Duke Energy includes former Polk citrus packaging plant in site readiness program
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Oct 27, 2023

Properties in Polk and Hernando counties are among those that Duke Energy Florida will prepare for commercial development.

Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Duke Energy, has selected 11 “high potential business and industrial sites for its 2023 program.” The list includes Hunt Bros. Inc.’s former citrus packinghouse site in Lake Wales and the Cemex industrial site in Hernando County.

The packinghouse opened in 1928 and closed in 2022, according to the Lakeland Ledger. The property at 2404 Hunt Bros. Road is comprised of three parcels totaling more than 13 acres, according to Polk County property records.

Duke Energy evaluated 49 sites in Florida between 2013 and 2023, resulting in $225 million in new capital investment and 1,005 new jobs, according to the utility company.

“Our communities depend on economic growth,” Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president, said in a statement. “Duke Energy’s Site Readiness program allows us to play an important role in helping our state, regional and local economic development partners increase the competitiveness of potential industrial land, which in turn results in transformational investment into the communities we serve.”

Here is a list of the sites selected for this year’s program:

Archer Industrial Site, Alachua County, North-Central Florida

Cemex Industrial Site, Hernando County, West Florida

Gram’s Legacy Grove Site, Taylor County, North Florida

Hamilton 45 Site, Hamilton County, North Florida

Hunt Brothers Site, Polk County, Central Florida

Marion County Airport, Marion County, North-Central Florida

Marlene O’Toole Industrial Park, Sumter County, North-Central Florida

Monarch Ranch Site, Sumter County, North-Central Florida

MTI Site, Gulf County, North Florida

Nutrien White Springs Site, Hamilton County, North Florida

Sebring Airport Industrial Site, Highlands County, South-Central Florida

“One of the most important priorities of our North Florida region is to develop an inventory of highly competitive sites to market for economic development,” Jeff Hendry, North Florida Economic Development Partnership executive director, said in a statement. “Duke Energy’s Site Readiness Program provides robust investment through financial resources, technical assistance and invaluable expertise. This collaboration has taken, and continues to expand, our inventory of competitive sites to an entirely new level.”