PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Bill Cronin is more than excited about the latest mega project coming to Pasco County.
Especially its sheer size, covering 965 acres.
“Looking at about 4 million square feet of industrial space. When I first got here I’m not sure we had 4 million square feet in the whole county,” said Cronin.
Cronin is President of Pasco County’s Economic Development Council and has seen the county’s growth take off in the last 10-15 years.
And now comes the groundbreaking of Double Branch, a mixed-use development near I-75 and State Road 52 in San Antonio.
There will be industrial buildings, office space, retail, housing and hotels.
Officials said it could eventually be home to 6,000 jobs.
“When you think about the economic engine of 30 years ago, all the cars went south to Hillsborough County. Now, I don’t know if it’s 50-50, but it’s probably getting close to 50-50. Just think about 20 years from now when they are all coming from Hillsborough to come to Pasco to work,” said Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson.
Developers said Double Branch will not be limited to large distribution centers but will also feature life sciences and the healthcare industry.
“That’s refreshing to us that it’s not going to be big boxes on the skyline. Instead, we are going to see a true mixed-use live, work, play development, which is going to be something that is going to be a destination for people to come to,” said Cronin.
No companies have been announced for the space yet, but buildings will start popping up in the next couple of years. Overall, it will be about a 15-year project.
