The Wolf Branch Innovation District is a planned 850-acre mixed-use employment center located in Lake County, Florida on State Road 46 near the Wekiva Parkway. The vision for this corridor is to create job and educational facilities within the community, making Lake County and the City of Mount Dora an even better place to live, work, play and do business.
The City of Mount Dora and Lake County have collaboratively designed this project to establish an employment center of regional importance in central Florida. The Wolf Branch Innovation District is considered a hub of economic and employment growth within targeted industries such as clinical healthcare and life sciences, research and development, advanced manufacturing and higher education.
Expected to create around 13,000 new jobs, this development is on prime real estate taking advantage of the Wekiva Parkway – a 25-mile expressway that represents the final link in the Central Florida Beltway encircling Metro Orlando as well as the improved transportation system along State Road 46.
A pro-business attitude and diverse workforce makes Lake County an ideal location for companies in any industry. While the focus has been on targeted industries, the existing industry base is varied ranging from local, single owner shops to multi-national corporations. The local economy continues to grow every year as increasingly more companies discover the City of Mount Dora as the ideal place to locate a business.
Among the amenities luring new business are:
1. SITE READINESS
The City of Mount Dora is a water utility provider meeting the demands for both water and wastewater with Duke Energy providing electric utility and other services such as:
- Early preview of power-intensive sites and buildings for specific industries
- Competitive rates and incentives
- Sustainable energy solutions
- Site visits and stakeholder alignment
- Vetted power-intensive sites and buildings for specific industries
- Competitive rates, incentives and sustainable energy solutions
- Trusted and proven team dedicated to your project’s success
Duke Energy conducted a site readiness evaluation on the Wolf Branch Innovation District which involved working with major site selection consulting firms as well as top engineering and land planning groups to administer a holistic and comprehensive site analysis based on site-specific c data, market trends and organizational support.
2. DEVELOPMENT PERMITTING AND INCENTIVES
The City of Mount Dora has digitized permitting to expedite the process and offers a utility deposit waiver for targeted industries. The city also partners with the county and state to offer various incentive programs including impact fee credits and an ad valorem grant reimbursement program for targeted industries.
3. CONNECTIVITY, TRANSPORTATION, AND INFRASTRUCTURE
At the heart of Florida, Lake County provides easy access to interstates, highways, seaports and international airports, where local businesses are able to service clients throughout the nation and the world. Small-town character combined with the amenities of the Orlando metro area, makes the Wolf Branch Innovation District an attractive destination for employment candidates to live, work and enjoy life.
The Wolf Branch Innovation District is further connected to the regional economy due to improved access and reduced travel times created by the State Road 453 connection between the Wekiva Parkway, State Road 46, and US Highway 441. The opening of State Road 453 to State Road 429 reduced time to metro Orlando’s major centers – Downtown Orlando (30 minutes) and Orlando International Airport (38 minutes).
Planning of the Wolf Branch Innovation District also included a secondary roadway network designed to provide a robust level of movement for vehicular traffic and a multi-use trail system to allow for a unique amenity and an alternate mode of transportation.
4. WORKFORCE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
More than 500,000 students are enrolled at higher education institutions within a 100-mile radius of the Wolf Branch Innovation District. Partners include: University of Central Florida, Lake-Sumter State College, Lake Technical College, CareerSource Central Florida, Valencia College, and others. Together, their certificate and degree programs with accelerated training include stackable credentials in pursuit of degree attainment up to the postgraduate level.
5. GROWING INDUSTRY
Lake County is continually ranked among the fastest-growing counties in the state of Florida. Forecasts show the population will grow to more than 493,000 by 2030, and more than 600,000 by 2050.
6. QUALITY OF LIFE
Lake County is located almost directly in the center of Florida and embodies its trademark, “Real Florida. Real Close.” Acres of natural parks, rolling hills, hiking and biking trails, and an abundance of lakes make it ideal for outdoor enthusiasts. With unrivaled natural resources in the region, Lake County offers an exceptional quality of life and a lower cost of living.
Downtown Mount Dora is home to approximately 60 cafés, breweries, and family-owned restaurants with flavors from around the world. The city has 36 parks, biking trails, nature and recreation opportunities and other lakefront amenities. The City of Mount Dora hosts over 30 special events annually enriching the lives of residents and bringing in tens of thousands of visitors, creating a sustainable tourism industry and economic benefits to local businesses and residents.
For more information on the Wolf Branch Innovation District, visit the City of Mount Dora at https://bit.ly/wolfbranch or call us today at 352-735-7110