Industrial buildings to bring more non-tourism-based jobs to northern Walton County

MOSSY HEAD, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – The demand for commercial and industrial facilities in Walton County is high. Many of the businesses and jobs within the county are tourism-based, but those with the Walton County Economic Development Alliance are hoping to even it out.

Monday, members of the Business Leadership Council, a group meant for investors in the Walton County Economic Development Alliance, got to see the progress of one of the major developments happening in the county.

On 34 acres within the Mossy Head Industrial Park, two buildings, totaling a little more than 100,000 square feet each, are coming together.

“These two buildings were built by market demand,” Walton County Economic Development Alliance Executive Director Uriah Matthews said. “I get phone calls all the time where people are looking for space and we don’t have it. This is the answer to fuel our economy.”

The buildings do not have tenants yet, but they are set to be logistic centers to monitor goods coming in and out of the county.

“As we all want our grocery store shelves stocked and our needs met, facilities like this are required,” Matthews said.

With the new facilities comes the opportunity for more local jobs.

“Obviously they will be filled with workers from our surrounding community,” Matthews said. “You know, we are on the northern end of Walton County, so having jobs readily available to this community is very important, reducing time to other areas.”

Those with the group said while they are always looking to add more jobs for residents in the area, they are specifically looking to bring in jobs that are not fully tourism-based.

“Those [projects] are providing jobs that are not industry dependent with tourism, so we’re expanding our base,” DeFuniak Springs City Council Member Anthony Vallee said. “We can’t be reliant on one business or one industry, so the diversification within Okaloosa and Walton is huge.”

Vallee said it is important to expand their base and bring in other industries so there is more support in the county. He mentioned with things like past oil spills and customary use, it can be detrimental to have the whole economy within the county depend on tourism because the industry’s success can fluctuate.

He also added that while it’s understandable some people may resist more development, it can be beneficial for the long-term health of the area’s workforce and the overall economy.

“It’s a mixed blessing because if you already live up here and you’re accustomed to the privacy, the quiet you enjoy that and you don’t want that to change. But there’s a balance because that doesn’t mean your kids have an opportunity to stay there necessarily. So, I think these things provide the opportunity for our kids to stay,” Vallee said.

Matthews added that these specific buildings, due to being constructed with thick concrete, will have the ability to regulate temperature easily and will therefore require less power, as well as being resistant to severe weather.

The buildings are expected to be completed by the end of 2024. The next step is figuring out which company or companies will be moving in. Three other large buildings are set to be built on the 34-acre property.

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