Industrial park expands, creates jobs
BY FRANKLIN HAYES Gulf Breeze News franklin@gulfbreezenews.com

Franklin Hayes/ Gulf Breeze News Anderson Columbia is just one of many tenants in the park.

County development officials are preparing for the creation of 650 to 800 new jobs thanks to new additions to the Santa Rosa Industrial Park in East Milton. Five companies already have construction underway for facilities that are expected to support between 130 and 272 jobs, while five more companies are expected to break ground within the next several years. The remaining potential builders are expected to create approximately 535 employment opportunities.

"Although many factors may influence the final numbers, which may take up to five years to come to fruition, it is very fulfilling to know that years of continuous planning and preparation have resulted in many good paying-jobs coming to Santa Rosa," said TEAM Santa Rosa's Executive Director, Cindy Anderson.

Although the jobs would be physically located in the northern portion of the county, officials believe the expansion will benefit southern Santa Rosa due to increased tax revenues. More people living and working in any part of Santa Rosa County means more tax dollars will be generated by property, sales and gas taxes, officials said.

"One of the greatest assets of our county is our transit system," said County Commissioner John Broxson. "The train system and I-10 are like arteries. They bring the lifeblood into the county."

Transportation and infrastructure within the approximately 1,800 acre park recently improved with the completion of Opportunity Drive, a mile and a half stretch of road within the park that features water, sewer, electricity and gas.

"This unprecedented economic growth has also been made possible by recent infrastructure investments at the park, specifically the addition of Opportunity Drive, which enhanced the park by enabling accessibility to previously undeveloped sites and providing more ingress/egress," Anderson said.

Several corporate representatives present at a press conference held on park grounds Feb. 21 indicated the exemplary quality of life in Santa Rosa County was a major factor in their decision to move their operations here.

"The community here is great," said Steve Wages, Product Development Manager for Meltpro, an adhesive equipment company.

"We came from Atlanta and we didn't like it there."

Ken Ponsell, General Manager for Boise, agreed.

"It's really nice to be in a place where God and country are still honored," said Ponsell, whose company distributes wholesale lumber.

The committed companies currently moving into the park include Meltpro, an adhesive equipment distributor; H.T. Hackney, a regional convenience store distributor; Boise, a wholesale lumber distributor; Hope Lumber, a lumber product manufacturer and distributor; and Baaron Rentals, a concrete style block home builder.

The companies expected to move in over the next five years include Crystal Technical Services, a software consultant and developer; Goldust, a beverage distributor; REX, and executive search consulting firm; MD Shop, a highly specialized machinery manufacturer; and Joint Fuels, a biodiesel processing company.