Documents filed December 15 with Santa Rosa County reveal plans for two large-scale buildings planned for a 12.85-acre site in Northwest Florida Industrial Park at I-10.
Multiple industrial companies are planning construction in county-owned industrial parks in East Milton, and some of the projects are expected to bring hundreds of jobs to the area.
“We are the epicenter of (industrial) growth in this region,” said Santa Rosa County Economic Development Director Shannon Ogletree, noting that growth along the Interstate 10 corridor from Tallahassee to New Orleans has aided development of land the county purchased near the Interstate 10 interchange on Hwy. 87 S.
The county owns two parks in that area – Northwest Florida Industrial Park at I-10, which is nearly planned out, and a newer 200-acre park, Milton Interchange Park, which is roughly 25% planned out.
An undisclosed company is aiming to develop a 12.85-acre site in Northwest Florida Industrial Park at I-10. Dubbed “Project Cliffhanger” by the Santa Rosa County Economic Development Office, the project would bring two distribution warehouses measuring 53,280 square feet and 116,960 square feet.
“I’ve been working with (current landowner Pedcore, the broker) and the developer of the property to establish spec space in the County,” stated Ogletree of Project Cliffhanger. ”This developer is just one of the five developers that I have been working with that is wanting to establish spec space footprint in Santa Rosa County at the Navarre/I-10 Exit.”
In addition to Project Cliffhanger, Buffalo Rock is building a distribution center at Northwest Florida Industrial Park at I-10, and at nearby Milton Interchange Park, a 50-acre site will house a major food distribution company, which is expected to bring 400 or more jobs to the area.
In addition to development in the county-owned parks, two travel centers and two restaurants are also planned for separate privately owned parcels near the Interstate 10 and Hwy. 87 S interchange.
A Race Trac travel center is planned south of the interchange on the east side of Hwy. 87 S. A truck stop with two restaurants is planned north of the interchange on the west side of Hwy. 87 S; however, Rick Cheney, representing Evolve Development, told South Santa Rosa News that tenants have not yet been identified for that future development.
