Technology firm separates from elevator company

United Technologies Corp. will separate its Otis elevator company from its Building & Industrial Systems.

That same UTC unit recently bought 30 acres in Palm Beach Gardens to create the UTC Center for Intelligent Building. But Palm Beach County economic development leader Kelly Smallridge said she has received no word from UTC of any planned changes for Palm Beach Gardens.

Smallridge said the organizational shakeup might even mean additional jobcreation opportunities for the county.

“We were told yesterday it would be business as usual,” Smallridge said.

UTC couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Smallridge said she plans next week to meet with Robert McDonough, chief operating officer, Americas, UTC Building & Industrial Systems, about moving the project through the planning process in Palm Beach Gardens.

The 30 acres purchased, directly across from Scripps Florida in Jupiter, “is more than enough room for a 250,000 square-foot building. The property certainly has the capacity to handle more,” she said.

UTC’s Building & Industrial Systems is a $29 billion operating segment of UTC that provides building technologies, including fire safety, automation, heating ventilation, air conditioning, elevator, escalator and refrigeration systems. The unit plans to build the UTC Center for Intelligent Building, a showcase of United Technologes’ building and system technologies.

Economic officials said the project could create 500 jobs in Palm Beach Gardens and have an estimated impact of $662 million. Palm Beach County Commissioners in March approved a $10.56 million incentive package for UTC, based on the building investment and promised job creation.

UTC’s chief executive, Greg Hayes, said in a written statement that the new organizational structure better positions the Otis elevator business to capitalize on developing world opportunities.

The news release didn’t say where Otis will be headquartered, but a report in The Hartford Courant noted that many Otis managers and executives have moved to Florida.

The Palm Beach Gardens site already is being developed by The Kolter Group, which plans the Alton community of up to 1,300 homes and townhomes. In December 2013, Kolter paid $127.5 million for more than 600 acres known as the Briger property. Kolter has since sold off parcels to other entities, which will build offices, shops, apartments and a hotel around Alton.