ST. JOE CO. DONATES 23 ACRES TO FSU FOR INSPIRE AEROSPACE RESEARCH & INNOVATION FACILITY

The St. Joe Company has donated 23 acres in Bay County to Florida State University for its Institute for Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Research and Education (InSPIRE), clearing the way for a new aerospace research and advanced manufacturing facility in Northwest Florida.

FSU President Richard McCullough announced the donation during the university’s Board of Trustees meeting Oct. 30. The property is located within St. Joe’s VentureCrossings Enterprise Centre in Bay County, near Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport.

Construction began Monday on the first phase of the project, which will include centralized advanced manufacturing and aerospace testing facilities, along with office space. Future phases are planned to include a hypersonic wind tunnel for research into high-speed flight technologies with national defense applications.

“This is an exciting milestone for Florida State University and for Northwest Florida,” McCullough said. “InSPIRE will build on our strengths in aerospace research and advanced manufacturing while creating new opportunities for innovation, industry partnerships and high-paying jobs. We're grateful to The St. Joe Company for donating this land and to Triumph Gulf Coast for helping make this project possible.”

The donation also reflects a longstanding connection between FSU and The St. Joe Company, whose president, chairman and CEO, Jorge Gonzalez, is an FSU trustee and two-time graduate of the university.

“As an FSU graduate, I'm especially proud that The St. Joe Company can help support the university's vision for InSPIRE,” Gonzalez said. “This project represents an important investment in Northwest Florida's future. By bringing together university research, advanced manufacturing and industry partners, we're helping create opportunities for innovation, economic growth and high-paying jobs in our region.”

The initiative is supported by a $98.4 million grant from Triumph Gulf Coast, a nonprofit organization that oversees funds designated for economic recovery and diversification in Northwest Florida following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. FSU has committed an additional $65 million over 10 years and has pledged to secure more than $235 million in grant funding.

InSPIRE — led by Executive Director Drew Allen, a former U.S. Air Force commander and test pilot with more than 20 years of military aviation experience — brings together university researchers, industry leaders and regional economic development partners to develop and test new technologies while strengthening Northwest Florida’s aerospace and defense sectors. Its work focuses on applied research, high-speed aerodynamics, advanced manufacturing and workforce development.

The initiative builds on FSU’s aerospace research strengths through the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and creates opportunities for faculty and students to work with industry partners on emerging technologies. InSPIRE also works with regional schools, colleges and industry partners to develop the workforce needed to support aerospace, defense and advanced manufacturing industries.

The new facilities will expand FSU’s capacity for aerospace research, testing and advanced manufacturing while supporting workforce development and economic growth throughout Northwest Florida.

The InSPIRE facility is part of a growing concentration of development near Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport and along the State Road 79 corridor. FSU also is developing a new FSU Health hospital in Panama City Beach, expanding the university's presence in Northwest Florida through research, healthcare and workforce development.

For more information, visit inspire.fsu.edu.