FLORIDA SPOTLIGHT -- Site Selection magazine, March 2007

Where Is Florida's Growth Going?
The Answers May Surprise You

lagler County on Florida's northeast coast just south of Jacksonville is America's fastest growing county, increasing in population by 53 percent from 2000 to 2005.
   Flagler has 80,000 residents today, but the Census Bureau estimates the county will have more than 100,000 people by 2011.
   "We are also growing very rapidly in our region in St. Johns, Clay and Nassau counties, as well as in downtown Jacksonville," says Jerry Mallot, executive vice president for economic development of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce.
   Large distribution projects are the rule of the day in Northeast Florida, notes Mallot. The region last year secured major logistics investments from Mitsui OSK ($200 million) and Bridgestone Tire ($44 million).
   The following is a statewide roundup of significant project activity over the past 12 months:
   HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY: Tampa continues to reap big announcements from financial companies and back- office users. The big deals of the past year were MetLife Financial (150 jobs), PricewaterhouseCoopers (320), Progressive Insurance (300), Stream International (300) and Humana (500).
   LEE COUNTY: Cape Coral continues to boom in commercial and industrial growth.
   "Even as the housing permits are declining, the commercial stuff is booming," says Mike Jackson, economic development director for the city. "If you compare this year to last year in commercial space available, we've had a 700- percent increase in space compared to a 35- percent increase in the rest of Lee County." Exel Direct of Fort Myers, a company that specializes in home delivery of items purchased over the Internet, decided to relocate to the Cape "because the labor force is over here," says Jackson. "Second- and third- tier distribution opportunities are good here." Nor- Tech Hi- Performance Boats, a firm that makes 100- ft. (31- m.) cigarette boats, plans to build a 50,000- sq.- ft. (4,645- sq.- m.) plant on the Cape, he added.

   LEON COUNTY: Global CNC Solutions, a defense and aerospace contractor, opened a 10,000- sq.- ft. (929- sq.- m.) facility in Tallahassee with a $1.8- million investment that adds 15 jobs.
   MIAMI- DADE COUNTY: Nokia has relocated its Latin American headquarters from Irving, Texas, to Miami, bringing 100 jobs and $3.6 million in investment. Trend USA, a European tile maker, is investing $15 million and creating 100 jobs. Mapfre Insurance of Spain moved its U.S. headquarters to Miami, creating 40 jobs with a $12- million investment.
   PALM BEACH COUNTY: The Foundation for the Advancement of Cardiac Therapies (FACT) will establish its headquarters and create 77 jobs in Palm Beach Gardens. FACT plans to build a 44,000- sq.- ft. (4,088- sq.- m.) medical research facility at a cost of $20 million.
   POLK COUNTY: "The distribution market is moving to the Polk County area," says George Livingston, principal of NAI Realvest Partners in Maitland. "The CSX Integrated Logistics Center [ILC] in Winter Haven is a definite draw to companies planning major facilities. Also, land costs are more favorable here than in Orlando." Livingston says Polk could become the home of a second major ILC once the 17,000- acre (6,885- hectare) Clear Springs development in Bartow becomes reality. With two miles of rail frontage and access to top venture capital firms in New York City, Clear Springs is one of two massive, master- planned developments going through the state approval process. The other is a 40,000- acre (16,200- hectare) project called Destiny at Yeehaw Junction, where the Florida Turnpike connects with State Road 60 and I- 95 in Indian River County.
   Also in Polk, First Industrial Realty Trust of Chicago is developing a 900,000- sq.- ft. (83,610- sq.- m.) distribution center for an unannounced deal code- named Project Gemini. Sources say the deal will bring $85 million in capital investment to Haines City and create 400 jobs. In North Polk, the 3,000- acre (1,215- hectare) Polk Commerce Center is planned adjacent to the proposed branch campus of the University of South Florida. Slated for 2009, the school will be a polytechnic teaching and logistics management college on 535 acres (217 hectares) of land donated to USF by the Williams Companies of Tulsa, Okla. A new interchange on Interstate 4 will serve as the link to the main 121- acre (49- hectare) campus.
   VOLUSIA COUNTY: NSI Intellitec Products is building a 64,000- sq.- ft. (5,946- sq.- m.), 100- job factory in DeLand. Frontier Communications is relocating to downtown DeLand, where it will hire up to 487 new workers. Illinois- based medical label maker TimeMed Inc. will build a 30,000- sq.- ft. (2,787- sq.- m.) plant in Port Orange; and California- based BBK Performance Inc. will build a 62,000- sq.- ft. (5,760- sq.- m.) production facility in DeLand and create up to 40 jobs.

– Ron Starner