Penny for Pinellas-backed project brings hundreds of jobs

The Brooker Creek South industrial manufacturing building is now the first economic development project completed that’s backed by the $80 million Penny for Pinellas’ Employment Sites Program.

The 130,000-square-foot Brooker Creek South building, at 500 Brooker Creek Blvd. in Oldsmar, is estimated to create more than 300 direct jobs and 500 ancillary spinoff jobs.

“The City of Oldsmar has a rich history of supporting the significant manufacturing base that Pinellas County continues to sustain in Florida. The improvements to Brooker Creek South add to our ability to offer the right facilities to attract new business, and to provide opportunity for existing businesses to expand,” Oldsmar Mayor Dan Saracki said in a news release following a Tuesday ribbon-cutting ceremony at the site.

Harrod Properties, the developer of the project, previously said the 300 direct jobs stemming from the project would have an average salary of $60,000 and the ancillary jobs will have an average salary of roughly $35,000.

The manufacturers that will move into the new building include Edmund Optics, Future Development and Design, and Belac’s Chromalloy. 

Last year, the county voted to support the project with $908,500 of the funds, which are earmarked for developers or businesses that need help to close a funding gap to make a project financially viable. 

The entire project cost was $15 million. The local funding will help secure the employers at the site for at least 20 years. 

“Building speculative industrial space is always risky. However, in the Covid era, it has become even more so given the unprecedented inflation we have been experiencing. Land and construction costs have more than doubled since the start of Covid. Fortunately, we have been able to overcome the cost increases thanks in part to the ESP program, a very strong local workforce and increased demand for new industrial and manufacturing space within Pinellas County,” Rob Webster II, president of Harrod Properties, said in a statement.  

The 11.27-acre industrial site at 500 Brooker Creek Blvd. is one of the last undeveloped parcels that will accommodate a building greater than 100,000 square feet in Pinellas County.

“Companies investing in industrial properties in our area will find the market highly competitive. My department works diligently to help these enterprises expand their operations, but with the tide now turning towards re-shoring, and bringing supply chains closer to home, we are going to see demand for industrial, manufacturing and flex space grow even more,” Director of Pinellas County Economic Development Cynthia Johnson said. “The ESP is yet another example of collaborative efforts with companies to strengthen Pinellas County as a major manufacturing hub, while helping fill capital gaps to bring new construction to market.”

This month, the Pinellas County Commission will review the latest round of ESP applicants.