Community First Credit Union buys land in Fernandina Beach for fourth Nassau County branch (Courtesy of the Jacksonville Business Journal) — Community First Credit Union is planting another flag in Northeast Florida as it eyes continued growth in one of the region’s fastest-growing counties.
The Jacksonville-based credit union has purchased a 1.37-acre commercial lot in Fernandina Beach, marking the early stages of a planned new branch that would expand its footprint in Nassau County to four locations.
The site, at 2000 Sadler Road near Will Hardee Drive, sits within a key commercial corridor serving Amelia Island, positioning the future branch to capture both residential growth and visitor traffic.
While development remains in the early planning phase, Community First said it intends to build a roughly 3,100-square-foot freestanding branch featuring a drive-thru, two ATMs and its signature tower design. A construction timeline and opening date have not yet been determined.
The project is part of a broader push by the $3 billion credit union to modernize and expand its branch network across the First Coast, as it adapts physical locations to changing customer expectations.
“Nassau County is growing and we intend to serve our members where they are,” said Sam Inman, president and CEO of Community First, in a statement. “This strategically located lot in the Sadler Road commercial corridor will help us serve our Amelia Island residents with the highest quality financial services right in their neighborhood.”
Community First said its newer branches are designed with open floor plans, upgraded digital technology and localized historical elements, reflecting a shift toward a more retail-oriented banking experience.
The Fernandina Beach location would build on the credit union’s existing presence in Nassau County, where it already operates branches in Yulee and Callahan and isconstructing another in Wildlight. The institution counts about 10,000 members living in the county.
The expansion also underscores Community First’s broader investment cycle. Since 2022, the credit union has announced or opened eight new branches, growing beyond the 19 locations it operated at that time.
The Fernandina Beach land deal was brokered by Jonathan Heldenbrand of ProperCRE, who represented Community First. Thomas W. Miller of Newmark represented the seller, Sadler Road Partners LLC.
Based in Jacksonville, Community First serves more than 188,000 members across the First Coast and employs more than 450 people, continuing to position itself as one of Florida’s largest credit unions as it grows alongside the region.
Rendering courtesy of TTV Architects