in master planned environments like Nocatee, where the lifestyle pitch is just as central as the floor plan.
