Strategic Corridors
As the Metro-Orlando core continues to approach build-out and growth pressures extend into the surrounding counties, Lake County finds itself uniquely positioned to absorb a significant portion of Central Florida's future growth. Through on-going and extensive strategic planning efforts directed at identifying and conceiving Lake County's primary strategic growth corridors, Lake County Economic Development and our local partners are ensuring that the County is well prepared to absorb this future growth.
Below we have provided a brief summary of three of Lake County’s more prominent strategic growth corridors.
Florida Energy and Aerospace Technology Park
The Florida Energy & Aerospace Technology Park (FEAT Park) is a master planned high tech commerce center located at the intersection of Florida’s Turnpike and County Road 470. The FEAT Park is over 3,000 acres, all of which is owned by the City of Leesburg. The city has planned this park to be a job creation epicenter for Central Florida. The FEAT Park is strategically concentrated on the growth of Aerospace and Energy industry sectors. This park is the ideal location for the development of light sport aircraft companies.
The City of Leesburg, Lake County and State of Florida have a number of incentives and programs to assist companies that want to relocate to or expand into the FEAT Park. For further information concerning development opportunities in the FEAT Park please contact Ken Thomas, Economic Development Director, City of Leesburg, at 352.728.9708 or email at Ken.Thomas@leesburgflorida.gov or our office 352.742.3918.
Health and Wellness Way (South Lake Sector Planning Area)
On a regional scale, South Lake County is endowed with unique assets upon which Lake County is planning to create a regionally significant employment center. The South Lake Sector Planning Area, also referred to as the "Wellness Way" corridor includes over 16,000 acres located in the "Golden Triangle," inside of Interstate-4, the Florida's Turnpike and Hwy 27. The corridor is enhanced by State Road 429 and the soon to be completed Wekiva Parkway. Immediately to the east of the corridor is Horizon West, a master planned community in Orange County that will integrate seamlessly with the Wellness Way. Orlando International Airport is just 30 minutes away.
Wellness Way is more than a spot on the map, it is a concept and a vision for creating a more robust and healthy economy for Lake County through:
- Human Wellness: Capitalizing on the human performance training, nutrition, sports medicine and health sciences work being done at the National Training Center, South Lake Hospital and Lake Sumter Community College, amongst others.
- Economic Wellness: Capitalizing on existing growing industries
- Environmental Wellness: Preserving Lake County's natural resources through effective master planning
Mt. Dora Employment Center
The recent approval of the Wekiva Parkway, the final leg of the outer beltway around the City of Orlando, will create significant economic development opportunities in Lake County. The new extension will link Toll Road 429 in Apopka to I-4 and Toll Road 417 in Sanford. A significant portion of the Wekiva Parkway will travel through Lake County and will include an extension linking the Parkway to SR 46, US 441 and Mt. Dora.
Lake County EDT is working jointly with the City of Mt. Dora to plan and develop a significant employment center situated on approximately 900 acres along the Parkway extension into Mt. Dora. An existing Joint Planning Agreement ("JPA") between the City of Mt. Dora and Lake County has established consistent land use classifications on the proposed properties and both parties are currently in the process of funding a detailed market analysis, which will ultimately guide the planning and development of the employment center. It is anticipated that the Mt. Dora Employment Center will include a wide range of land uses including commercial, light industrial and retail; however, the market analysis will assist in determining the ultimate mix of uses. Please contact the EDT Office at 352-742-3918 for more information.
