BDB Executive Committee on February 21, 2025
February 25, 2025 – Palm Beach County continues to attract national attention, with significant growth happening throughout the region. While West Palm Beach has seen remarkable developments, such as Cleveland Clinic’s new 150-bed hospital and Vanderbilt University’s new graduate campus offering a 1,000-student program in artificial intelligence and data science, exciting projects are unfolding countywide, contributing to a broader transformation.
Boca Raton stands out with major expansions reshaping the city. These include the redevelopment of the City Hall campus, the mixed-use transformation of the Boca Raton Innovation Campus, and the repurposing of the former Office Depot headquarters into a vibrant community hub. These developments are positioning Boca Raton as a growing center for business, innovation, and modern living.
Palm Beach Gardens is also thriving, with the SoFi Center attracting global audiences for tech-infused golf events, making Palm Beach State College’s campus a key destination. This week’s debut of the Cognizant Classic will no doubt draw large crowds to the PGA National Resort. With events like this and its growing reputation for sports and entertainment, Palm Beach Gardens is rapidly becoming a hotspot for investors and families alike.
As Palm Beach County’s economic development agency, the Business Development Board (BDB) continues to attract new businesses and support local expansions, aiming to visit an annual 200 corporate citizens to ensure their retention. Recently announced projects in just the past month include HOERBIGER, BAC Fabrication, Celebree School, Bee Access, and Global Engine Maintenance.
As for trends, the BDB has seen a significant increase in international inquiries as global companies continue to look to Palm Beach County as a prime location to establish their operations. The BDB is also embarking on 10 outreach missions in outbound markets, as well as the launch of a UK-based task force.
In the Glades Region, we’re marketing large parcels of prime land, including South Bay Park of Commerce, US Hwy 27 South Bay, and 1000 US Hwy 27—ripe for large development projects and economic growth.
On the education front, Florida Atlantic University (FAU) continues to thrive, recently earning the prestigious R1 classification from the Carnegie Foundation. This recognition places FAU among the nation’s top research institutions, solidifying our region as a hub for education and innovation. Palm Beach Atlantic University is also making strides with a new, state-of-the-art 125,000-square-foot business complex, featuring a stock trading room, slated for 2026 in the heart of Wall Street South. Additionally, our public school system remains A-Rated and is the 10th largest in the nation, with two schools ranked among the top 100 nationwide.
To the north, Zeiss Microscopy has established itself at the FAU Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute, co-located on the Florida Atlantic University campus alongside the Max Planck Florida Institute and the Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute. Together, the students, researchers and faculty all have access to cutting-edge microscopy technology. Hospitals across the county are also expanding, including UHS, Boca Raton Regional, HCA Florida Palms West, Jupiter Medical Center, Tampa General, and the newly announced NYU Langone Center.
Palm Beach County’s growth is unfolding across the entire region, creating a dynamic and diverse community. We’re building a future that benefits everyone—from residents to global businesses.
XXX
Business Development Board Contacts
For data or photos:
Kristen Liberman at [email protected] or 561-850-5529 (OK to text)
Available for interview / comment:
Kelly Smallridge, President and CEO at [email protected] or 561-324-0725 (OK to text)
