Amazon in Hampton Roads

[HRVA]

We’ve speculated that Amazon might build a fulfillment center in Western Branch but this article has found indicators that they are moving forward in Suffolk - just down the street from the Chesapeake site. It would be fantastic if these were two different proposals but I don’t think we’re going to be that lucky. 

Could Amazon be eyeing Suffolk? Someone wants to build $200 million fulfillment center.

[vdogg]

3 hours ago, 23320 said:

We’ve speculated that Amazon might build a fulfillment center in Western Branch but this article has found indicators that they are moving forward in Suffolk - just down the street from the Chesapeake site. It would be fantastic if these were two different proposals but I don’t think we’re going to be that lucky. 

Could Amazon be eyeing Suffolk? Someone wants to build $200 million fulfillment center.

Or, in true Amazon fashion, they could be pitting two sites against each other to see what kind of incentives they can get...

[HRVA]

A friend that works at Amazon mentioned that they closed on the Northgate site earlier this month. And that is all they would tell me. 

[urbanvb]

Yes. It's a done deal.

https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/suffolk/amazon-confirms-purchase-of-land-in-suffolk/

[HRVA]

They’ve broken ground at the Amazon site. The previous Pilot article mentioned construction was expected to begin in January with completion in Fall 2021 so they appear to be keeping pace so far. 

[vdogg]

It's amazing that they've broken ground and we don't even know what they're building yet. Suffolk has a strange planning process...

[HRVA]

I’m expecting this to be much larger than the 820k SF that was taken from the plans provided to the Army Corps. Similar projects in the works in Tennessee and Texas are being pitched at 3.6 & 3.8 million SF (4 stories) with similar acreage and capital investment figures to the Suffolk FC. The plans call for a multi story distribution center and the SF provided seems more in line with the building footprint than the overall building size. 

Army Corps Wetlands Application - Site plan is in the links at the bottom of the page. 

[HRVA]

Mayor West teased news about Western Branch to be announced in two weeks during his State of the City Address today. 

"They wanted revitalization of the Chesapeake Square Mall and number two they wanted more daytime employment,” Mayor West said. “I've got to tell you within the next two weeks we are going to be announcing a project that gives them absolutely both of those things."

With Pannatoni closing on the Blue Firebird site earlier this month, as well beginning the site work, I’m sure the tenant will be a central part of the announcement. 

[vdogg]

It appears that “Blue Firebird” is Amazon, and it will be an Import Center. This is in addition to their space in Suffolk. They’re making big inroads into Virginia. They’ll probably wind up owning this state in a few years.  

https://www.pilotonline.com/business/vp-bz-amazon-chesapeake-20200309-dpaj4dycvncxrfcquym63nvm2m-story.html

“The city of Norfolk also got involved, and praised the project as an example of regionalism. The industrial user at The Grove needed a security fence to be installed above Norfolk’s main water line, which crosses the property. An entity calling itself CP Logistics Chesapeake LLC, registered to Panattoni’s business address, reached out to seek an easement. Norfolk’s city council gave unanimous approval on Feb. 26 with no discussion. No one asked who CP Logistics was, nor who the tenant would be.“There’s a good regionalism story here,” Norfolk City Manager Larry “Chip” Filer said in a phone interview before the vote. “It’s not happening in our city but we’re happy for Chesapeake. Here’s our help.””

Take note Va. Beach... This is how it’s done.

[HRVA]

Amazon, fresh off buying land in Suffolk, appears to be keen on property in Chesapeake

This article all but confirms what has been discussed about these two projects. Thalhimer is saying the centers will be 3.2 million SF (Suffolk) and 2.1 million SF (Chesapeake), which would seem to be approximately 4 floors each based on the sizes stated in site plans. Based on West’s comments at the state of the city, the official announcement should be coming this week or next. 

[HRVA]

Governor Northam to make important economic development announcement for Hampton Roads with Amazon

Announcement is tomorrow morning. 

[vdogg]

I’m ecstatic that Amazon is expanding to be such a major presence in HR, and I’m ok with it being industrial space. That said, I’m hoping that this one day leads to high paying tech jobs, and perhaps an office tower in DT Norfolk, Town Center, or Summit Pointe.

