Drew Dixon
The Florida Economic Development Council (FEDC) is recognizing two major business ventures on the First Coast worth a combined $245 million in investments as its “Deals of the Year.”
One of those deals is the planned addition of a 500,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Jacksonville where autonomous vehicles will be built. The other is a Publix pharmaceutical facility planned for St. Johns County that will fulfill an estimated 500,000 prescriptions per week when it’s initially opened, increasing to about 1 million on a weekly basis once it is fully operational.
FEDC officials announced the awards this month.
The autonomous vehicle factory to be operated by Holon was announced in March after JAXUSA Partnership, a business-development wing of JAX Chamber, conducted a feasibility study. The analysis concluded the Holon factory could end up contributing some $300 million to the Northeast Florida economy. FEDC officials called that project the “Regional Deal of the Year.”
Holon will build a new facility that will produce 15-passenger self-driving vehicles in Jacksonville, with the factory set to open in 2028.
The Publix pharmaceutical manufacturing facility will be built in St. Johns County and will be operational in 2026. The St. Johns County Economic Development Department helped broker that deal, resulting in a 168,480-square-foot building off Accolade Avenue.
That St. Johns development was labeled the “Urban Deal of the Year” by FEDC.
JAXUSA Partnership President Aundra Wallace said both the Jacksonville and St. Johns County agreements demonstrate the desire to do business on the First Coast.
“These are two prime examples of the growth we’re seeing in Northeast Florida and how companies see the value in our business-friendly climate and strong regional partnerships,” Wallace said.
The two deals are expected to generate more than 550 jobs in the North Florida region and involve a combined economic investment of more than $245 million.
“St. Johns County is proud to receive this recognition from the Florida Economic Development Council. Economic development is a team sport, and the Publix project highlights the power and importance of working collaboratively to find creative solutions that benefit our community,” said St. Johns County Senior Project Manager Sam Camp.
