A neighborhood eyesore is about to be torn down to make way for two new medical manufacturing buildings, creating more jobs for locals.
The property located at 1112 SW. 10th St., Ruskin, FL 33570 has been mostly abandoned for years, according to neighbors. On site there is a vacant, dilapidated house, a ski boat, several abandoned buildings and a hot tub.
However, people who work nearby say the biggest problem is an abandoned fish farm that's been sitting empty since 2003. The site has attracted homeless and transient individuals. There's also been a lot of illegal dumping.
"I can’t imagine it’s looked much better than this," said Linda Calogero, executive assistant at B & M Precision, looking at what remains of the fish farm.
Now, B & M Precision, a medical manufacturing business just a few minutes away, plans to expand by building two new medical manufacturing buildings there on site. If approved, the site will also have pond, plant farm and on-site child care for workers.
There is also an intent to bring more local workers into the expanded facility, Calogero said.
"We add more machines, we add more people," she said. "It's a great feeling."
It's unclear however at this time how many new jobs could be added.
There are two public hearings with Hillsborough County Commissioners on April 5 and later in the month to discuss the project.
If everything is approved, the new facilities are expected to be constructed by December 2019, Calogero said.
