Unemployment remained high in Volusia County in March at 5.1%, up from February’s 4.8% rate, but down from 5.9% in March 2020.
The good news, according to state labor agency estimates, is the labor force rose to 255,225 in March from 252,979 in February, indicating more people are looking for work. The number of unemployed workers was at 12,993, up from about 850 in February.
Volusia has made a little bit of progress from the state of the pandemic in March last year with the labor force was at 262,320 and there were 15,350 workers unemployed.
More good news was in the non-agricultural jobs report, which is based on a survey of employers in the Volusia-Flagler area. Construction jobs were up 700 from last year and manufacturing jobs were up 100 in the two-county area. Among service sector jobs, food and beverage stores and general merchandise jobs were up 500 jobs, business and professional services jobs were up 200, and warehousing jobs (think Amazon) were up 100.
Unfortunately education and health services jobs were down 1,500 and leisure and hospitality jobs were down 2,700 jobs in the two-county area.
We should continue to see improvement in employment over the next two or three months and should see a sharp rise over the summer. With the number of people getting vaccinated for Covid-19 rapidly escalating, economic improvement should be on the way.
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Not much in the way of commercial real estate news lately. D.R. Horton bought a large section of the Parc Hill residential development in Orange City for $3 million. Salty Rentals of New Smyrna Beach acquired the former convenience store property at 2153 State Road 44 in NSB for $573,300.
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Townhouse development remains popular with a 120-unit project proposed on 7.7 acres of vacant land at 1040 and 1130 Herbert St., which is the south side of Herbert between Nova Campground and the Circle K gas station in Port Orange.
Cape Morris Cove Townhouses with 20 units is going in along Old Kings Road, south of Big Tree Road, in Daytona Beach. The townhouses were already part of the Cape Morris Cove plan where an affordable apartments project already was built so all the builder had to do was get construction permits from the city.
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Deltona also continues to see quite a bit of development Integra Land Co. has proposed building Integra Myst next to Epic Theatre off North Normandy Blvd. in Deltona with 310 apartment units, clubhouse and pool. Dollar Tree proposed at 2994 Howland Blvd. in Deltona (next to a Dollar General).
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On a final note, some miscellaneous items include restaurant supply outlet Restaurant Depot Express is going into Suite 910 at 2455 W. International Speedway Blvd. in Daytona Beach (Home Depot-anchored Volusia Square Shopping Center). A 5 Below store going is going into Bellair Plaza on North Atlantic Avenue in Daytona Beach.
Managing Editor Cecil G. Brumley has been tracking business and the economy in Volusia County for more than 24 years. Contact him at cbrumley@hometownnewsmediagroup.com (no hyphens) or follow him on Twitter @cecilbrumley.
Originally Appeared On: https://www.hometownnewsvolusia.com/business/volusia-business-news-improving-volusia-economy-is-on-the-way/article_194b1bb6-a113-11eb-bcf0-138a0fb111ca.html