Land holdings
are a hotbed of development near I-95. Not so long ago, to get to
the boonies from Daytona Beach one only had to wander west to
Williamson Boulevard. Today, this area is one of Volusia’s hottest
growth spots. Among the companies helping to define how the area
grows is Consolidated-Tomoka Land Co., a firm with a long history in
Volusia County and whose holdings consist of more than 11,000 acres.
“There are
many companies and individuals with land to sell,” said Bill McMunn,
president of Consolidated-Tomoka and a 30-year resident of Volusia
County. “Our clients like the fact our firm has grown with Volusia
County and actively is engaged in the community. They also take
comfort that ours is a publicly traded company (CTO -
AMEX) and we are an active developer.”
While
Consolidated-Tomoka’s holdings are substantial, five projects in
particular are generating high levels of interest among area
businesses and out-of-area site selectors.
Daytona West,
west of Interstate 95, covers some 7,000 prime residential acres.
The area is adjacent to LPGA International Golf and Country Club,
the LPGA headquarters and Bayberry Lakes, a new 1,000-unit
residential community. Plans call for residential and commercial
development, schools, churches and recreational facilities,
according
to McMunn. These facilities will support the anticipated growth of
Daytona Beach and are the future site of a high school, middle
school and two elementary schools.
A new site for
flex buildings is addressing the high demand for commercial and
industrial space. Consolidated-Tomoka has begun designing and
permitting the first phase of a showroom-quality
flex/office/warehouse development. Its location at the corner of
Williamson Boulevard and Mason Avenue is designed to attract tenants
with “destination retail” establishments.
The first
phase will consist of two buildings, each offering 15,000 square
feet and each divisible into units as small as 2,100 square feet.
The buildings will front Williamson Boulevard and will blend with
the design of the existing class A office properties in the
neighboring Cornerstone Office Park, Consolidated-Tomoka’s signature
project and
the site of the company’s headquarters. Just as at Cornerstone,
landscaping at this flex-building complex will be substantial.
On the east
side of Interstate 95, south of the Mason Avenue extension and north
of the proposed Dunn Avenue overpass, is Consolidated-Tomoka’s Mason
Commerce Center. The site encompasses more than 200 acres and is
intended for industrial light manufacturing and distribution. It has
become the area’s fastest growing industrial
and distribution park and already houses Ocean Design, Piedmont
Plastics and Daytona Beverage. Several other companies have
purchased sites and expect to be operational this year or next.
Construction of the Dunn Avenue overpass will commence in 2008,
further enhancing access to Interstate 4.
Another
project that is generating some buzz is Consolidated-Tomoka’s new
Interstate Commerce Park, flanking Interstate 95 on the west side
and just south of the expansive Daytona Auto Mall. The project
consists of approximately 50 acres and is subdivided into lots of
approximately two acres.
Annual traffic
counts for vehicles passing by the site exceeds 25 million. Parker
Boats is the first customer and construction of its new boat
dealership is under way. Other “destination retailers”, including
so-called big box stores, have expressed interest in the site.
Daytona West
Industrial Park offers a prime location for businesses with heavier
industrial operations. Already operating in this 1,000-acre
industrial park are a paving company, concrete plant, block plant,
distribution center, auto auction and the county’s new rifle range.
These five
developments are among many in Consolidated-Tomoka’s portfolio. The
company was founded more than 100 years ago and remains one of the
largest land owners in the area, with more than 11,000 acres
covering seven miles along Interstate 95, between U.S. 92 in Daytona
Beach and S.R. 40 in Ormond Beach. Most parcels offer high
visibility and easy access to Interstate 95 and Interstate 4. ■
