Gulf Power (GP) is seeking to accelerate business development in Northwest Florida through Florida First Sites (FFS), a program which began last year. VentureCrossings, located in Bay County and owned by The St. Joe Company, is the first industrial site to complete Gulf Power’s Florida First Sites program in Northwest Florida, according to Natalie Smith, Gulf Power Media Relations. Santa Rosa County has three sites in the program with Okaloosa, Walton, and Jackson counties participating as well.
According to Smith, landowners had one year to complete improvements identified by McCallum Sweeney, a nationally recognized site consultant firm, hired by GP. Improvements included everything from obtaining permits, improving topography, performing environmental studies, and producing engineering reports to making sure adequate utilities are available to the site, Smith said.
“It was an idea borne through Gulf Power. It’s seen as a way to attract business,” Smith said. FFS is the first program of its kind according to Smith, catching up to other states already courting business with ready-to-go sites.
Shannon Ogletree, director of Santa Rosa County Economic Development, said, “It’s a good program. I’m glad Gulf Power initiated it. It takes the risk out of locating to a new area.” Two of the three SRC sites, he said, are owned by the county. One is an industrial park on the west side of Naval Outlying Field Santa Rosa, the other an industrial park off of Jeff Ates Rd, east of Peter Prince Airport. Vic’s of Navarre holds the privately owned sit, located on the north side of the first site mentioned.
Ogletree said he expects more interested prospects once the program gets off the ground. He said he’s waiting on the county sites to receive the seal of approval from McCallum Sweeney to start marketing heavily, and the same for Gulf Power, said Smith. However, Ogletree said, “Since June, I’ve gotten four companies asking very detailed information on the sites.”
Due to the streamlined nature of the program, he said he was able to have almost 90 percent of the inquired upon information.
Smith said GP expects most of the nine remaining sites to be certified by February. Keep up with developments on the sites at www.srpressgazette.com and www.floridafirstsites.com.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: SRC industrial locations attract interest