At a mere 150 miles from Jacksonville, Savannah, Georgia – the City built on a Bluff with a main street named Bull – is a must-see-and-do for anyone living or vacationing here in our community. The infrastructure work on the perennial construction of I95 has essentially been completed, making the drive up the Georgia Coast, both smooth and enjoyable. A two-night stay is the best way to get introduced and be able to absorb the character of Savannah – but with the recent travel ease, even an overnighter with a morning arrival and a next day, evening departure, will provide you with an entertaining and educational opportunity.

Savannah, founded in 1733 by General James Oglethorpe, has one of our nation’s largest, intact, historic districts. The City, best experienced on foot (www.TheSavannahWalkingTour.com), delivers intriguing details and storylines at every turn. Oglethorpe’s City Plan, with geometric Wards with Squares, has been studied for centuries and has served as inspiration for urban planners, architects and landscape architects from around the world.

Oglethorpe’s City Plan may have been truly original, no one knows for sure. He organized each Ward into 8 Blocks. The largest 4 Blocks were Tything Blocks for residential purposes. The other 4 Blocks were Trust Lots for civic and commercial uses. The Tything Blocks were subdivided with East-West Lanes, creating today’s service alleys at the rear of homes. At the center of each Ward, was a Public Square; the beloved civic spaces that have helped make Savannah famous. To expand the town, Oglethorpe simply replicated and extended the patterned grid. The original Plan called for 4 Squares; Johnson, Wright, Ellis and Telfair. Today, there are 22 Squares gracing the City.

For a time Savannah was overlooked, forgotten and under-appreciated. The decades of the 60’s and 70’s, and into the 80’s, were not kind to the fabric of the City. Many historic buildings were either abandoned or demolished and a few really ugly, mostly municipal, buildings were forced on the scene. The backbone of the City’s residential retail and business district, along Broughton Street, was all but empty. By the late 70’s, the City experience for most visitor’s was confined to the riverfront honky-tonks and souvenir shops along the stone-cobbled River Street and bluff-top Factor’s Walk. Braver tourists would sometimes venture out to explore the City’s many Squares, but usually they were satisfied with a quick trolley tour to see the most promoted sights.

Over thirty years ago, in the midst of Savannah’s urban decline, Paula Wallace, May and Paul Poetter and Richard Rowan had a vision to create, from the ground up, a premier academic environment for art and design education. Today, the Founders’ vision has evolved into an internationally revered and distinguished university led by President Wallace. The Savannah College of Art and Design : SCAD was instrumental in helping spur a downtown renaissance. As SCAD grew in prominence and prestige – they acquired numerous historic structures. All of their acquisitions were ingeniously adapted, painstakingly restored and respectfully transformed for a variety of academic uses. With over 8,000 students, the Savannah location is comprised of almost 70 separate buildings, most of which are in, or adjacent to, the nationally registered historic district. The district was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1966, named the Savannah Historic District.

SCAD offers a unique college experience that is in beautiful harmony with the City and its historic heritage. Seemingly overnight, SCAD has grown to be recognized as the most comprehensive art and design university in the world, offering more degree programs and specializations than any other art university. SCAD has an urban location in Atlanta, Georgia, a study-abroad location in Lacoste, France and in 2010, became the first U.S. art and design university to establish a degree-granting location in Hong Kong.

SCAD has been wholly embraced by the City of Savannah. It is the City’s pied-piper, helping launch countless boutiques, shops and restaurants and symbiotically inducing the construction and renovation of historic homes, hotels, inns, apartments and condominiums. Even redevelopment of the original 1733 Ellis Square/1763 Market Square has taken place, further expanding the City’s visitor and resident entertainment, shopping and dining options. SCAD’s presence and its events, choreographed by its student/faculty personalities, have helped define a modern-vibe. That vibe is juxtaposed against the rich and historic tapestry of the City Center. The SCAD Family of administrators, educators, students and visiting participants conduct themselves with élan, while respecting the past, energizing the present and projecting a promising future for them, The Arts and the City.

