It’s official. The maker of Florida’s Natural orange juice is closing its Fullerton plant after putting workers there on notice last month about the prospect of a shutdown.
The question now is what happens to the juice plant, in Fullerton’s bustling downtown.
The city wants to build a parking structure there to serve downtown and the neighboring train station.
Lake Wales, Fla.-based Citrus World Inc., the plant’s operator, would like to sell the site for redevelopment as homes and businesses, which would bring top dollar for the land.
The city is open to redevelopment, according to Rob Zur Schmiede, executive director of the Fullerton redevelopment agency.
“It is an extremely well located parcel in relationship to the rest of our downtown and the train station,” Zur Schmiede said. “There are a number of opportunities that are going to be pursued.”
For now, the city and Citrus World, a growers’ cooperative, are in talks about the site.
For more on this story, see the Nov. 21 edition of the Business Journal.
