St Joe Relocating HQ to New Airport
New Location in the Center of Company’s West Bay Sector Plan Development
March 17, 2010 09:03:00
As reported by The News Herald (NEWS HERALD STAFF REPORT)
JACKSONVILLE – The St. Joe Co. today announced plans to move its corporate headquarters to its large-scale development project adjacent to the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Bay County.
According to a news release, the new location, surrounded by some of the company’s most valuable land holdings, will enable the company to build on its real estate and economic development successes in the Northwest Florida region.
President and CEO Britt Greene will speak Wednesday afternoon in a press conference at Watersound.
St. Joe’s new headquarters will be located within Phase I of the company’s West Bay Sector Plan development near the entrance of the new international airport, which is scheduled to open in May. The new offices will provide St. Joe with a location central to its numerous residential communities and commercial properties under development, as well as company lands slated for new business and development opportunities in the region.
The St. Joe Co. will be consolidating offices from Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Port St. Joe and South Walton County into the new location. Construction of the approximately 50,000-square-foot multi-tenant office building is scheduled to begin this summer, with relocation of the company’s headquarters and personnel to be completed by the summer of 2011.
“This move is a very important step in the evolution of The St. Joe Co., and we are excited about expanding our relationships with the people of Northwest Florida,” Greene said in the news release. “At the same time, we are very grateful for our 75-year relationship with the City of Jacksonville. There are many friends and supporters in the area that have played an integral part in the growth and success of the company throughout the years. We will remain forever thankful for their contributions and support.”
The St. Joe Co., a publicly held company currently based in Jacksonville, is one of Florida’s largest real estate development companies and Northwest Florida’s largest private landowner. St. Joe is primarily engaged in real estate development and sales, with significant interests in timber.
“The relocation represents a new phase for our company, where we will be able to closely align our resources in an area that we have been actively involved in developing for the past 12 years,” Greene said. “Furthermore, we expect to capitalize on the many significant business and economic development opportunities that we see emerging as the region continues to evolve into not only one of the nation’s top ranked vacation destinations, but one of the nation’s newest business and technology corridors.”
U.S. Congressman Allen Boyd (D-Monticello) today issued this statement following the announcement:
“This is great news for the Bay County community. The St. Joe Company’s decision to relocate its corporate headquarters to West Bay will bring new local jobs to the area and help expand our area’s appeal to tourists and entrepreneurs alike. St. Joe has already made their mark on the region by helping to construct the new airport, and the decision to relocate their headquarters to West Bay further solidifies them as an invaluable member of the Bay County community.
“I want to congratulate all of the local leaders that worked with the St. Joe Company to make this relocation a reality,” Boyd said in the statement. “I look forward to continuing to work with the people of Bay County and the St. Joe Company to promote more economic development opportunities throughout the region.”