UPDATE: Town could net 300 jobs
Town could net 300 jobs
AppRiver plans expansion; Avalex Technologies interested in relocating
The Gulf Breeze City Council on Wednesday considered two special requests to allow for potential future economic development within the city limits that could encourage growth worth an estimated $20 million.
Council is considering asking FDOT to vacate some surplus right of way and hiring a consultant to help with Code and Comp Plan amendments that will be necessary to accommodate a proposed business expansion in the Quietwater Business complex.
"We are committing to the City of Gulf Breeze with this expansion plan," said Mike Murdoch, President and CEO, AppRiver. "And we are looking towards expanding significantly and bringing in other tech firms to expand alongside us."
In order to accommodate current and future growth, the company needs more room in a Class A facility.
"I see a real technical and medical hub here in Gulf Breeze proper," Murdoch added. "Innovative business activities attract other companies to the area and will really establish Gulf Breeze."
AppRiver anticipates a $12 million projected investment in an 80,000-square-foot building and says it will maintain its approximately 100 current employees in the area as well as expand. As to job creation, Murdoch expects to add 80 jobs in the next three years, but said he really feels "as though it will be faster. And we could have 300 to 400 total."
Avalex Technologies of Pensacola, the leading national supplier of flat panel displays, digital mapping systems, digital video recorders and sensor pointing systems for both the airborne surveillance and military markets, also is being courted and could soon bring in 100 jobs as well. It is considering moving into Gulf Breeze with 50 current jobs and expanding by another 50 within a few years.
Both AppRiver and Avalex Technologies will maintain average minimum wages of $46,000.
"No exaggeration, this is an unprecedented opportunity for a small community like Gulf Breeze," said Shannon Ogletree, Industry Recruiter, TEAM Santa Rosa. "These are real performance companies - INC 5000 companies that can locate wherever they want to be and who are courted in cities in Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Ga. This proposed project would transition Gulf Breeze from being a suburb of other areas to becoming a technology and medical epicenter."
The proposed Gulf Breeze expansion will enhance the entire county, according to both Murdoch and Ogletree. They cite Andrews Institute as an example of a highly successful mixed-use development that has already put Gulf Breeze "on the map."
"This plan lays a foundation for our future," Murdoch said. "This is a chance of a lifetime. I love Gulf Breeze - I choose to live here. We have terrific schools, a great lifestyle. When I got out of state or anywhere in the world, it is not hard to recruit people here. Gulf Breeze offers a great package, a really good quality of life."
AppRiver's Current Annual Impact nets an annual wage impact to the area of $11.5 million, according to Ogletree, as a result of 100 direct jobs, 33 indirect and 133 total induced jobs.
"Indirect and induced jobs are those jobs created where the people may spend their dollars. For example, with 100 extra people working at AppRiver these new people may shop at Publix, which requires Publix to hire extra people to take care of the customer needs," Ogletree explained.
The annual impact for the proposed AppRiver expansion estimates an additional $9.2 million to the area from 80 direct jobs, nine indirect and 17 induced for 106 total jobs.
"That's a lot of technical analysis to say, in short, this is a great project. This company could be anywhere in the world, and they chose Gulf Breeze for their home and their expansion," Ogletree said. "This may be a once-in-a-lifetime event for the area. Do we sit by and do nothing and fall farther behind, or do we take control of own destiny? I know what my choice is."
Ogletree stressed that companies prefer to be around similar companies, and this expansion will be a draw for other tech companies to the area.
"There are ecological benefits to this plan as well," said City Manager Buz Eddy. "Part of the proposal locks in and preserves a wooded area densely forested with mature live oaks that adjoins Sun Chase to the south as a green space, maintaining shelter for birds and wildlife as well as buffering the residential area to the south. And the property owners are contributing a portion of their property to the city to be used as a municipal parking facility. The city is also asking for access to Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) surplus right of way for the structure."
"We like it here. Santa Rosa County, the state and the city are good to us," Murdoch said. "And we are doing our best to get the word out to other tech companies."
Murdoch said he is encouraging Avalex Technologies to come to Gulf Breeze and is in communication with other tech firms as well.
Eddy is confident the city will find a way to accommodate the project, welcoming the clean, upscale industry to the area.
"This paves the way for future economic development," he said. "We are excited about the opportunity to work on making this a reality. When we formed our CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) guidelines a few years back, it was a stated priority to create professional opportunities and balanced economic development. Here is our chance to make that goal a reality."
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