UTC seeks incentive for 100 Gardens jobs
$140,000 would be conditional on evidence that jobs were created.
PALM BEACH GARDENS — United Technologies, the global corporation that built a $115 million technology showcase, is asking the city for an additional incentive of $140,000 for creating 100 more local jobs.
Gov. Rick Scott and Bob McDonough, UTC Climate, Controls & Security president, said the company plans to bring 100 more jobs to the city by 2021. They made the announcement during the April 17 ribbon-cutting for the Center for Intelligent Buildings off Donald Ross Road.
The 100 yet-to-be-created jobs will have an average minimum salary of $91,124, according to city records. The company is evaluating key positions across the United States and determining whether it should consolidate them into one location in Palm Beach Gardens, according to city documents.
The Palm Beach Gardens City Council will vote on the request Thursday. The grant request amounts to $1,400 per employee.
The grant is conditional on UTC providing evidence to Palm Beach Gardens that it created the jobs by Dec. 31, 2021.
The latest request is in addition to a $70,000 incentive the council approved for UTC in February.
Palm Beach County chipped in with another $70,000 toward a $560,000 package. The state
will cover the rest through the Qualified Target Industry program.
Gov. Rick Scott awarded a $4.9 million incentive package to UTC subsidiary Carrier Corp. from the Quick Action Closing Fund in 2015 exchange for choosing Florida for the Center for Intelligent Buildings. The company said it would create 380 jobs and retain 70 others at the center.
The city council agreed to give the company $630,000 — or $1,400 per employee — for those jobs, with an average minimum wage of $85,000.
The Center for Intelligent Buildings is the global corporate headquarters for UTC Climate, Controls & Security and includes Otis Americas regional headquarters employees. It has work space for 500 people. The building demonstrates how United Technologies products and systems work together.
The company was considering other sites in Palm Beach County, as well as sites in Georgia and North Carolina, according to Palm Beach Gardens.