The Volusia County Council
has awarded a $2.4 million contract to construct the first phase of
the Tomoka Farms Industrial Park. The approval comes after years of
planning and engineering work designed to create an industrial
center near the Volusia County solid waste complex, west of Daytona
Beach.
Situated on the southern
side of the county’s property on S.R. 415, the Tomoka Farms
Industrial Park has been designed for 120 acres of permitted,
shovel-ready industrial parcels including a 17-acre site for a
future county public works building.
“Tomoka Farms Industrial
Park will be built in two phases,” said Volusia County Economic
Development Director Rick Michael. “The first phase consists of 77
acres. The second phase will contain 43 acres of industrial parcels
that will be constructed once the majority of parcels in the first
phase have been leased and occupied."
The construction contract
was awarded to D&W Paving of Holly Hill. D&W was the lowest of five
companies that responded to the county’s bid notice. Bids ranged
from $2.4 million-$2.8 million.
Construction is expected to
begin in September and will include the building of roads, water and
sewer infrastructure and site work to support the park's
comprehensive master drainage system.
The County Council also has
approved a contract for $87,352 to Quentin L. Hampton Associates,
Port Orange, to provide construction management and inspection
services for the project. The first phase of the Tomoka Farms
Industrial Park is expected to be completed by the end of the first
quarter of next year.
The industrial park is being
designed to accommodate more intensive industrial users and
manufacturers that may require outside storage of materials. The
first phase of this project is expected to accommodate multiple
industrial and manufacturing users and up to750,000 square feet of
industrial space."
We hope the first phase of
Tomoka Farms will provide a six-year to eight-year inventory of
building sites to support our business recruitment efforts,” said
Philip Ehlinger, business recruitment manager for the county
Department of Economic Development.
The industrial acreage that
will be available upon completion of the first phase of the park
will be leased by the county to companies for terms ranging from
30-50 years. The lease costs will be based upon a percentage of the
overall market value of the property.
County economic development
officials expect the first phase of the project to add an estimated
$92.5 million to the tax base as new capital investments for
industrial facilities, equipment and machinery are made by future
employers. More than $800,000 in annual tax revenues and lease
income will be generated as a result of these private sector
investments.
In recent
years, the county has received continued interest by a wide range of
industrial users seeking locations for waste to energy and recycling
projects, manufacturing of building materials and other related
projects that require outdoor storage and placement of finished
goods, Michael said. Most of these potential users generally are not
suitable for more populated areas of the county.
Tomoka Farms Industrial Park
will be marketed by the county Department of Economic Development as
part of the overall countywide economic development initiative.
Available industrial parcels will vary from two-20 acres based on
the space requirements of eligible companies."
The Tomoka Farms Industrial
Park is designed to attract companies that are engaged in light
industrial production, light manufacturing and distribution
activities and companies specializing in the production of green
industry products,” said Ehlinger.
Economic development
planners estimate the first phase of the industrial park will
provide future employment sites capable of supporting a workforce of
up to 1,500 jobs and future anticipated payroll to the area economy
in excess of $50 million.