[BFG]

The governor getting involved has to be more than just another distribution center, I'm hoping. If we could get a fraction of what NOVA is getting, I'd be happy.

[HRVA]

1 hour ago, BFG said:

The governor getting involved has to be more than just another distribution center, I'm hoping. If we could get a fraction of what NOVA is getting, I'd be happy.

Ehh, the governor shows up for far less  than this. My expectations are $300+ million in capital investment and well over 1,000 jobs. 

[vdogg]

14 minutes ago, 23320 said:

Ehh, the governor shows up for far less  than this. My expectations are $300+ million in capital investment and well over 1,000 jobs. 

2,000 is the number I’ve heard. We’re damn near full employment in HR, might be hard to find enough workers in the area between this and Suffolk (about 1500 I believe). They’ll have to entice people with pay, and a decent portion may have to come from out of the area.

[BFG]

25 minutes ago, 23320 said:

Ehh, the governor shows up for far less  than this. My expectations are $300+ million in capital investment and well over 1,000 jobs. 

I sit corrected. That’s still one hell of an announcement for the area. 

[vdogg]

Announcement I live on Wavy’s Facebook page. Having trouble sharing the link. ODU is speaking now. Will try and update.

Finally found the share button. 

 

[HRVA]

Amazon announces strategy, jobs

This is for the Suffolk fulfillment center.

“The new facility checks in at an immodest 822,833-square-feet, and at 95 feet and four-and-a-half stories high, it would have an overall square footage of more than 3.8 million.”

“A July Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance report stated that the alliance, city officials, the Port of Virginia and the Hampton Roads Workforce Council met with company representatives who were looking into a site in Suffolk for a fulfillment center that would employ about 1,000 workers.”

[vdogg]

2 new Amazon operations facilities. 1500 jobs.

Additional 650,000 processing center, 500 new jobs.

This is big! Amazon is building a multi- floor Robotics Fullfillment Center here. 1,000 new jobs. (High tech jobs).

3,000 new jobs total. Chesapeake and Suffolk are about to see quite a boom.

[vdogg]

Going to create a new thread since this affects  multiple communities across the region.

[vdogg]

Talking about regionalism now. Chesapeake and Suffolk worked together to make this happen. Seems our area leaders finally got the hint and it’s already been paying massive dividends.

All of these speakers so far, from the governor to both mayors and Amazon have referred to this area as “the 757”. “Hampton Roads” hasn’t been mentioned once.

[HRVA]

Governor Northam Announces Amazon to Build Two State-of-the-Art Operations Facilities in Hampton Roads, Hiring 1,500 New Employees

Governor’s press release. Total of 1,500 jobs - 1,000 in Suffolk & 500 in Chesapeake.   Should be interesting to see what the indirect impact will be  as there is plenty of space in Northgate if a company wants to be close to Amazon. 

[Virginia City]

I wonder if this will help push the second runway at ORF or it could push the area to essentially move ORF to the HR Executive Airport and expand it to a new international airport. They have the room.

[BFG]

I imagine, if nothing else, this brings more direct flights at ORF. Wonder if Amazon would make that mandatory?

[vdogg]

Looks like it will be 1500 total jobs not 3000, but still good. The building in Suffolk will be the largest industrial building in the state. Even bigger than the Pentagon.
 

https://www.pilotonline.com/business/vp-bz-amazon-announcement-20200310-krpigrw5gfgund4qfyk2wnmkvu-story.html 
“The Virginian-Pilot and The Suffolk-News Herald reported the sale of 87 acres in Suffolk to Amazon last year, but the company remained quiet. Even at Tuesday’s event, there was no physical or spoken mention of the size of its multi-story building in Suffolk, just that it would be “the largest industrial building in Virginia,” and stand 90 feet tall, according to Suffolk Mayor Linda T. Johnson. She later confirmed that the building will cost Amazon $200 million to build and span 3.8 million-square-feet. “For Suffolk, that’s huge,” she said...
The Pentagon, by comparison, has 3.7 million square feet of office space.”

“Rachael Lighty, a spokeswoman for Amazon operations, said the company is always looking at ways to get closer to customers and in Hampton Roads, “the regional collaboration was key in being able to launch two new sites within a few miles of each other.””