St. Johns County Presents Economic Update at Regional Event

• 13 February 2025
• Category: SJC News Economic Development
• Tags: 2025

On Feb. 13, St. Johns County attended the State of the Region address held by the JAXUSA Regional Partnership at the University of North Florida. Sara K. Maxfield, Director of the Economic & Tourism Development Department, spoke to the audience about the tremendous economic development going on in St. Johns County.

Talent Development

• St. Johns County is beginning a $21 million plan to develop a regional workforce development educational campus in the Hastings community with its partners at the St. Johns County School District, First Coast Technical College (FCTC), the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce, and the U. S. Economic Development Administration (EDA).
• 20,000-square-foot FCTC facility adjacent to former Hastings High School
• 550 new high-wage jobs committed by 10 NEFL employers for graduates
• The Northeast Florida Regional Airport (soon to be rebranded as the St. Augustine Airport), with assistance from St. Johns County, has applied for a Florida Job Growth Grant for infrastructure improvements to support a new 440,000 SF Aviation and Aerospace Complex, 50 additional hangers, and a new 150,000 SF multi-use business complex. At full build-out, the project area is estimated to generate 3,572 full-time jobs and $1.3 billion in economic impact

Business Growth

• St. Johns County has approved several business incentive packages for new investments in the healthcare and industrial warehousing sectors:
  • Acadia Healthcare – 239 new FTEs; $75,000 average wage
  • TyMe Institute – 54 new FTEs; $70,000 average wage;
  • Pavo, LLC (Flex Industrial Space) – 23,000-square-foot of new industrial space
  • IGP/95 Commerce Logistics Park
• 500,000-square-foot of new industrial space
• Legend Point Logistics Crossing
• 500,000-square-foot of new industrial space in 2025

Sponsored by the JaxChamber, the event also included 2025 JAXUSA Partnership Chair Abel Harding, First Horizon Bank, for an exclusive investor program to bring together business and community leaders in the Jacksonville region. It was promoted as an update on the region’s great strides in economic development throughout Northeast Florida. There was also an engaging panel, “The Workforce of Tomorrow: Building Northeast Florida’s Talent Pipeline,” that explored how our region’s educational system is developing the skilled workers companies need to grow and succeed.

###

Get more St. Johns County news by receiving our e-newsletters and learn how to stay informed with accurate, timely information through a blend of community outreach initiatives by the Office of Public Affairs.