Congratulations are in order for Wellington Homes! The local homebuilding company founded by industry executive Richard J. Dalton is celebrating the completion of its first home. According to a recent press release, the $394,000, semi-custom home was built in the St. Augustine community of MuraBella for homeowners Sherman and Anja Wells, who wanted a home that suited their lifestyle and growing family.

Dalton and his team built the semi-custom home from one of its available floor plans at the community - The Gabrielle. The 3,463 square-foot home features an open outdoor courtyard, four bedrooms, four bathrooms, four-car garage, an office, bonus room and customized kitchen with an oversized island workstation and designer cabinetry. Wellington Homes reverse engineered the home to ensure the Wells’ could have spectacular views of the backyard lake and take advantage of the homesite’s positioning.

Situated between the bustling city of Jacksonville and the historic charm of St. Augustine, MuraBella offers residents the best of both worlds. Inside the community awaits an array of resort-style amenities inspiring residents to play every day, including a clubhouse, fitness and training center, and super pool with waterslide tower and lap pool. Outdoor amenities include tennis courts, a multi-purpose sports court, softball field, soccer field, volleyball court, party pavilion and children’s playground.

More information about Wellington Homes can be found online at www.WellingtonCompanies.com. And congratulations to another sucessful local company!

Many of today’s young professionals are ambitious and talented, but most realize learning how to budget their money and get by on an entry-level salary takes patience and restraint. And we all know that is easier said than done!

However, one of Jacksonville’s hottest restaurants wants to help and is hosting a series of networking events aimed at young professionals. “Financial Tips and Cocktail Sips” at Bistro Aix will address different financial topics, including savings and budgeting.

The first event will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, March 11. Guest speaker April Murdaugh of the Economic Empowerment Center will discuss “It’s Not How Much You Make, It’s How Much You Keep.” The cost to attend is $10 and includes one free cocktail.

Future events are planned for the second Thursday of the month in April, May and June. The events are suited for age 21 and up.

Bistro Aix is located at 1440 San Marco Blvd. For more information, visit www.youngjax.com.

We all know Jacksonville is a great place for business, and now others are noticing too!

Take a look at these business rankings, which were highlighted in a recent update posted by Cornerstone, the economic development arm of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce. 

• A Portfolio.com/BizJournals study ranked Jacksonville 13th in the “Best Places to Start a Business.”
• According to an article written by MarketWatch, Jacksonville ranked No. 28 out of 101 “Best U.S. Cities for Business.”
• Jacksonville was the only Florida city, with a population over 500,000, to rank in Next Generation Consulting’s “Hotspots for Young Professionals to live and work in the U.S.”

Cornerstone and the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce are at the pulse of economic development success in Northeast Florida and you can be part of this exciting organization. The first Cornerstone luncheon of 2010 is Tuesday, March 16 at the Hyatt Jacksonville Riverfront. The luncheon will feature former Jacksonville Mayor and UNF President John Delaney who will be discussing “A New Florida Economy.”

Register now to reserve you seat. The reservation deadline is Wednesday, March 10.

Is your bathroom straight out of the 70s? Your kitchen outdated with linoleum floors? If so, head over to the 42nd Annual Jacksonville Home & Patio Show this weekend at the Prime Osborn Convention Center and bring some fresh ideas home.

With 500 home improvement companies under one roof, you’re sure to find just what you need to liven up your home and save money at the same time! Educational seminars will be going on throughout today and the weekend to provide you with the know-how you need for home repairs. If you’re there you can also say hey to HGTV’s John Gidding or stop by the beautiful gardens set up in the convention center.

Tickets to the show are $10 for adults, $5 for children and students and free for little ones under 5 years of age. You can buy tickets online at www.jacksonvillehomeshows.com or at the door.

We hope to see you there!

We have great news to report about the Northeast Florida Builders Association’s President Project home.

The project, led by Andy Chambers, president of MasterCraft Builder Group and 2010 NEFBA president, is a demonstrational show home that allows area builders to learn the latest in green building techniques and new products during the home’s construction phase.  Upon completion, the home will be sold with a portion of the proceeds going to Builders Care, NEFBA’s charitable arm.