One of the best ways SCAD gives back to the City is through its annual SCAD Sidewalk Arts Festival. This year, on Saturday, April 30th, the festival celebrated its 30th Anniversary – growing from an initial 40 to over 600 artists.  The festival now takes over the 1840 Forsyth Park, from Park Avenue on the south to the gorgeous, 1858, cast-iron Forsyth Fountain on the north. The park’s sidewalks are divided into approximately 5’ x 5’ squares. Each participant is given an identical box of colored chalks and then turned loose at 11:00AM. There were 520 squares for current students, 162 squares for alumni and 168 squares for prospective high school seniors and juniors. Prior to the 4:00PM Awards Ceremony, a panel of distinguished judges made the rounds to select the various categorical winners. This year, the judges dispensed a number of awards and prizes.

At the gateway to our St. Augustine golf course community there is a remarkable property – amazingly, still available. The parcel, #8.1, is 4.31 acres in size, located at the terminus of Town Center Court. Featuring three sides interfaced with forested, high-quality Conservation Lands, the parcel offers a beautifully serene environment for most any office use.

I encourage you to imagine what it would be like to have this premier location for your business. The arrival to your building starts with the tailored and manicured entranceway to World Golf Village, just off of the very-safe-and-easy-to-negotiate World Golf Village I95 Interchange (Exit 323).  At the intersection of International Golf Parkway and WGV Boulevard your arrival sequence unfolds with magnificent vistas over the #3 Fairway of the Slammer & Squire Golf Course. Turning into the Village, you proceed over the signature, stone-clad and illuminated arrival bridge. You then immediately encounter the graceful, shady canopies of the street tree Live Oaks framing WGV Boulevard. You follow the ingenious, unified signage designs that help direct and clarify your path. In a moment, you arrive at the first right turn into East Town Center. Continuing between the Double Eagle Building and the landmark, arts and crafts inspired, Davidson Realty Building, you turn onto Town Center Court, which leads you directly into your private realm.

I find that well within the comfortable 3-hour-driving-radius of our community you can gain great experiences at a variety of memorable places. One such place is Thomasville, Georgia – an easy and direct trip, due west of Jacksonville and a beautiful drive north from Tallahassee.

Historic Thomasville is known as the City of Roses. You will experience it as the place where history and heritage is infused with grace and charm. Thomasville was established on December 22, 1826 as the new county seat of Thomas County. The railroad reached Thomasville in 1861 and shortly after the War Between The States the town became known as the “Winter Resort of the South”. The Thomasville experience provided a healthy and lavish resort lifestyle, wrapped up and delivered with the best Southern hospitality.  The town’s brand-new, luxurious, electrified and plumbed, resort hotels regularly hosted America’s wealthiest industrialists, their families and their guests. They came to enjoy and actively socialize over hunting, fishing, horse racing, bicycling, golf and auto excursions on the first circumferential perimeter road in the country. As tales of the town’s prominence and allure spread, many of the annually-returning guests began to build their own in-town “cottages”, designed and decorated by celebrated New York and Chicago architects. The most wealthy and ambitious ones built their own out-lying “plantations” – which were much more “sporting estate” than farm. The discerning lifestyles of both the year-rounders and the winter snow-birds combined to create an enduring sense of place that still characterizes the town.

It is true, December 2010 went down as the coldest December on record in many parts of Florida – at least according to some of the weather experts and as reported by a host of weather-celebrities vying to be the next Wolf Blitzer or Anderson Cooper. Evidence abounds in everyone’s garden – massive amounts of winter-burn and die-back has occurred in both ornamental and foundation plantings. Folks have had to pour hot water over their windshields a few early mornings for de-icing and actually wear their coats to work, in their cars, no less. But – if truth be told – the episodes are very short lived and interspersed with beautiful blue sky days with the freshest air anyone could breathe – perfect for enjoying the out-of-doors.

