Big projects in pipeline: Plant Agricultural Systems, Cosentino and two warehouses (Courtesy of the Jacksonville Daily Record) — BAKER COUNTY
Plant Agricultural Systems
Plant Agricultural Systems Inc. plans to build a $750 million hydroponics farm in Baker County.
It would produce fresh produce including leafy greens and vine crops such as tomatoes.
PLANT-AS would scale up operations over eight years to hire more than 600 full-time employees with starting wages, including benefits, of $21 an hour.
The Baker County Development Commission announced the public-private partnership in July 2023.
Darryl Register, executive director of the Baker County Chamber of Commerce, said the plant is moving forward as planned.
“We expect construction to commence in early 2024,” he said in an email.
The plant is slated to be 8.1 million square feet of advanced production facilities on 772 acres.
The project is at the Woodstock Industrial Site near U.S. 90 and Interstate 10 in Sanderson, about 38 miles west of Downtown Jacksonville.
DUVAL COUNTY
Two 1 million-square-foot warehouse tenants
At least two 1 million-square-foot speculative warehouses gained tenants this year.
Total Distribution Inc. confirmed it will move into a 1 million-square-foot warehouse in Florida Gateway Logistics Park in West Jacksonville.
Total Distribution, a third-party logistics company formerly known as Grimes Companies, has leased the 1,000,400-square-foot warehouse. The company is part of Peoples Services Inc., based in Canton, Ohio.
Sam’s Club has been identified in real estate market reports as the tenant for a 1 million-square-foot warehouse in Imeson Park South in North Jacksonville.
The information is that Sam’s Club leased a 1,003,200-square-foot building at 1511 Zoo Parkway, Building E, also known as Building 300.
The project has been known as code-named Project Crystal, described as a major international retailer that sells household goods, clothing and food items, which fits Walmart Inc. and its Sam’s Club division.
The project intends to invest $61 million, comprising $17 million in building improvements and $44 million in machinery, equipment, furniture and fixtures.
In June, the Jacksonville City Council signed off on a $1.5 million tax incentive for the project.
DUVAL COUNTY
Cosentino surfaces manufacturing facility
Cosentino Group says it will break ground in January 2025 on the $270 million first phase of a project to build a manufacturing facility at the Cecil Commerce Center megasite in West Jacksonville, south of Interstate 10.
The Spanish sustainable surfaces company intends to complete the first phase at the end of 2028. The multiphase project could grow to a $440 million manufacturing facility.
After the first phase, a second phase would be a capital investment of $70 million. Cosentino will have the option to buy another 150 acres to build a minimum $100 million addition to the project.
In May, Jacksonville City Council approved a 330-acre land sale and $42 million property tax incentive for Cosentino Group, previously code-named Project Raptor Stone.
More than $10 million in public money was allocated for road, infrastructure and rail work.
The incentives agreement says Cosentino will create 180 jobs by the end of 2028.
The city owns the industrial park property and Dallas-based Hillwood is the master developer of what is AllianceFlorida at Cecil Commerce Center.