FLORIDA SPOTLIGHT
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Spreading the Wealth in the Sunshine State
The following is a brief overview of some of the more significant projects announced in Florida in past 12 months: Ruth's Chris Steak House relocated its corporate headquarters from New Orleans to Orlando following Hurricane Katrina. After considering both Tampa and Dallas, CEO Craig Miller decided to move the firm's 50 headquarters employees and their families to Orlando. The firm chose new permanent quarters in Heathrow in Lake Mary. The 91-restaurant, 5,600- employee chain had 2005 revenues of $211 million.
FedEx Ground next month will complete construction on a 215,000- sq.-ft. (19,973- sq.-m.) distribution warehouse in Pompano Beach. The $34- million project will add 150 jobs to the existing 356 in the area, according to Allison Sobczak, spokeswoman for FedEx Ground. "This will be a modern, automated facility that incorporates our latest package distribution technology," she said. Coca-Cola last month moved into an 86,000- sq.-ft. (7,989- sq.-m.), single-story office building in Brandon in eastern Hillsborough County near Tampa. Duke Realty Inc. developed the back- office facility for Coke. Trend USA announced Feb. 15 that it will establish its U.S. headquarters in Miami- Dade County. The Italian-owned company creates customized floor and wall surfaces with glass mosaic and agglomerate materials. The $15- million, 55,000- sq.-ft. (5,109- sq.-m.) facility will create 100 jobs. Science Applications International Corp., one of the leading simulation companies in Orlando, announced plans to expand its Central Florida operations with construction of a $14.5- million, 80,000- sq.-ft. (7,432- sq.-m.) building and the addition of 300 workers. SAIC is located in the Central Florida Research Park near the University of Central Florida on the east side of Orlando. Nordana Line (USA) Inc. announced Jan. 26 that it will move two of its regular cargo services from Savannah to Jacksonville, adding 25 jobs to Northeast Florida and generating at least 60,000 tons of cargo every year at JAXPORT's Blount Island Marine Terminal. Burger King announced that it will expand its corporate headquarters in Coral Gables in Miami-Dade County with a $68- million capital investment. Progress Energy broke ground recently in downtown St. Petersburg on a
Valpak is building a 500,000- sq.-ft. (46,450- sq.-m.) manufacturing facility that will house 1,100 employees in northeast St. Petersburg. The company is spending $43 million on construction, $135 million on equipment and $7 million on an information system. Ryder System Inc. opened its new, four- story, 250,000- sq.-ft. (23,225-sq.-m.) global headquarters last year in Miami. The company employs more than 700 workers at the facility. E-Stone USA Corp., an Italian- owned company, is locating a new stone manufacturing plant in Sebring in Highlands County. The $15- million investment will create 150 jobs and includes an 80,000- sq.-ft. (7,432- sq.-m.) plant. XStream Systems Inc. is investing $10 million in four buildings in Vero Beach that will house R&D, production and headquarters facilities for the firm specializing in X-ray- based detection equipment. The expansion creates 546 jobs. Haemacure Corp. is investing $10.8 million to expand its pharmaceutical manufacturing operations in Manatee County. The expansion creates 51 jobs. Southeast Corporate Federal Credit Union is expanding its corporate headquarters in Tallahassee, creating 40 jobs and spending $5 million on facilities and equipment. |
