Hutson brings Davidson and Metcalf in as Vice Presidents

This afternoon, Historic City Companies learned that two new faces will be working for one of St Johns County and Northeast Florida’s largest landowners, The Hutson Companies; whose offices are located on Hartley Road in Jacksonville. The announcement comes just two weeks before founder David W. Hutson celebrates his 69th birthday.

In September 2011, Hutson, who is well known for development of OakLeaf Plantation and SilverLeaf Plantation, surprised a lot of people when he announced that he has turned his focus to landholding, farming timber, and leasing land to farmers.

“I don’t intend to develop anymore,” Hutson said in an interview published by the Jacksonville Business Journal in 2011. “We’re moving from land development to handling farmland and timberland.”

True to his word, it’s been at least 15 years since Hutson built a house and about five years, or more, since his company did any development work.

In a media release today, Hutson Companies, LLC, names John Metcalf as general counsel and vice president upon his retirement next month from the Jacksonville law firm; Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart PA. Included in comments from a follow-up article by reporter Ashley Gurbal Kritzer today, Metcalf said that he will first be taking a look at SilverLeaf Plantation; 7,500 acres of land south of County Road 210 and north of World Golf Village — entitled for both residential and commercial development.

The SilverLeaf property is approved for the development of 10,700 residential units and 1.8 million square feet of commercial retail, office and industrial space. Major transportation improvements are also planned for SilverLeaf, including the outer beltway, I-95 interchange, and a 7.5-mile portion of future CR-2209 — connecting CR-210 and International Golf Parkway.

Also named is Jim Davidson of Davidson Realty Inc; who is joining Hutson as a vice president. Davidson Realty will provide real estate consulting and brokerage services for the Hutson holdings — including an exclusive brokerage agreement with a Hutson affiliate, AFI Associates, Inc., for the marketing and sale of the remaining Hutson holdings in OakLeaf Plantation as well as the sale of St Johns County timber and farmland.

“I always planned that, as I got older, and the kids come up, to head the business in a direction that’s not nearly as complicated,” Hutson said.