Elements of Seaside

Genesis

Seaside was conceived at a time when the country had gone through a period of urbanization that created sprawl and a disconnected sense of place.  At its genesis, Seaside sought to recreate walkable sociability and a scale of community that would be unto itself a place to call home.

Built along the beach in a uniquely east to west orientation as the center of town commerce sits equi-distant from each end of town, Seaside, Florida along 30a preserves a beach town feeling rather than being just a town near the beach.

With its walking paths weaving in concert along the back of and in between the homes you never lose your self or your sense of place. 

As you walk from your home to the center of the main streets and turn gently to the south seeing your iconic beach pavilion,  you reach the ah ha moment of realization that “oh yes I am here. There is the beach. This my home”.

The Element of Layout

Towns are either near the beach or on the beach along 30a.  Seaside, Florida sits in the most unique orientation to the beach with the town set in an east-west orientation over the course of nearly 7 tenths of a mile establishing the first essential element of the site.

With the anchoring 7 main streets oriented north and south guiding residents directly to the beach, Tupelo, Savannah and East Ruskin flank the commercial area on the east while West Ruskin,  Pensacola Odessa and Natchez do so on the east.  It is this grid along with the few east and west connecting roads  that’s sets the canvas for a 1 of 1 layout. 

Having only two rows of homesites  on the beach side of Scenic Highway 30a sets up in a staggered orientation establishing the essence of a Beachtown. One of the key unchangeable elements is the street layout.

The lots the are set on the streets and on the beach side in a traditional layout with the larger lots beginning on the east side on Tupelo Street becoming modestly smaller over time as the town emerged through to the final north south street, Natchez.

The Element of Homes

The next unchangeable element of the town is the home dimension requirement.   While Seaside, Florida appears to all as a very eclectic set of variations, the reality is the core essentials of what a home must be is very precise.   

The predominant lot type (VI) allows for a 22 foot high home at teh maximum with a tower of limited footprint may rise above that height.  In the early days and even still if in the absence of landscape, this allows all homes to be able to attain a view to the gulf.   On the beachside of Scenic Highway 30a only three homes were permitted a tower and no others.  

Yet still it is not static.   As homes are set further from the beach to the north and behind 22 foot high structures,  a second lot type (VIa) allows homes to rise to 30 feet with a tower above that height. 

Interestingly, as views are not as critical to residential homes sites behind the commerce district and along Seaside Avenue and Smolian Circle, as one gets closer to the center of town, homes also can rise to 30 feet. 

A fews special lot types exist closer to town center and are the tallest homes allowed in Seaside.  Because of the position homes South of the Town Commerce Center and just east and west of it, they do not obscure view corridors of other homes northward.

Several other lot types exist in Seaside, but the height requirements along with clear and precise allowed footprints, the Element of Homes at is core is a critical unchangeable element.  While Seaside, Florida is in a renewal phase with many new homes being constructed, it is the interplay of roof heights from south to north and from the outer edges of town towards the town center along with precise footprints that makes Seaside a Home even as they become new homes again.

Available Homes

The Element of Nature

The next element of the town can be changed overtime by "Mother".  The element of Nature.  The natural surroundings of Seaside, Florida are dominated by the beach of course as are all towns along 30a.  But still there is more. 

The town paths between the homes that run throughout town are a refuge of tranquility or a place to get your morning run.  You will almost always encounter a friendly dog and their friendly owner on a morning walk.

An abundance of in town parks and playgrounds are found in Seaside, Florida.  Most notably is the Croquet/Soccer lawn.  Near the adult pool on Wakulla is a proper children's playground.  You can also find a nice spot at the Savannah Street pocket park, Ruskin Park or the most secret place of all the Rosewalk. 

The Element of Amenity

All towns want to be self contained.  They want to have walkability to all things.

Seaside, Florida achieves that.  With three pools, tennis facilities, a fitness center and a new one on the way for 2027 along with a multitude of natural settings, you walk to them all and enjoy then daily.

There are many contemplative areas within Seaside where reading a book or enjoying quiet time is easy.  Most notably of these kinds of areas are the 7 Street Beach Pavilions.   They are the most peaceful places to enjoy the best amenity of all, the white sand beaches.

Another key Element of Amenity is the people.  There is nothing that replaces a "Welcome" at the Modica Market.   

The Element of Commerce

Seaside, Florida is well known for its friendlier and open town commerce center known as "Central Square".  There you find the food trailers that emerged in 2000's as the new incubator business locations but continue to this day as an iconic place to gather and enjoy a casual meal.  Great Southern and Bud and Alley's anchor the well known sit down dining spots while there remains nothing like World Famous Pickles or The Shrimp Shack.

From Snow Cones to fine dining and from casual bars to informal gatherings at Amavida, Seaside Central Square is always a place to find a new friend, a new dish, or a or a great book at Sundog Book Store.  

If you need a new toy for the kids or even a Wheel-O for those of you that long for the past, Duckie's remains the best toy store in the world.   

Dawson's Fudge and Yogurt Shop ends a nice walk through town back to home grabbing a quick cone for the kids.

Lastly there is the Amphitheater.  Of the planned communities, Seaside, Florida offers nearly everyday some form of entertainment at the stage during the season.   Every Saturday there is the Farmer's market, and during the peaks of vacation, it also operates on Tuesday.  This is the Element of Commerce that makes Seaside our home and it can be yours too.