As president of The Pineapple Corporation, Spencer Calvert oversees one of the First Coast’s premier luxury home builders. The firm, which recently opened a new design studio, recently broke ground on its first model home at Nocatee’s The Vista at Twenty Mile.
What brought you to the First Coast?
After serving as controller and VP of business development with a regional title insurance company in the Midwest, I moved to the First Coast in 2002 to pursue business opportunities with The Pineapple Corp., which was founded by my father-in-law, Jim Ash. I attended the University of Kansas and attained a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration and Accounting.
What do you think distinguishes The Pineapple Corporation from other luxury home builders?
We pride ourselves on being a value-driven organization offering a unique opportunity for our clients to work with one organization from design through construction. We work tirelessly to identify and implement the most sophisticated building sciences, which lends to our superior quality. Lastly, I think we differ from other luxury builders in our sharp focus on architectural integrity and timeless home design.
What are First Coast buyers currently looking for in a luxury home?
In my experience with our design-build clients, they desire a high degree of architectural integrity. They are typically informed and educated and comprehend the differences of what we do, in terms of additional measures we take in the building process to create a home that exemplifies architectural excellence. Our clients also express the need to have open, functional, multi-purpose living/dining/kitchen areas, along with a focus on usable outdoor spaces that seamlessly flow indoors.
Tell us about The Vista at Twenty Mile.
We are extremely honored to have been invited by The PARC Group to join their vision of Twenty Mile and participate in such an amazingly successful community. The Vista is a Pineapple-exclusive, gated neighborhood and features 44 estate lots surrounded by marsh preserve. The homes will have a Spanish architectural theme and courtyard-designed floor plans; pricing will start in the low $900s and home plans range in size from approximately 4,000 square feet to more than 5,500 square feet. We have broken ground on our first model and will begin construction of our second model within a few weeks, which will serve as our design and sales center. This community will truly be like no other on the First Coast!
How does your new design studio support the overall home building process?
We recently moved our office to San Pablo Office Park, where we designed an interactive space that serves as our design studio; it showcases our exclusive designer offerings and selections available to our clients to which the general public may not have access. It’s sort of a one-stop shop where our team of design professionals provide one-on-one client attention and personalization. Our design-build business model allows our clients to save time by expediting the decision-making process and provides peace of mind because they can have a tangible experience with one of our many selection offerings and they know exactly what’s going to be delivered in their home.
What do you enjoy most about living on the First Coast?
Obviously the first thing that comes to mind is the incredible weather and the abundance of natural surroundings. You can really get out and enjoy all the First Coast has to offer, whether it’s one of our beautiful beaches, the St. Johns River or the marshes and Intracoastal Waterway. The First Coast has a wonderful community feel, which lends itself as a great place to raise a family. The strong community leadership and a healthy business environment make the First Coast a fantastic place to do business!
