Tech visionary Raghu Misra sat down with The Citizen to discuss the trajectory of his popular innovation hub The Link — along with a range of other pressing local issues.
The Link was an ambitious and unique undertaking, really without precedent. What has been most fulfilling about the project three years after opening?
This is a place where the entire family can come. I’m very happy about that. There is a concept of a third place — not home, not work, but the another place you spend your time. Sadly, in the Western World, that can be a mall or a Starbucks. So we wanted to be a third place, but a third place where every member of your family can be productive and creative literally every hour of the day. I believe, overall, we have achieved that, and that’s very gratifying.
What challenges have arisen?
Forging a distinct identity. Our trademark from the beginning was Play, Think, Do. In retrospect, from a marketing standpoint, that may have been a mistake. Simply because we were not well defined. People walked into The Link and said, what is this? Perhaps we were trying to be too many things to too many people, and we’ve learned from that.
We’ve evolved drastically over the last three years. The Link is based on what the community wants us to be, not what we think it needs to be. So we’ve listened to what works and what doesn’t work. We started with 120 different types of classes a month, and we’ve tapered that down based on feedback.
Can you highlight one curveball you weren’t expecting?
Apparently, the median age in Nocatee is 54. There are a lot of empty nesters here. So originally, the assumption was that kids programming would dominate, But now, moving into 2025, we are looking into ways to appeal to that older demographic as well.
How will The Link’s programming evolve moving forward?
In the beginning we did everything ourselves. But this year the goal is to tap into existing communities, to collaborate with people with existing followings, and to co-host events with them. We are planning 50 to 75 of these events this year.
What do you see for the future of Nocatee?
We started as something of a suburb, dependent on having to travel elsewhere. But we are moving very quickly to becoming a self-sustaining community. You can meet all your needs right here. You can conduct business here and embrace a low commute lifestyle, something we fully endorse. Why squander an hour a day that could be spent on something more productive than sitting in traffic?
There has been a massive increase in Nocatee property values and the economic profile of the homebuyer has changed markedly. Is Nocatee gentrifying in a sense?
To me, gentrification is defined as a situation where people are displaced. Perhaps that is taking place in Jacksonville in certain areas, but I don’t think it’s applicable here. What is happening here, from my perspective, is overwhelmingly positive. One must remember that 70% of St. Johns County residents came from out of state. You are getting people moving from big cities. They are accustomed to innovation, to startups. So, in terms of what we are striving for at The Link, this is obviously a tremendous benefit. I don’t have to sell people on co-working. They are already craving what we are building here.
Development is a flashpoint issue in St. Johns County. What are your thoughts on the pace of growth?
People forget that more than 50% of Nocatee’s 25,000 acres are preserved. I think The PARC Group has done a phenomenal job of managing the growth here. Of course, there is going to be development when there is so much demand, but it’s a matter of controlling it in a responsible way. The PARC Group, in a positive way, are control freaks. There’s a reason why you don’t see turn over in the storefronts. There is a logic to what they are doing.
What does the future hold for Northeast Florida?
There is a new energy here, it’s undeniable and, in my view, irreversible. I’ve been here for nearly three decades. My wife was one of the original planners on the Nocatee project. This used to be a sleepy area, but this new population wants to do interesting things and is compelling a change in supply by changing the demand. As a citizen of this county, I couldn’t be more excited for the future.
