Sandy Yawn, star of a popular TV reality show, says a homebuilder took her money but failed to build a home for her in Nocatee – and she isn’t the only one caught in the scam.
She said about 15 people were fleeced by the builder.
Known as Capt. Sandy on the Bravo TV show Below Deck, Yawn who is from Bradenton, has a sister who lives here and founded a school for autism19 years ago.
A few years ago, Yawn tried to build a restaurant downtown on West Adams Street but ran into difficulties and dropped that project.
Still, she says she loves Jacksonville and sees a great future here.
“Jacksonville can be a real boating hub,” she told Eye on Jacksonville. The deep river channel makes it ideal for that purpose the veteran yacht captain said. She even envisions a Monaco-style auto race here, drawing many fans in yachts that would line the riverfront.
Yawn decided to move here after driving through Nocatee in 2020 seeing the golf cart lanes and water parks. She put a deposit down for a home that was to be built in 18 months by a builder whose name she picked from names recommended on Nocatee’s Web site.
Yawn said she and her fiancée had put their life’s savings and retirement funds of $1.6 million into the home. Meanwhile, she is renting an apartment.
Jeannie Blalock of First Coast News said she got an email from Calvert in which he said he “is in communication with all parties involved to find an amiable solution.”
In a puff piece in The Recorder in 2017, Calvert described himself thus: “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.”
On its Web site, the Pineapple Corp. says “Pineapple is an award-winning, full-service luxury home builder that has been providing custom home design, development and construction services for residents of greater Jacksonville and Northeast Florida since 1995. Over the years, we’ve successfully completed hundreds of custom home building projects and large renovations for a discerning clientele. During this time, we’ve also personalized and perfected the home building process. When building custom estates, we take great care to ensure the highest levels of safety, while utilizing the latest methods and technologies in design, construction and cost-management. Every member of our team is bound together by our commitment to exceeding expectations. It’s a legacy we’re proud to stand behind.”
The Jax Daily Record reported that from October 2023 to February 2024, the Pineapple Corporation was sued 18 times in St. Johns County by homebuyers who said Pineapple took their money but did not deliver finished homes and by subcontractors who claim they were not paid for materials and work they did for Pineapple.
