Southwest: Easy Livin' Breeds Business Success

Company officials at Greystone Pharmaceuticals used a matrix to evaluate several possible sites throughout the U.S. for their new headquarters location by comparing key qualities of life that might lure top executives.

The combination of yearround warm weather and ready access to beaches, fishing, golf and cultural activities--along with good schools, a low crime rate, a solid real estate market, proximity to an international airport and the presence of other biotech industries nearby--put Fort Myers and Lee County at the top of the scale.

"This makes for a great place for executives to live," says Greystone's CEO Greg Pilant. "I think the quality of life is tremendous."

A team of representatives from three entities--the Lee County Office of Economic Development, headed by Executive Director Regina Smith, the Florida Governor's Office and Enterprise Florida--helped Greystone identify the right location.

In May 2006, this international biomedical research and development company with manufacturing operations in Memphis, Tenn., and The Netherlands, opened its new corporate offices in Fort Myers.

"It's nice to be in a market that offers our employees great activities," Pilant says. "We went into pretty good depth in our decision-making; this market was tops."

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Growing strong

Many other companies are finding the right combination of key qualities in Florida's Southwest, too. Several massive residential and retail projects, as well as commercial and industrial business parks, are under construction or in the planning stages in Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties.

The Business Park at Silver Strand, a 165-acre commercial and light industrial park located between the newly created town of Ave Maria and historic old Immokalee in fast-growing east Collier County, is just one example. Under development by Barron Collier Companies, Silver Strand offers 300,000 square feet of commercial space and 700,000 square feet for light industrial use.

The Economic Development Council of Collier County, under the direction of President Tammie Nemecek, worked with Barron Collier Companies and local government entities to obtain permits for the project, which, states Brian Goguen, vice president of real estate for Barron Collier, will open doors for business owners seeking affordable commercial land and bring new jobs to a developing rural area.

"The total work force of The Business Park at Silver Strand, when it is completed, will number in the thousands," he says. "The vast majority of jobs are expected to occur as a result of new or expanding businesses." One of the largest diversified firms located in Southwest Florida is Barron Collier Companies. It traces its name and roots to the coun ty's founder, Barron Gift Collier. Among its recent real estate development ventures is the town of Ave Maria, created in partnership with Tom Monaghan, founder of Domino's Pizza and founder/chancellor of Ave Maria University.

Encompassing 4,000 acres, Florida's newest town will include 11,000 residential units, 690,000 square feet of retail space, 510,000 square feet of office space, 35,000 square feet of medical office space and 1,800 acres of parks, lakes and open space. The first phase is expected to open in 2007.

Also slated for a 2007 opening is Ave Maria University, the first Catholic university to be built in the U.S. in more than 40 years. On this 1,000-acre permanent campus, up to 6,000 students will be able to take advantage of a full curriculum of traditional liberal arts, sciences and engineering programs at the baccalaureate, masters and doctoral degree levels.

Tags: Southwest, Housing/Construction, Business Florida