Florida’s first Army Reserve equipment concentration site has officially broken ground in Gainesville

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new Army Reserve Concentration site, located at the site of the old Alachua County Fairgrounds.

It’s been in the works for nearly a decade and it was only two years ago when the county commission finally approved the site.

County commissioners said they recognized the need for the Army Reserve and they had the land available.

It’ll be the first equipment concentration site in Florida and will be home to almost 2,500 vehicles.

In addition to providing hundreds of jobs in construction, once it’s built, there will be over 100 high-paying jobs.

“We as a community have been trying to find an employer, so to have the United States government and the U.S. Army to be that employer to help us really build out this area of the county that has needed economic development for so long...It’s just really an exciting day,” said Ken Cornell, Alachua County commissioner.

Currently, the closest site is in Georgia and soon, having an equipment site in state, will provide more efficient disaster response.

Contractors estimate the nearly 46,000 square foot site will be finished by 2024.

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