I actually like winter – but definitely on my own terms – not on a daily basis. My daughter works in Manhattan and has had to experience severe ice, snow and winter-wind events – some of the worst on record in New York City. In fact, the New York / New England winter of ‘10/’11 may yet go down as the most fierce on record. Allison wrote the other day to say that when she stepped outside in the morning to walk her 5 blocks to the subway station it was 5 degrees outside. She says that one of the most difficult things to traverse is each street intersection and pedestrian crossing – because it is sometimes impossible to tell how deep or liquid the standing slush is up against the curb (you want it to be more solid to support your steps and to stay dry). The occurrence of black ice is another worrisome hazard. Dressing for the day requires many layers – which have to be adjusted each time she ventures out or returns inside. Using the subway system, as most folks do in Manhattan, means bundling up for the walk – then sitting damp and wet (from the snow, ice and sludge) inside of over-heated train-cars. Once everyone piles in – the cars get all fogged up. People leave all of their coats, layers, gloves and hats on since they have to depart back out into the cold for the next walk to their destination. When you re-enter a heated building you have to immediately take off all the winter gear – only to discover that your internal layers are damp with sweat and now you are cold again. It is almost impossible to regulate your body temperature and ward off colds and the flu. Yes, on a daily basis, winter can be a real drag.

In the initial programming of land use at World Golf Village, we planned for and secured 5,540,000 square feet of mixed use development rights. Those rights include 583,000 square feet of commercial use, 2,493,000 square feet of office use and 2,464,000 square feet of industrial use. In addition to the mixed-use rights, there are 1,225 hotel rooms available for construction at World Golf Village. As is the case with most planned communities, services, businesses and commercial development “follows the rooftops”.

The St. Augustine golf course community commenced construction in 1996 with the privately-funded, privately-built I-95 Interchange (now “Exit 323”). Over the past 14 years of development, many stores, offices, hotel rooms and mixed-use establishments have been built in the community – offering great service and convenience for both residents and guests. At the start of a new decade, the residential components of the community have reached the mid-way, build-out threshold. Along with approximately 3,650 more residential units yet to build, we have tremendous office, industrial and mixed-use development opportunities (“commercial”) to follow on.

The World Golf Village commercial opportunities are on advantageously located lands that have been complimented with beautifully designed and implemented infrastructure. The commercial sites are easily accessible and some are highly-visible from the passing interstate traffic. All of the commercial properties are secured through controlled adjacencies with high-quality development standards and are graced with the continuity of a comprehensively-designed unified sign program. From an “addressing” and “association” stand-point, the commercial opportunities are superb; second to none in the region.

The other evening I was listening to the end-of-season wrap-up analysis about the records of my favorite SEC college football teams. You know the kind; how games were determined by controlling the line or running the ball or time of possession or the big play or the trick play or ball-control or by minimizing penalties or playing to the end and being in the game until the last second. Usually, one of the commentators will mention that the best teams won by scoring more points, really. Sometimes they will acknowledge that the players were “coached-up”. Rarely, does the twelfth man get any of the credit – since all big-time college teams almost always sell-out their stadiums anyway.

Yet, there is still room for novel insight in the prognosticating arena. Witness this sage comment by an analyst who was using multi-syllabic words to convey his sports acumen when he stuttered out that his winning team had the “want-to” more than its opponent. Yes, the “want-to”.

I got to thinking how the want-to would be a great thing to cultivate during the Holidays and apply into the New Year.

I got the want-to to pay off all my 2010 bills before 2011. I got the want-to to start the New Year with great, ambitious goals – attainable with the right amount of want-to. I got the want-to to be healthy, wealthy and wise next year – but will settle for losing weight and exercising by using my want-to to succeed. I got the want-to to be more than I can be if I can just keep up my want-to. I want all my friends and family to get the want-to to want to help one another, since 2011 will no doubt challenge our collective want-to. I got the want-to to get comfortable with not wanting anything (material) and to continue wanting peace and prosperity for all.