The home will be built in Murray Hill and feature a raised floor design from “Raised Floor Living.”  This method of construction is great for flood prone areas as it allows for easier maintenance of mechanical systems, provides superior protection against water intrusion, increases the security of the home and enhances the opportunity for creative landscaping and curb appeal.

In addition to supporting Builders Care, the President’s Project home will offer NEFBA members a hands-on opportunity to learn about a variety of new building products and advanced building techniques. The home is scheduled for completion in late June.  We’ll keep you updated on the home’s progress, but there is also a President Project blog with more information.

Andy Chambers is currently coordinating all of the affiliated trades and suppliers who are contributing to the project. If you are interested in being a part of this project, call him at (904) 483-7933.

The nation’s oldest city has been recognized by USA Today as a top draw for vacationing and second-home golfers. St. Augustine and the nearby golf courses and neighborhoods of Ponte Vedra Beach, World Golf Village and Hammock Beach were featured in the article. 

World Golf Village, a vast residential and resort community that includes the World Golf Hall of Fame, is home to two famous courses, shops, restaurants, hotels, a golf academy and about 1,00 homes and condominiums, including the premier coach home community, Laterra Links.

Ponte Vedra Beach is home to more than a dozen golf courses, including the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course, home of The Players Championship. Ponte Vedra is also the headquarters for the PGA Tour and a popular community for many PGA Tour professionals, such as Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk and Fred Funk.

Hammock Beach is a golf community about 30 minutes south of St. Augustine in Palm Coast. The community features golf courses by some of the game’s greatest players, including Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson.

Local Realtors say golf attracts many vacationers to the area, but it’s the beaches and proximity to the ocean that inspires second-home buyers to purchase. The wide range of housing choices - condominiums, garden homes, single-family homes, inland, oceanfront and golf course community - also offers something for everyone.

Do you enjoy golfing in St. Augustine or Ponte Vedra Beach? Let us know by commenting below.

We all know Jacksonville is a great place for business, but our fine city recently received national recognition from Market Watch. According to the online publication, Jacksonville ranked No. 28 out of 101 “Best U.S. Cities for Business.” Click here to view the article.

The article is one of several interesting items featured in the Jacksonville Economic Development Commission’s update. Other highlights include:

Sports fans! There are still tickets available for the 2010 NCAA Basketball Tournament. Jacksonville will host the first and second rounds of the tournament on March 19 and 21. To purchase tickets, click here. There will also be a practice round on Thursday, March 18, that will be free and open to the public.

Movie fans! Several great movies have been filmed in Jacksonville. The JEDC’s Office of Film and Television recently launched a new blog site, www.filmjax.blogspot.com.  The site features news about the local film production scene. Be sure to check it out!

Visit Jacksonville has launched a new series of online tools including iJax.mobi, which was created specifically for users of mobile devises. While the Web site is aimed for city visitors, local residents will also find it useful when seeking information about local attractions. Let us know your favorites!

The Northeast Florida Regional Council recently packed the house at UNF to present awards to the individuals, businesses and non-profit organizations that foster regional cooperation in Northeast Florida. The award winners reflect a diversity of programs and projects and recognized leadership demonstrated by the individuals. The event was hosted by Michael Boylan, President and CEO of WJCT. Awards were presented to:

• Excellence in Economic Development Tourism - St. Johns County Cultural Events Division for the St. Augustine Amphitheater
• Excellence in Education - Northeast Florida Community Action Agency Family Self Sufficiency Program
• Excellence in Transportation - for the $7 million capital improvement program for Palatka Municipal Airport Terminal improvements
• Excellence in Public Safety award went to the Green Cove Springs Police Department Teen Summit, an annual summit that has had 600 youths participate in the program
• Excellence in Affordable Housing for the St. Johns County Home Ownership program, which provides credit counseling services to low and moderate income households.
• Excellence in Planning and Growth Management went to the Urban Land Institute for Reality Check First Coast a planning activity to show how 1.6 million residents will live in our community in the year 2060
• Quality of Life Award to the Barnabas Center
• Excellence in Environmental Stewardship for the St. Johns County Fleet Management biodiesel project. This project converts vegetable oil waste into bodies to run county equipment at a savings to the environment as well as a cost savings.
• Special Achievement Award to Wayne and Delores Weaver and the Jacksonville Jaguars
• The final award of the evening went to Peter Rummel for Regional Leadership for championing the effort for Reality Check First Coast

Congratulations to all for helping our community recognize the power of regional cooperation!

