‘Shovel-ready’
sites a key to industrial job growth
Savvy
developers and progressive cities in Volusia County are positioning
to take advantage of the economic recovery as it happens by having
“shovel-ready” manufacturing and distribution sites.
A significant
challenge that repeatedly has stymied Volusia County job growth is a
lack of developed, suitable real estate. Although more than 2,700
jobs have been created or retained by the Volusia County Department
of Economic Development since 2002, several thousand potential jobs
have been sacrificed due to the absence of available real estate.
“We’re at a
competitive disadvantage because we lack sufficient ready-to-go
infrastructure,” said Phil Ehlinger, Director of the Volusia
County Department of Economic Development. “The time frame for site
selection decision-making has shrunk considerably in the last
several years, primarily due to the ability to seek likely locations
on the internet. Most corporations will not wait two to three years
to convert sites to shovel ready and instead desire a much shorter
site selection decision.”
This said,
Ehlinger pointed out private developers, the cities and the county
recognize the problem and are committed to making the financial
investment for planning, water management, and other approvals
necessary to allow a company to move forward quickly with a new
facility.
Highly visible
is the 17-acre site for the new home for Raydon Corp. on Williamson
Boulevard in Port Orange. The city had purchased the site for
industrial use several years ago, and invested in all of the
necessary permitting, access to utilities and on-site shared
drainage. This allowed Raydon to move forward in just a few months,
instead of the two – to three – year permitting process common with
raw land. Port Orange is seeking a buyer for the remaining
shovel-ready acreage.
Port Orange
also has been out front in the development of its Eastport
Industrial Park, which recently was expanded with more shovel-ready
sites and more in the planning stages.
Edgewater made
the commitment a number of years ago to develop Parktowne Industrial
Center as a major part of the city’s future. The city since has sold
the industrial park to a private developer.
The developers
of Halifax Plantation have a shovel-ready 50-plus-acre industrial
park adjacent to Interstate 95, with complete infrastructure, roads,
drainage and utilities, just waiting for the market to rebound.
Ormond Beach
has invested in the development of new sites in the Ormond Airport
Industrial Park and actively is seeking new companies.
DeLand
recently opened approximately 100 industrial acres at its airport.
DeBary and Deltona are encouraging private landowners to take
advantage of the current economic situation to be prepared for the
natural growth that will occur north on the Interstate-4 corridor.
The county has
contributed financially to the development of Edgewater, Ormond
Beach, and DeLand’s industrial parks.
Volusia County
also has invested considerably in DeLand Crossings, a 43-acre
industrial park at the intersection of I-4 and State Road 44, where
three of six lots remain, and two new companies have constructed
sizeable buildings.
“Our ultimate
success in attracting new high-wage jobs will be the ability to take
advantage of the economic pressures in other areas that will drive
business our way,” said Ehlinger.
