Jacksonville an d NORTHEAST FLORIDA
Hilliard Airpark Port of
Fernandina
NASSAU Fernandina
301
301
Historic downtown Amelia Island
24 JACKSONVILLE AND NORTHEAST FLORIDA SPONSORED SECTION
17
95
Beach
Amelia
Island
Fernandina
Beach
Municipal
Airport
Amelia Island
State Park
Yulee
Nassau County
Heavy Hitters Welcome
The East Nassau Community
Planning Area and its Wildlight
development may get
more attention from the casual
observer, with its mixed-use
plans and visibility off of I-95.
But another major development
project tucked away in the
western part of Nassau County
may have more of an economic
and job-creating impact.
The Crawford Diamond Industrial
Park is an 1,800-acre site
entitled for up to 10.5 million
square feet of “heavy” industrial
space, says Laura DiBella,
executive director of the Nassau
County Economic Development
Board.
“Nothing small will land at this
site,” she says. “We’re going after
the heaviest of the heavy.”
What sets Crawford apart
from other industrial sites is its
location at the intersection of two
Class I railroad lines (CSX and
Norfolk Southern), DiBella says.
It’s also within a two-hour drive
of four deep-water ports.
Nassau County has long had
a reputation as a vacation spot
with two high-end oceanfront
resorts, the Omni Amelia Island
Plantation and the Ritz-Carlton,
as well as the historic town of
Fernandina Beach.
However, the Crawford and
Wildlight projects promise to
bring new industrial growth
that will not only benefit Nassau
County residents but also a
skilled workforce of 800,000
people who live within a
60-minute drive, says DiBella. She
says interest among manufacturers
is strong.
“The region as a whole will
benefit and gain from the significant
presence of yet another
large advanced manufacturer
choosing Northeast Florida as its
home,” she says.
Nassau County:
Where tourism
and industry
intersect with
great results.
Population 80,628
Labor Force 37,328
Total Households 31,320
Per Capita Income $32,238
Retail Spending $729.0 mil.
Stand-up paddle
boarding on the Atlantic
Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort
TERESANNE COSSETTA RUSSELL (MAP); DEREMER STUDIOS / NASSAU CNTY (TOP)