We all know Jacksonville is a great city to call home, and now the rest of the world knows why it is an awesome place to visit. Fox News released an article yesterday listing the Top 5 reasons out-of-towners should visit the First Coast. According to the national media outlet, here’s a quick overview of why you may see an increase in tourists soon!

The Beaches - Collectively they’re known as the Beaches, but the three towns that border Jacksonville’s 20-plus miles of white sand are as different as the beachcombers, beach bunnies, and beach bums they attract. For more about our beautiful beaches and Fox News’ low-down on our area bars and restaurants, read here.

The Zoo - Ever been slobbered on by a giraffe, tickled by a stingray, butted by a pygmy goat, or dive-bombed by a lorikeet? These are only a few of the up close-and-personal experiences that await you the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. Unlike some big city zoos where the animals seem far removed from visitors, the Jacksonville Zoo attempts to bring visitors as close as (safely) possible to its 1,500 rare and exotic animals with a whole herd of interactive exhibits, zookeeper talks, and animal feedings. You might even catch a glimpse of the zoo’s biggest celebrity, Ali, an elephant that once belonged to Michael Jackson.

Riverside - The historic neighborhood is where the eccentric, artistic, and just plain odd thrive. But don’t be alarmed by the tattoos and piercings; these marauders are friendly. At the center of it all is a colorful shopping and dining district called Five Points. Riverside is also part of one of the biggest historic districts in the South and boasts the largest variety of architectural styles in Florida, including Mediterranean revival, prairie style, Queen Anne, and Tudor style. Some visitors remark that the turn-of-the-century homes and century-old oak trees draped in Spanish moss remind them Savannah or Charleston-minus the marauders, that is.

Art - Art lovers will appreciate Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens for its extensive collection of artifacts from ancient Egypt, Rome and Greece; paintings by Peter Paul Rubens, Jan Steen, Benjamin West, Winslow Homer and Norman Rockwell; and one of the most comprehensive collections of early Meissen porcelain in the world.

Good fish eatin’ - With its weathered exterior, unpaved parking lot, and gators in the immediate vicinity, Clark’s Fish Camp looks-and smells-like your standard fish camp. But it’s the interior of the seafood restaurant, located on Julington Creek in Mandarin, which makes it unlike any other eatery you’ve ever seen before. Rumored to be one of the largest privately owned collections of taxidermy in the country, Clark’s menagerie of preserved animals includes lions, tigers, monkeys, bears, giraffes, deer, bobcats, and a flock of birds that gaze eerily at guests in the bar area and dining rooms.

To read the full article, click here. Do you think Fox News missed any awesome attractions in our city? If so, let us know below.

The 2010 Designer Showhouse presented by Toll Brothers is under construction and taking shape at the beautiful community of Coastal Oaks at Nocatee in Ponte Vedra.

The Designer Showhouse will be open for public tours April 17 through May 9, 2010, with proceeds benefiting the Guild of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. The Designer Showhouse will highlight the creative talents and innovative ideas of 16 of Northeast Florida’s most prominent designers, as well as design students from the Art Institute of Jacksonville.  Here’s an update from Toll Brothers North Florida Division Vice President Jim McDade:

“Construction has moved to the interior phase and our design team is finalizing color and finish selections so that the home is ready for the Showhouse designers and decorators to come in and present their fresh and creative ideas.”

Toll Brothers is building the magnificent Marquis home for the benefit event. The Designer Showhouse will have more than 5,000 square feet of living space with five bedrooms, five-and-a-half baths and a four-car courtyard garage. The home will be accentuated with many special design features and priced at more than $1 million.

Stay tuned for future updates on the Designer Showhouse. In the meantime, be sure to become a fan on the Designer Showhouse Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TollBrothersSymphonyShowhouse and follow it on Twitter at www.twitter.com/tollshowhouse.

For special event and ticket information, visit www.jaxsymphonyshowhouse.com.  The 2010 Designer Showhouse is presented by Toll Brothers, Access Public Relations, BMW/Tom Bush BMW, Comcast Spotlight, Nocatee, and The Florida Times-Union and jacksonville.com.