Lake Nona considered top destination for ‘new normal’ HQs
With rumors of a potential Twitter relocation swirling as the backdrop, a corporate site selection firm has named Orlando’s Lake Nona region among its top 15 locations in the U.S. for relocations amid an evolving office landscape. That list is based on Boca Raton-based The Boyd Co. Inc.’s new national site selection study that focuses on the “new normal” for corporate headquarters destinations in a post-pandemic environment.
Why Lake Nona?
The analysis considers geographically specific cost variables and cost-savings opportunities, in addition to return-to-work and remote working trends, plus modern community amenities popular with the top talent that firms want to attract.
The Boyd Co. — which itself recently moved from New Jersey to South Florida — has been involved in corporate site selections in Orlando going back decades, and both the city and Lake Nona are top of mind for many firms, said company principal John Boyd Jr.
“This really is an era of unprecedented mobility, and nowhere is that more evident than in the Sunshine State. In the development world, Lake Nona has been a region of the future for years — that’s evident.” John Boyd, principal at The Boyd Company Inc.
The Lake Nona area’s proximity to the airport and medical infrastructure, as well as its ability to attract tech sectors such as those focusing on autonomous vehicles and aviation, are key, he said.
Future connectivity to the Brightline high-speed rail service and Lake Nona’s relative affordability also were highlighted — as was its budding town center and proximity to larger hospitality hubs.
“A common denominator among really successful suburban submarkets is the presence of a mixed-use development that has those planned community amenities our migrating workers like, such as recreational activities, trails, nightlife, restaurants and retail,” Boyd said.
“The Florida markets included in the analysis all enjoy proximity to world-class hospitality infrastructure, and that’s a big deal for our head office projects today. Our clients want the infrastructure in place for corporate team-building events, corporate training events and other types of business activities — and that’s a strong suit for all of the Florida markets.”
For the full article, visit the Orlando Business Journal online.