Florida Trend Exclusive
Timber’s tipping point
Timber has long reigned as one of Florida’s top agricultural commodities. Nearly half of the state is coated in forestland, and about two-thirds of that is privately owned and managed. It spits out timber that’s used in more than 5,000 products, from cardboard to toilet paper to pharmaceuticals to cosmetics. In 2022, Florida’s forestry and logging operations supported $1.23 billion in sales revenue and more than 9,500 jobs across the state, according to a University of Florida economic impact analysis. [Source: Florida Trend]
Florida communities turn to buyouts to limit flooding, surge damage
As flooding and coastal surge remain among the most destructive elements of storm systems, counties across Florida are turning to voluntary buyout programs to reduce damage and restore the landscape to a more natural state. From the Panhandle to the Keys, local governments are acquiring properties in vulnerable areas as part of a long-term strategy to lessen the financial and logistical burden of maintaining infrastructure that Mother Nature repeatedly threatens to reclaim. [Source: Central Florida Public Media]
If it seems as if this hurricane season will never end, compare it to 2020
If it seems like the 2025 Atlantic hurricane has dragged on forever, let's make you feel a little better: Over the same time period just five years ago, in 2020, there had been more than double the number of storms compared to what we've seen so far this year. That's 26 named storms by early October in 2020 compared to the 12 we've seen so far this year, and that includes Tropical Storm Lorenzo, which developed Oct. 13. [Source: Daytona Beach News-Journal]
Florida houses are shrinking: Study says new builds have smaller square footage
New data reveals a significant shift in how homes are being built in Jacksonville. A recent study found that new houses are, on average, 16% smaller than those built just eight years ago. And it’s not just Jacksonville. The trend of building smaller homes is happening across Florida. In fact, the state ranked in the top 10 states with the biggest decrease in home size from 2017 to today. [Source: First Coast News]
Florida could face a hefty bill for supplemental food assistance
As an increasing number of Florida food-stamp recipients will have to meet work requirements to remain eligible, the state faces a potential hefty bill from the federal government for the program. Currently, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits — commonly known as food stamps — distributed by the state are fully funded by the federal government. But that could soon change. [Source: WFSU]
The Don Club at the Don CeSar
Perched on the edge of St. Petersburg Beach, The Don CeSar has been a symbol of elegance and leisure since 1928. Today, its legacy extends beyond world-class hospitality. The exclusive The Don Club membership program provides executives, families and individuals an elevated lifestyle at one of Florida’s most storied resorts. [Sponsored report]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Blue Origin plans to build rocket refurbishment facility near New Glenn launch pad
Blue Origin plans to construct a vertical refurbishment facility near its New Glenn rocket launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, continuing the company's expansion across Florida's Space Coast. Bearing the secretive code name Project Alpha, the future industrial facility on 30 acres off Armory Road near Blue Origin's Launch Complex 36 will be used to repair, rebuild and reuse large and small rocket components, St. Johns River Water Management District permitting records indicate.
› Scammers target applicants for land use amendments and rezonings with the city of Jacksonville
Some applicants seeking land use amendments and zoning changes through the city of Jacksonville Planning and Development Department have been subject to attempted wire transfer scams, the department said Oct. 9. Helena Parola, the department’s director, said some applicants have received spam emails appearing to come from the city and asking for a wire transfer to pay for application fees.
› Naples leads U.S. in apartment construction boom
Data on apartment construction shows how Collier County stacks up with other national cities. Naples, best known as a destination for luxury second homes, gated communities and waterfront villas, is now notable for growth in the apartment construction sector, as well. According to a recent RentCafe Apartment Construction Report, “Florida remains a construction powerhouse in 2025, second only to Texas in new apartment deliveries. While some markets are cooling after last year’s record highs, others are seeing historic growth — underscoring the diversity of Florida’s housing story.”
› In the dark: Streetlight fight divides Fort Lauderdale neighborhood
When the sun goes down, darkness blankets Melrose Park, a predominantly Black neighborhood in central Fort Lauderdale that’s been without streetlights for decades. Commissioner Pamela Beasley-Pittman says she wants to lift the neighborhood out of the shadows by installing more than 500 lights throughout Melrose Park at a cost approaching $1.3 million in the first year alone. There’s just one problem: Some residents don’t want the lights.
More stories ...
› Jaguars stadium permit application offers more details of $1.4 billion renovation
The city's Building Inspections Division began its review of the latest — and largest — building permit application related to the team's "Stadium of the Future" plans to renovate EverBank Stadium. The construction work outlined in the permit application has an estimated job cost of $696,535,632, representing about half of the project's estimated $1.4 billion price tag.
› Sarasota Bay Estuary Program taps Ryan Gandy to spearhead efforts to restore Sarasota Bay
The Sarasota Bay Estuary Program will undergo a significant leadership transition this November as Director David Tomasko steps down after a five-year tenure marked by a remarkable turnaround in the bay's health. Ryan Gandy, the program's current science and restoration manager, has been selected by the estuary program board to take the helm as the new director.
› Following performance review, Gainesville Regional Utilities CEO awarded 3% raise
Gainesville Regional Utilites CEO Ed Bielarski was given a nearly $10,000 merit raise following his yearly evaluation, bringing his annual salary up to $342,000. The 3% pay increase given by the GRU Authority at its Oct. 8 meeting stems from Bielarski's overall evaluation performance score of 4.5 out of 5. GRU Chief People Officer Cheryl McBride said the authority found that Bielarski successfully implemented the utility's strategic vision in debt reduction and cost-effective improvements.
› $7M upgrade brings high-tech future to Orlando Science Center’s CineDome
Visitors to the Orlando Science Center next spring can expect to get whiffs of hot, buttered popcorn being made by a robot. That's thanks to a new futuristic automated snack stand, part of a $7 million upgrade underway at the museum, including a high-tech renovation of the Dr. Phillips CineDome experience. The 27-year-old signature theater held its last film in August and now is undergoing a massive facelift — with the help of 100 employees.