A potential 1.5 million-square-foot distribution center at AllianceFlorida at Cecil Commerce Center became smaller.
Hillwood, the master developer of the Westside business park, said Monday the prospect has reduced its needs to 1.1 million square feet.
As of June 30, the prospect was evaluating its requirements before issuing a revised request for proposals, Hillwood told the city Monday in its required quarterly report.
Dallas-based Hillwood was hired by the city to develop the park. The second-quarter report covered April 1-June 30.
In its first-quarter report, Hillwood said at the end of March the prospect was considering its options and “had not yet decided to pursue the facility.”
The prospect has been in play for months and might be looking at other locations in the area. At least five developers have filed plans for a prospective 1 million-square-foot or larger distribution center in Jacksonville but have not disclosed the tenant’s identity.
Hillwood previously filed plans for a 1.5 million-square-foot center at POW-MIA Memorial Parkway, 103rd Street, Aviation Avenue and Cecil Pines Street. Senior Vice President Dan Tatsch has said the building remains a “concept only” and there are no immediate plans to build it.
The company filed plans with the city a year ago seeking civil plan review to clear a site for the structure.
In addition to the large project, Hillwood said that during the second quarter it:
• Sponsored and participated in the NAIOP Northeast Florida industrial bus tour. Tour materials included a conceptual plan for a 450,000-square-foot building next to the Wayfair facility under construction at AllianceFlorida. As of June 30, Hillwood had no plans to develop the structure on a speculative basis.
• Received and responded to a preliminary inquiry from a broker representing a prospect interested in developing a 388-acre mixed-use development in the Cecil area. Hillwood determined the requirement was not consistent with the industrial uses planned for the large parcels at the park.
• Received and responded to a preliminary inquiry from a company interested in securing 10 to 15 acres for open-air storage of lumber products.
• Received and responded to a preliminary inquiry from a broker representing a prospect interested in owning or leasing a distribution facility of 500,000 to 600,000 square feet of space.
• Received and responded to a preliminary inquiry from a prospect interested in leasing about 35,000 square feet of distribution space with the capability of expanding to 70,000 square feet.
• Learned that a retail developer that previously submitted a letter of intent to buy 2½ acres on Parcel R at Normandy Boulevard and POW-MIA Memorial Parkway was no longer considering a Cecil location.
• Received and responded to an inquiry from a developer-investor interested in buying about 30 acres for a multifamily project. Hillwood provided information about Parcel R but advised the prospect that zoning does not allow for that use.
Hillwood told the city that work continues on the Wayfair distribution center. It previously executed a long-term lease with Wayfair Inc. for a 1,012,567-square-foot fulfillment center along 103rd Street next to the Amazon.com fulfillment center.
By the end of June, 40% of the steel for the Wayfair center had been erected and inspected and 50% of the underground stormwater piping was installed. Installation of the domestic water pipe began in mid-June and continues in the current third quarter.
Terry Quarterman, first vice president with CBRE’s Industrial Specialty Group, and CBRE associate Ben Stewart are marketing AllianceFlorida with Hillwood.