New 303-unit luxury apartment complex opens Tuesday in Niceville

NICEVILLE—A new 303-unit, $72 million luxury apartment complex will welcome its first residents Tuesday in the Deer Moss Creek community in Niceville.

Here is what you need to know.

Background

Located at 1200 Deer Moss Loop, The Enclave at Deer Moss Creek is the vision of two local developers, Peter Bocchino and Charles Rigdon, who wanted to bring a first-of-its-kind housing complex to Niceville.

Bocchino, who has developed apartment complexes across the Southeast United States for over a decade, said The Enclave will address the lack of rental housing in Niceville, especially for those looking for housing at a location close to Eglin Air Force Base or Northwest Florida State College.

Bocchino said the process to opening day took several years to complete, as they had to work with city officials on permitting and zoning issues and start the financial process over three times to gain the capital to buy the property.

Bocchino broke ground on the facility in early 2023, intending to wrap up construction by February 2025. He told the Daily News that, barring any tropical systems that impact our area in 2024, construction will still be on schedule.

Questions over rent

As Bocchino told the Daily News, The Enclave is advertised as a luxury apartment complex, which could deter people on a budget from choosing the facility as their next home for 12 months.

According to The Enclave website, a one-bedroom, one-bath, 628-square-foot apartment starts at $1,840 monthly, which is $440 higher than the average one-bedroom apartment in Okaloosa County, according to renthop.com.

When asked why the rent was so high, Bocchino said the high property cost and rising construction costs set the terms for a higher-than-average rent.

"In order to build this type of project, you have to pay a market price on the land, and that is also very reflective of what you have to charge for rent," Bocchino said.

Amenities and features

Each one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom apartment includes vinyl floors, granite countertops and stainless steel fixtures in the fully furnished kitchen and bathroom. Each room also includes an in-suite washer and drier, walk-in closet space and patios.

Other amenities inside the fully gated community include a pool, fitness center, grilling stations, covered car parking and garages, two dog parks, dog washing stations and a dedicated mail room for large packages.

The monthly rent for all rooms includes water, sewer, power and community WiFi.

More information

Bocchino said 15 people have already signed a lease at The Enclave in preparation for moving in on Tuesday. As March 2025 gets closer, Bocchino said more buildings will be open as they are completed.

For more information about The Enclave at Deer Moss Creek, visit their website or call 850-318-5082.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: New 303-unit luxury apartment complex opens Tuesday in Niceville