San Jose Real Estate

The San Jose Company was founded in 1914 with Claude Nolan as its president. Nolan, owner of Claude Nolan Cadillac, backed this project because he believed that the automobile would foster the growth of outlying suburban communities.However, the company's plans were indefinitely delayed by the beginning of World War I.

Interest in San Jose would come alive again during the 1920's. On January 25, 1925, a charter was granted for San Jose Estates. The new company planned a major community that would include two hotels, a golf and country club, a 100' wide esplanade along the river, a yacht club, parks, schools, a retail center and hundreds of houses. The community's theme would be "a bit of Old Spain in the new world".

In 1926, the San Jose Hotel opened as the centerpiece of the development. Unfortunately, despite strong opening sales, Florida's real estate boom had begun to fall apart. By the end of 1926, with the exception of 31 completed homes, all construction came to an end. In 1928, the San Jose Hotel was closed and sold to the estate of Richard Bolles. After World War II, the neighborhood was overcome by suburban sprawl. Today, the original remnants of the Spanish Mediterranean-style project has been mixed in with modern development.

Source: https://www.wikipedia.org/ - San Jose historic summary based off the description published in Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage by Wayne W. Wood.