The morning of March 17th, a couple hundred of us gathered at the west end of the Bridge of Lions for the re-opening of the Bridge. It was raining. It was also raining in 1927 for the original opening ceremony. But, the rain didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of those of us attending. We were all there to participate in the history of the moment and to honor those who fought to renovate the bridge instead of tearing it down and building a modern bridge. The Save Our Bridge committee led a community wide battle that ended with the commitment of the city and the state to renovate.

The nationally circulated trade magazine for commercial landscape and development, Landscape Architect and Specifier News, selected the Davidson Companies’ headquarters building at the gateway to World Golf Village as its February, 2010 showcase project.  The magazines choose the Davidson building as the cover feature based on the storyline and pictorial beauty portrayed in the project submittal.  Working from the materials and script produced by the Davidson Companies, the magazine’s editor emphasized the project’s “people-friendly” characteristics and gracious business environment.  The fusion between the building’s indoor spaces and its outdoor rooms fascinated the editor, who displayed, in the article, all of the intriguing design elements that distinguish the building.

As one of World Golf Village‘s featured builders and a company that continues to innovate in home design, we were eager to learn more about local home builder Providence Homes.  Despite a challenging real estate market, Providence continues to keep moving forward.  In 2009, Providence ranked second in production of detached single-family homes in the Jacksonville area. Providence Homes are featured in the family-friendly enclave Grovewood in World Golf Village’s King and Bear. Last week we talked with Providence Homes’ Director of Marketing Mike Fox. 

The time has come to send us photos of your Easter best! We want to see it all: pastels, bonnets, costumes, bunny ears and cotton tails! Man, woman, or child – even pets are welcome! We want to reward the photo you’re most proud of or embarrassed by with a $100 gift certificate to Kilwin’s Choclates & Ice Cream and that will buy A LOT of chocolate! 

We are collecting photos now, so send em’ over to pdavidson@davidsonrealtyinc.com and they will be posted on April 5th for the voting to begin. Our Facebook fans will decide the winner, who will be announced on April 15th. Make sure to get all your friends and family to vote for your photo to help you win! You just have to be a fan of the page to vote.  Let’s get the Easter fun started!

The World Golf Village neighborhoods of Turnberry, Royal Pines and St. Andrews welcome “sneak peekers” on April 3rd with all the heralds of Spring, from blooming flowers to chirping birds and, of course, an array of lovely homes.  Treats will be served during the open house event from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and visitors may enter to win an brunch for two  at the Renaissance Resort in WGV.

Each of these family-oriented neighborhoods offers its own distinctive ambiance and advantages.  Turnberry features homes in the $200,000s and homesites that make the most of its beautiful lakes and nature preserves.  Families enjoy lots of “play” time at the neighborhood swimming pool, basketball court and gathering room.  At Royal Pines, handsome custom homes start in the $400,000s and feature distinctive architectural details and elegant designs. Royal Pines residents have access to all the amenities of World Golf Village, as well as their own neighborhood park with a turn-of-the-century crane fountain.  An intimate enclave of 64 patio homes, St. Andrews offers low-maintenance living without any sacrifices. Starting in the $200,000s, the homes at St. Andrews are idyllically situated around a lake and residents enjoy a lakeside pool.

Get ready to win some great stuff! This month we are starting Post For Prizes, a Facebook contest, to thank our fans for following us. Every other month, we will ask questions for you to comment on and the best answer will win our prize for the month. We have a range of prizes and this month’s will be golf for 2 on your choice course – Slammer & Squire or King & Bear.

We’re kicking it all off on March 16th and we want to know your favorite golfing quote. Start thinking and remember to post for the prize!

Pastel Princess.  Dapper Dandy. Outrageous Bonnet. We want to see your most amazing, showstopping, unforgettable Easter outfit ever.  Man, woman or child.  No matter your age. Show us the one outfit you’re most proud of, or embarrassed by.  Everyone will get to vote for the best and the winner will receive a sweet extravaganza from Kilwin’s.  Watch for the call for photos coming soon!

I started to work for Jim & Sherry Davidson (pictured below), the master developers of World Golf Village, about 10 years ago. I remember Sherry taking me for a tour of the King & Bear at World Golf Village right after I joined the team. There were two homes in Bearsford, one in Kingsbury and one in Waterbury by the Links. That was it…four total homes. Today, there are almost 700 homes behind the gates of King & Bear. So, I guess you can say I have seen World Golf Village evolve over the years. However, that wasn’t the true beginning of the World Golf Village story. It actually started many years before the first homes were built!

Over the years I worked with Jim & Sherry and the rest of the Davidson team, I have heard bits and pieces of thousands of stories about the early days. Jim recounts making deals on nothing more than a handshake with honorable men and Sherry tells of how exciting it was when a UPS delivery truck bounced down a dirt road and found the construction trailer for the first time. Along the way, they ran into difficult times and colorful personalities. And they found a way to survive both!

Each month, we introduce you to a resident of The Neighborhoods of World Golf Village. For February, we talked to Jason Hill. Jason moved into TuscanWood about two years ago with his wife and children. Meet Jason…
 
1. What is your favorite thing about living in WGV?  

THE AMAZING LANDSCAPING AND WILDLIFE, THE TREES AND FOLIAGE MAKES IT FEEL AS IF THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN HERE FOR AT LEAST 50 YEARS.
 
2. What one goal do you hope to accomplish this year?  

I JUST OPENED UP A NEW LAW FIRM HERE IN THE WORLD GOLF VILLAGE AREA, SO MY GOAL IS TO GROW THE LAW OFFICES OF CURTIS & HILL, P.A. INTO ONE OF THE PREMIER LAW FIRMS IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA.
 
3. Is justice or forgiveness more important?

WHILE I BELIEVE STRONGLY IN JUSTICE, FORGIVENESS IS MORE IMPORTANT FOR A LONG AND HEALTHY LIFE.
 

It was 2:00pm Wednesday afternoon when I received a text from my husband.  A group of corporate people were in town and would meet us for dinner in St. Augustine at 6:00pm that evening.  My first thought was thank goodness I recently had my hair and nails done. Then I panicked- I have nothing to wear!  I’ve recently lost a lot of weight and have a very limited selection of clothing that fit without safety pins.  I admit I am a seasoned shopper so normally this would be a wonderful challenge. I would head to the St. Johns Town Center in Jacksonville or my favorite, the Mall at Millennia in Orlando and return with several options, but the clock was ticking. Where do I find the perfect Little Black Dress in St. Augustine?