The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners approved an economic development incentive grant rebate Feb. 6 for Publix Super Markets Inc. to establish a pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing facility.
Publix plans to open the $145 million project by the end of 2026 at a 168,480-square-foot building it bought in January in Legend Point Logistics Crossing, east of Interstate 95 at northwest U.S. 1 North and Country Road 210 West.
The “Central Fill” pharmaceutical manufacturing operation will process up to 500,000 orders per week and eventually reach 1 million per week, according to the grant application.
Workers at the facility will assemble made-to-order prescription packages that are dispensed at Publix pharmacies after raw materials are unpacked and processed into salable form.
Publix is investing $6 million in real property for the land, $22 million in real property for the building, $29 million in other taxable improvements and $88 million in new tangible assets for the facility.
The legislation indicates the multiyear incentive is $5,821,779 with the first grant payment during fiscal 2028.
The grant will reimburse up to 100% of the general county portion of ad valorem taxes on capital improvements through 2034. It also will reimburse the taxes on new tangible personal property.
The annual installments are estimated to be about $646,864 for up to nine years.
The project will create 115 jobs by year-end 2026 and expand to a workforce of 400 by the end of 2034, Publix said.
St. Johns County Administrator Joy Andrews said in a news release that the deal showcases “the collaborative efforts of our dedicated economic development staff, growth management team, utility services, and building officials.”
The release said economic development partner JAXUSA Partnership, a division of JAX Chamber, introduced the project to the St. Johns County Economic Development Department. The project is within St. Johns County’s target industries of advanced manufacturing and health/life sciences.
Publix provides stable employment opportunities with competitive pay and benefits, including its Employee Stock Ownership Plan that is provided at no cost to Publix associates.
The Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a motion Sept. 5, 2023, instructing the county attorney to draft an economic development incentive agreement for the project. The commission approved the agreement at its regular meeting as part of the Feb. 6 consent agenda.