The company got preliminary approval from the Titusville planning and zoning commission Sept. 17 for permits to build a light manufacturing warehouse complex on a 67.33-acre site at 7980 Grissom Parkway.

The property currently is zoned for light industrial services and warehousing, with a future land-use designation of “commercial high intensity.” Blue Origin is seeking a conditional-use permit to proceed with construction, according to documents.

Blue Origin executives couldn’t be reached for comment.

The proposal now heads to the Titusville City Council for final consideration.

Facility plans Include renovations, new construction
The site already features a 180,000-square-foot building with 5,400 square feet of office space, originally constructed in 2014 and previously used by Eckler’s for warehouse, distribution and trucking operations.

The space previously was listed for lease on Loopnet.com at a base rate of $7 per square foot, with additional triple net (NNN) costs covering property taxes, insurance and common area maintenance.

Blue Origin plans to renovate the interior and add parking as Phase I of the project, according to Brevard County documents.

Phase II will introduce a two-story, 50,000-square-foot building on the east side of the property adjacent Grissom Parkway. Phase III will add a 142,000-square-foot structure, further expanding the company’s operational footprint.

The location is positioned strategically near the Space Coast Regional Airport, with surrounding properties to the north, south and east currently vacant. A 650-foot-wide conservation buffer separates the site from the nearby Naples Village at Verona I residential community.

Blue Origin facility to bring jobs, economic impact
Blue Origin expects to employ 100 workers at the Titusville facility, operating in two shifts from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. The company, which has more than 10,000 employees nationwide across eight locations — including Cape Canaveral — continues to grow following the successful Jan. 16 orbital launch of its New Glenn rocket.

“Projects like Blue Origin’s expansion don’t just create high-skill jobs — they fuel small business growth, raise household incomes and strengthen the tax base,” Brittney Maisonet, executive assistant at Accelerate Brevard: Chamber of Innovation which was not involved with this expansion, told Orlando Business Journal via an email response. “We’re seeing clear indicators that space is driving a cycle of prosperity across north Brevard.”

A 2023 Space Florida report highlighted the aerospace sector’s growing influence, noting the state aerospace finance and development authority’s $5.9 billion total economic impact. Over the next five years, Space Florida’s impact is projected to exceed $5.3 billion, with an average annual contribution of $1.1 billion.

Space Coast Innovation Park and regional growth
The Space Coast Innovation Park — less than a mile from the new Blue Origin site — broke ground earlier this year.

The development includes five Class A industrial buildings totaling more than 1.1 million square feet across 100 acres west of the airport. It’s expected to generate 900 jobs and deliver a $24.6 million economic impact.

Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis awarded $5.8 million to the Titusville-Cocoa Airport Authority for infrastructure improvements at the Space Coast Regional Airport via the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund. These upgrades will provide direct access between the Space Coast Innovation Park and the airport, further enhancing the region’s appeal to aerospace and defense companies.

“Brevard is the only county in the nation with every branch of the military represented alongside a booming space industry,” Maisonet said. “That makes us a powerhouse for innovation, defense and economic growth.”