North Central
North Central Florida — where innovative companies are born and workforce talent thrives — is home to the University of Florida, the nation’s 8th ranked public university, 12th most prolific patent earner worldwide, recipient of a record $837.6 million in research funding in FY 2018 and a catalyst for economic development. Many who were drawn here first for study have become permanent residents and business owners, helping to fuel the region’s growing technology and advanced manufacturing industry sectors. Another plus: I-10 and I-75 intersect in this region, and companies in need of seamless logistics are taking notice and moving in.
Given that the University of Florida (UF) is one of the nation’s leading research institutions and home to the third most powerful university supercomputer in the U.S., it’s no surprise to find that technology companies of all sizes thrive here.
In 2018, UF consolidated its commercialization efforts under one name. The new organization — UF Innovate — includes: Tech Licensing, which commercializes discoveries; Ventures, which helps create startup companies; and two incubators — The Hub and Sid Martin Biotech. Located in downtown Gainesville, The Hub recently doubled in size adding office and laboratory space. Sid Martin Biotech in nearby Alachua has twice been named Global Science and Technology Incubator of the Year by Business Innovation Center and has launched more than 100 biotech, biomedicine and bioagriculture startups since its founding in 1995.
Privately-owned technology companies are finding success here too. Among them is Optym, a global leader in providing optimization solutions for the transportation and logistics industries. Optym was founded in Gainesville in 2000 and has since grown to include offices in Armenia, Australia, Chile and India. Originally housed at the Gainesville Technology Entrepreneur Center, Optym moved into its freestanding headquarters in 2015 and added another 10,000 square feet to that headquarters in 2017 with plans to hire 100 employees through 2018.
Software developer Info Tech is another North Central technology success story. Founded in Gainesville in 1977, Info Tech develops software used by transportation agencies and highway contractors to manage road construction projects and maintain integrity within the competitive bidding process. Info Tech today employs 250 and in May 2017 moved into its stand-alone headquarters complete with a solar electric power system and 2,400-sq.-ft. green roof.
Companies looking to increase their logistics and distribution efficiency will find North Central a "natural" location. I-75 bisects this region on its way north from Miami to Atlanta, and Greater Gainesville is the halfway point. Just half an hour north at Lake City is I-10, providing ready access east to Jacksonville and west to Pensacola. And in close proximity are two deepwater ports: JAXPORT (85 miles east) and Port Tampa Bay (130 miles south).
In recent years Marion County has become a hub for heavyweight companies in the logistics and distribution sector. FedEx Ground was the first to put down roots at Ocala/Marion Commerce Park just off I-75 with the opening of a 450,000-sq.-ft. distribution center in 2016. Within a year, two more followed. At the same site in 2017, AutoZone opened a distribution center to serve its retail stores throughout Florida and Puerto Rico, and online pet products retailer Chewy built a 600,000-sq.-ft. distribution center, its first in Florida and sixth nationwide. To date, the three facilities account for nearly 1,000 new jobs, with the promise of more to come.
The latest player to enter this market is Texas-based McLane Company, which is spending an estimated $26.5 million to triple the size of an existing building in the Ocala International Commerce Center and create a grocery distribution center to service convenience stores. As a result, up to 125 full-time jobs are anticipated.
Manufacturing is another growing industry sector in Florida’s North Central, and goods manufactured in Gainesville range from medical devices and drones to air cylinders and life-saving gear used by first responders. Exactech, a medical device manufacturer with facilities in five European countries, Australia and Japan, has been headquartered in Gainesville since its founding in 1965.
Meanwhile, in Ocala, two very different manufacturing firms are in expansion mode. In fall 2017, snack foods manufacturer Mestizo Foods announced plans to locate its headquarters and primary manufacturing facility in Marion, with the promise of a $20-million capital investment and 200 full-time jobs. Also expanding operations and adding 50 manufacturing jobs is Cardinal LG, a leader in the development of residential glass for windows and doors. The firm has broken ground on a 300,000-sq.-ft. building which it expects to complete by early 2019. Cardinal’s next-door neighbor and a customer for its laminated and low-E glass, is growing too. Custom Window Systems recently completed a 150,000-sq.ft. expansion.
With plenty of sunshine and wide-open spaces, three North Central counties have proven ripe for solar energy development. In November 2017, Duke Energy Florida began operations at its new 9-megawatt Suwannee Solar Facility near Live Oak. Then, in early July 2018, Duke broke ground on a 74.9-megawatt solar facility in adjacent Hamilton County near Jasper. A month later, Duke announced plans to site a second 74.9-megawatt facility in North Central — this time in Columbia County — with construction expected to begin in spring 2019.
Also looking to capture power from North Central’s sun is Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), which in August 2018 began construction on its Sunshine Gateway Solar Energy Center. Located near the intersection of Interstates 10 and 75, the 74.5-megawatt facility is slated for completion in early 2019.
North Central Florida is a great place to settle down and grow a business. One reason why can be summed up in the triumphant tales of its two largest cities, Ocala and Gainesville.
For the fifth consecutive year, Ocala is ranked No. 8 by Forbes magazine on its list of “Top 10 Metros for Future Job Growth.” With an anticipated rate of growth more than double the national average, Ocala is the only Florida city to make the list five years in a row.
Gainesville earns accolades too. The website Livibility.com named Gainesville No. 38 nationwide (and No. 1 in Florida) on its 2018 list of the Top 100 Best Places to Live, citing its ready access to education and affordable housing. In 2017, Gainesville snagged the No. 15 slot on Livability.com’s list of Best Cities for Entrepreneurs due to its affordability, commute time and easy access to broadband.
And getting around town is easier than ever since the self-driving shuttle service GAToRS began operation in May 2018. Each driver-less shuttle transports up to 12 passengers at a speed of up to 25 mph through downtown Gainesville and to/from the University of Florida campus.
Beyond Gainesville and Ocala, North Central Florida offers much much more to see and do. Known for its scenic rivers, hiking/cycling trails and spectacular sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico, this region is home to Florida’s 175th state park. Just 20 miles northwest of Gainesville, Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park boasts six natural springs. And as long as you’re headed west toward Gilchrist County, pop on down to Cedar Key on the Gulf coast in Levy County for a bowl of Tony's award-winning clam chowder. While you’re there, take time for a stroll around this picturesque fishing village. It’s a rare glimpse of “old Florida.”
Sites of interest in Gainesville include the Florida Museum of Natural History and the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art on the UF campus. General admission to either is free; the Butterfly Rainforest is extra but well worth a visit. Also in Gainesville: the 10-acre Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo, one of only two teaching zoos in the nation, and the newly opened Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention honoring inventors from all fields, including its namesake, Dr. Robert Cade, the inventor of Gatorade.
For a glimpse of real Florida wildlife, board a glass-bottom boat at Silver Springs State Park in Ocala or take a hike along one the many trails through the Ocala National Forest. Watch out for bears!