Site work is evident, timberland is being cleared on the perimeter and an entrance road is fronted by signs of impending construction at the expected Amazon.com site in North Jacksonville.
Also, road-side signs flash that Pecan Park Road will be closed starting Thursday. The signs are near the fulfillment center development site at 12900 Pecan Park Road.
It seems construction of the almost 2.4-million-square-foot multilevel fulfillment center cannot be far behind.
The site is north of Interstate 295 at Duval and Pecan Park roads, near Jacksonville International Airport.
Road improvements are among the city and state incentives to recruit the code-named fulfillment center to Jacksonville.
The company is described in a city project summary as one with more than 20 years of experience in the retail and e-commerce markets and with more than 200,000 employees worldwide. That description fits Amazon.com.
Among the $18.4 million in taxpayer incentives, City Council approved an Economic Development Transportation Fund Grant in April capped at $2.5 million to supplement the state’s $3 million grant.
In review as Project Rex and Project Duval, the anticipated Amazon.com center hasn’t been announced, although incentives are in place and project details are widely known.
It’s a $200 million, at least 1,500-job fulfillment center for an e-commerce company. Seasonal jobs will boost employment to at least 3,500 among two shifts.
Construction should start this summer on the 2.4 million-square-foot center on 155 acres. The base footprint is 855,000 square feet. The structure has a ground floor and three mezzanine levels.
The city is reviewing a building permit for the $87 million construction job. Tetra Tech Inc. is the consultant and engineer.
In April, the city approved a permit for horizontal development on the site at a project cost of $1 million for property owner Broward Signature LLP.
The horizontal work includes pine harvesting, a pond, site clearing, tree removal and other work to prepare for development.
The project contact is an executive with developer Seefried Industrial Properties, which has a contract to buy the land from Broward Signature for $15 million. Seefried has developed Amazon.com distribution and fulfillment centers.
Property owner Stephen Leggett declined comment Tuesday. Seattle-based Amazon.com has not responded to requests for information.
CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield broker deal
CBRE Industrial and Logistics announced Tuesday it arranged the sale of a 120,482-square-foot facility in Northwest Jacksonville to Hans-Mill Corp. CBRE First Vice President Bobby Gatling represented the company.
Hans-Mill paid $3 million for the property. It bought it from Covington Group, doing business as 5406 West First Street LLC.
Cushman & Wakefield director Tyler Newman and associate director Jacob Horsley represented the seller.
CBRE said the property, at 5406 W. First St., includes 7,151 square feet of office space, 11 dock doors, one drive-in door, 20-foot ceiling heights, a large truck court and fenced parking.
Gatling said vacancy rates for Jacksonville industrial properties continue to shrink.
“In light of the constrained inventory, this deal is an especially great win for Jacksonville,” Gatling said, explaining Hans-Mill’s manufacturing plant will create jobs.
The company awaits city incentives to redevelop the vacant former envelope plant to make metal trash cans.
City Council is considering a $200,000 grant for the company to create 23 jobs and invest almost $11.8 million for the real estate, machinery and IT equipment.
Gatling said the deal also “further solidifies Jacksonville as a viable option for manufacturing operations looking to relocate or expand into the Southeast U.S. due to favorable local and state incentives, skilled labor and cost of living.”
Daily’s in review for San Jose and Sunbeam
First Coast Energy LLP and C. & R. General Contractors Inc. applied for a permit to build a Daily’s convenience store, gas pumps and car wash at 9551 San Jose Blvd.
The $1.5 million construction project includes a 5,700-square-foot store and 1,300-square-foot car wash on 5 acres at 9551 San Jose Blvd.
First Coast Energy is building the project at San Jose Boulevard and Sunbeam Road, where it owns the Bailey’s Health & Fitness center building and stores for several tenants.
The existing structures will remain and First Coast Energy intends to build the Daily’s on open property fronting San Jose Boulevard.
The Daily’s will include its Dash fast-casual, café food-service concept.
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