JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 22, 2026--
Thompson Thrift, a full-service real estate company engaged in multifamily and mixed-use development across the country, recently celebrated the ribbon cutting for Velara, a 312-unit luxury multifamily community in Ponte Vedra Beach’s award-winning Nocatee master planned community. Residents began moving into the community in February and continue to enjoy luxury apartment homes and resort-style amenities designed to complement the area's active, amenity-rich way of life.
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"Velara was designed to fit seamlessly into the lifestyle that has made Nocatee one of Florida's most desirable places to live," said Angie Atkins, senior vice president of community management for Thompson Thrift. "From the thoughtfully designed apartment homes and welcoming amenity spaces to the community’s unmatched location, Velara offers residents everything they need to feel at home from the moment they arrive."
Located along Burbank Avenue near Nocatee's western interchange, Velara offers studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment homes featuring designer finishes including quartz countertops, stainless-steel appliances, hardwood-style flooring, full-size washers and dryers and smart home technology. Select homes have been enhanced with cabinetry with soft-close doors, a deluxe closet system with shelving and walk-in showers with full tile surround. Patio, balcony, private yard, detached garage and private golf cart garage options are also available.
Residents also enjoy an extensive collection of resort-style amenities tailored to active living, including a heated swimming pool with a covered pool-deck patio, sunken fire pit, pickleball court, expansive 24/7 fitness center and social hub, thoughtfully designed courtyards, pet spa with grooming station, and dog park. In addition, residents have access to Nocatee's renowned parks, waterparks, trails, shopping and dining destinations.
During the ribbon-cutting celebration, guests toured the clubhouse, model home and community amenities. As part of Thompson Thrift's ongoing commitment to supporting the communities where it develops, the company also presented a charitable donation to HUGS St. Johns, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children and families experiencing crisis throughout St. Johns County.
"One of the most rewarding parts of opening a new community is becoming part of the community itself," said Abbey Shultz, vice president of community management for Thompson Thrift. "Organizations like HUGS St. Johns are making a meaningful difference for local children and families, and we're honored to support their work as we establish roots in Nocatee."
Velara is ideally situated just minutes from U.S. 1 and I-95, providing convenient access to Jacksonville's major employment centers, area beaches and more than 5,000 acres of parks and preserves. Residents also enjoy proximity to Nocatee Town Center's shopping, dining and entertainment offerings.
Over the past 40 years, Thompson Thrift has invested more than $7.3 billion into local communities and has become known as a trusted partner engaged in all aspects of development, construction, leasing, and management of high-quality real estate projects across the country.
Velara is the company’s 18 th multifamily development in Florida. Equity for the development was provided by Thompson Thrift 2025 Multifamily Development, LP.
About Thompson Thrift Real Estate Company
Since its founding in 1986, Thompson Thrift has grown from a locally focused development and construction company into a full-service, integrated enterprise with a national scope. From its offices in Indianapolis and Terre Haute, Indiana; Denver; Houston; and Phoenix the company is engaged in all aspects of development, construction, leasing and management of quality multifamily and commercial projects. The company earned national recognition as a winner of a 2026 Top Workplaces USA award, the latest accolade that reflects the company's ongoing commitment to excellence in the community and workplace. For more information, please visit www.thompsonthrift.com.
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Thompson Thrift Celebrates Ribbon Cutting for Velara in Ponte Vedra Beach’s Nocatee Master Planned Community
CHICAGO (AP) — An independent autopsy commissioned by the family of Nolan Xavier Wells found the 18-year-old’s cause and manner of death to be “undetermined” pending further investigation.
The civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Wells family, announced the preliminary findings Wednesday in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the annual NAACP National Convention in Chicago.
The autopsy report, he said, showed no evidence of fractures or deep tissue injuries. It described a “red discoloration” in the back of Wells' skull as “inconclusive” and meriting further investigation.
Without further information, the forensic pathologist, Dr. Robert Mitchell, wrote that he could not rule out the possibility that “non-accidental factors contributed to or caused the death."
Wells had traveled to an island off the coast of Mississippi on July 4 with a group of friends, who later returned to the mainland without him. His body was discovered two days later floating off the island's coast.
In his report, the pathologist pointed to several challenges inherent to the independent autopsy, including the decomposition of the body and outstanding questions about whether Wells was conscious when he entered the water.
Because an initial autopsy was performed by the medical examiner in Mississippi, Wells’ body arrived without organs or neck structures — making it impossible to determine if he had suffered a neck injury or whether water had entered his lungs, according to the report, which notes that the practice is not unusual.
Still, the revelation, relayed by Crump, prompted gasps from the crowd of several hundred in Chicago. The attorney called on state officials to provide that evidence for the family to review as part of their own independent investigation.
The Mississippi medical examiner, which has not released the results of the state autopsy, did not return a message seeking comment.
The second autopsy was paid for by former NFL player Colin Kaepernick, whose group Know Your Rights Camp has paid for other independent autopsies.
“This is only another part of the puzzle, and even though it tells us significant information, we still have more questions than we have answers at this time,” Crump said of the results.
The still-unknown circumstances around Wells’ death have touched off rampant online speculation and prompted calls from Black leaders for transparency from local authorities. Wells, who was Black, had traveled to the island with a group of high school friends, all of whom are white.
A reward of $125,000 — jointly funded by the Rev. Al Sharpton, actor and producer Tyler Perry and former NFL player Terrell Owens — is now being offered in exchange for information leading to an arrest and conviction in connection with the death.
The autopsy announcement comes two days after Wells was laid to rest in his hometown of Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
In his eulogy, Sharpton lamented the “inconsistencies and unanswered questions” that had placed a dark cloud over the grieving family.
He questioned why Wells’ friends had left him behind, taken his phone and keys and failed to report him missing. And he suggested local investigators had spoken prematurely in statements to the news media indicating no crime was suspected.
“The reason that a lot of people across the nation are looking at this Nolan situation is because we’re looking at the history in Mississippi,” Sharpton added. “We can’t have someone in law enforcement saying there was no foul play before there was an investigation.”
Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said initial interviews suggested Wells chose to stay on the island and that his friends believed he would get a ride with someone else. He has said the friends were cooperating with the investigation, which remains ongoing.
“We are trying to be respectful and collaborative as much as we can,” Crump said. “But it’s always troublesome to all of us when these investigations just take forever.”
Christine Wonsley, center, is flanked by her husband Elmore, second from left, attorney Ben Crump, left, and Rev, Al Sharpton, right, during a memorial service for her son Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Attorney Ben Crump, center, speaks next to Elmore and Christine Wonsley, at left, and Rev. Al Sharpton during a memorial service for Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Elmore Wonsley, center, speaks next to attorney Ben Crump, left, and Rev. Al Sharpton during a memorial service for Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends, Monday, July 20, 2026, in Ocean Springs, Miss. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