I hope you get the want-to too and that your want-to will work for you.

This Holiday Season marks my 14th in North Florida. The best advantage of being able to host the Holidays here is that everyone wants to come. The weather is usually superb – the air is dry – the sky is blue and the good cheer flows.
 
While raising a family on the Holiday trail has its own joy – nothing beats being able to sit tight – and let the party come to you. No long pat-down lines – or surcharges on extra luggage and Christmas packages means that you can actually give a loved one something other than a gift card. No tail-gating at 80 mph – or extra sanitizing after frequenting public restrooms means that you can actually prepare and enjoy the cocktail hour when guests arrive. I remember when the Holidays were “work” – shuttling the children between the grandparents, making sure that everyone had equal face time. Now, the beauty and allure of where we live is what brings everyone here – and the memories get better and better.
 
Start with the typical Holiday weather – cool and dry with the French doors open wide and a fire on the hearth. Entertaining on the lanai, in the garden or on the pool deck is a wonderful way to capitalize on our local attributes. You can even try letting the children “camp-out” in the yard around the fire tray while the adults get some relief. You will also find this to be an excellent opportunity to show off the “summer” kitchen – since the Holiday season is perfect for outdoor cooking and dining.

A hobby-approach to your home landscape can be very rewarding. It can be stimulating from the perspective of design-exploration; providing you with the opportunity to research and consider myriad potentials for enhancement. It can be the very best method of boosting the entertainment value and market desirability of your home. It is always an aerobic work-out and as such, a very healthy way to invest a little sweat-equity. The very act of implementing change and making visible and tangible improvements is also good for the soul – blessing you with the feeling of getting something accomplished through your own efforts.

I recommend that you first take a global approach – prepare a rough, conceptual plan for all areas of your yard – including the hardscape elements, such as the driveway, pathway, terraces, pool features, fencing and other embellishments. Dream big and don’t be constrained by this year’s budget. Try to look at all of the things that you and your family would like to achieve and sketch them out in the best arrangement. Create a “big-picture” that can inspire you to action. Walk around your grounds and imagine what they could be – drawing from the memory of those places you have visited and how they made you feel. Tour your neighborhood with a keen eye – looking for things that “work”; for compositions that seem pleasing to your eye; for plants and plant groupings that are flourishing in their place. Conduct your tour on foot or on bicycle – and make sure to do it in the morning light – the mid-day light and the evening light – taking note of the changes. Take photographs – but make sure your neighbors don’t mind or think you a bit strange.

From inception, World Golf Village was developed with a commitment to quality. Quality is the hallmark that distinguishes every aspect of life at World Golf Village, from the beautiful panoramas over undisturbed and protected preservation lands to the greeting of guests and level of care and service from any WGV establishment.
 
The design plan for the communities of World Golf Village in the balance between the built environments and the natural environments. Every aspect of the design plan enhances the existing, natural attributes of the World Golf Village properties. The Neighborhoods of the World Golf Village exhibit a unifying, architectural theme of quality portrayed through the comfortable blend of different styles and preferences of its residents and business owners. The portals to the community are distinctly designed to establish a high-quality, unique image – to set the tone and character of the community upon arrival. World Golf Village employs a Unified Sign Plan, purposefully designed to create continuity of messaging throughout the various neighborhoods and commercial areas. The consistent design expression of quality helps to unite the destination points and clarify wayfinding for both visitors, owners, employees and residents. The infrastructure of World Golf Village was installed with much care and quality so that utilities are safely coursed underground.
 
A major feature of the community – the one that shapes the place-making of World Golf Village – is the landscape and streetscape design quality. Thousands of trees were planted to blend with and compliment the natural setting and Live Oaks were planted on major boulevards and parkways to shelter and shade the roadways and pedestrian pathways. First impressions of World Golf Village are often described as like being in a park – one where the open spaces are shaped and protected by the adjoining forests.