Behind anything great, you find a great story. World Golf Village is no exception. In the 1980s, St. Johns County had less than 100,000 residents. It was inevitable that the area would blossom with the right vision and execution. Jim Davidson, President of Davidson Development, was the man for the job.
Jim could see the pieces of the World Golf Village puzzle come together. “Not only could Jim see the Jacksonville market heading south and knew this was the perfect area between Jacksonville and St. Augustine, but he could see the pine trees becoming the development he envisioned,” shared Davidson Realty President and Jim’s wife, Sherry Davidson. “Jim saw beyond the golf courses, lakes, and homes and saw people walking their dogs and pushing their children in strollers on the sidewalks.”
Jim was persistent in bringing World Golf Village to life. He met regularly with land planners, engineers, attorney’s and an environmental team to make sure the pieces came together as he planned. Although many along the way didn’t believe, Jim never doubted he could get the job done right. Once the World Golf Village developer financed a new interchange on Interstate 95, the development became extremely attractive to commuters, as World Golf Village was one of only a few options for buyers in St. Johns County who worked in Jacksonville.
The pieces continued to come together after Jim brought the PGA TOUR and other golf organizations on board to build the World Golf Hall of Fame. From there, Jim assembled various partners for the golf courses, the hotel, and the retail stores to further bring attraction to the area. World Golf Village turned out to be exactly what people were looking for, including the Davidsons. Jim and Sherry Davidson were one of the first homeowners in World Golf Village and still live in World Golf Village to this day.
While building World Golf Village, the Davidsons worked hard to protect the environment to ensure the community maintained its natural beauty. More than 2,775 acres, nearly half of the project site, was set aside for preservation. These efforts were recognized by the Florida Association of Realtors ® when the Davidsons received the ENVY award in 2002. The ENVY award honor is given to developments that preserve Florida’s natural quality of life.
The infrastructure added by World Golf Village paved the way for the development of other communities in the area like The Hutson Companies’ SilverLeaf, which will have 10,700 homesites, 2,650,000 square feet of mixed-use commercial space, and more than 3,500 acres of conservation land. It is clear that World Golf Village blazed the trail.
The master planned community has prospered over the last 23 years and is regarded as one of the most desired communities on the First Coast. With more than 6,000 homes and more than 15,000 residents, World Golf Village provides a place to live that is picture perfect. Whether you are a golf lover eager to take advantage of the award winning golf courses or a family wanting to give their children the opportunity to attend fantastic public schools or interested in enjoying an active adult community, you have a home in World Golf Village.
World Golf Village has a vibrant history to be proud of and a legacy to look forward to, as it continues to be a highly sought-after area. No one knows World Golf Village better than Davidson Realty. If you are interested in calling World Golf Village home, contact Davidson Realty at (904) 940-5000.
No matter where you live in World Golf Village, Nocatee or other St. Johns communities, it is a common site to see groups of teenagers (sometimes preteens) driving golf carts. While they travel at relatively safe speeds, it is important that they realize the risks. And there are plenty of risks.
1.) Garage overhaul –This is a great project because nearly all of us need to do it, everyone can help, and it doesn’t require any additional equipment! The best way to tackle to garage overhaul is to empty everything onto the driveway. Once empty, determine where all the “like” items will go—lawn equipment, home improvement tools, camping gear, beach stuff, bikes, etc. Everything should have a home together.
The St. Johns County School District will host two town hall meetings next week to explore the possibilities for changes to attendance zoning regarding the planned high school, for now known as “High School HHH.” The public is encouraged to attend.
Have you been looking for ways to get involved in the community, make new friends and stay active? No matter what recreational activities you enjoy from ballet to pickleball, World Golf Village neighborhoods have upcoming opportunities for you!
A December to Remember Holiday Party is coming this Saturday, December 7, to the World Golf Hall of Fame at the World Golf Village. Bring the family between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and join in the festivities.
Do you remember the last time you had an evening out without the kids? Taking time for yourself is important for a parent’s sanity and gives your kids a sense of self and independence. This is true no matter the ages of your children, as everyone can benefit from a little “me” time now and then!
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