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Plans filed for potential Amazon distribution center at Cortana Mall 

A company with ties to Amazon has filed a request to turn Cortana Mall into a 2.9-million-square foot distribution center.

Seefried Industrial Properties filed a site plan that will be taken up by the East Baton Rouge Parish Planning Commission at its Feb. 22 meeting. The site plan shows the mall being demolished and replaced by a single five-level warehouse and office. There would be 1,251 parking spots at the facility, a hint at the number of people to be employed.

 Plans filed for potential Amazon distribution center at Cortana Mall | Business | theadvocate.com

Planning Commission bumps up date to discuss Cortana rezoning for Amazon developer

A vote to rezone Cortana Mall and turn it into a warehouse and distribution center for a developer that works closely with Amazon will be held during a special East Baton Rouge Parish Planning Commission meeting February 8.

The commission is set to hold its regular monthly meeting February 22. But at the Planning Meeting last week, commissioners unanimously voted to hold a special meeting two weeks earlier.

The only items on the agenda are two rezoning requests. One would change the mall site from heavy commercial and commercial alcoholic beverage zoning to warehousing three zoning; the other would change the land use from regional center to employment center.

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/business/article_ca0a11b4-5f32-11eb-9112-3fd88461f9d3.html

Edited by dan326
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  • 2 weeks later...

- Giant regional fulfillment center at Cortana (2.9 million sq ft)

- A distribution center (110,000 sq ft) in St. George off Siegen

- A sorting facility in Port Allen ( approximately 300,000 square feet)

-A "large item" sorting facility in Carencro (1 million sq ft.)

 

 

It's likely that they will do another facility on the north shore and in Shreveport.

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Cortana rezoning approved, called a 'seminal project' for Baton Rouge                                   Cortana plan page 17.jpg                                          60218c12c5c1f.image.jpg?resize=1200,793                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Cortana rezoning approved, called a 'seminal project' for Baton Rouge | Business | theadvocate.com

Edited by greg225
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Well I'll miss Cortana as a structure and a shopping center but this was definitely the best outcome. We actually got lucky it didn't have to sit vacant for too long like some city's dead malls.

As a shopping center it actually did pretty well though considering it was so far away from the interstate and on the "wrong side" of Florida; with the anchors leaving partially do to their whole respective companies struggling. 

Hopefully this will revitalize the area somewhat or atleast give an incentive for it to be kept up.

Edited by dan326
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Well said Dan :shades:

THANKS for posting this Greg.   I saw the article and wanted to post ...but it wanted me to become a Digital subscriber  now??  Will have to give em a phone call bec i get Weekend paper delivery

21 hours ago, greg225 said:

Cortana rezoning approved, called a 'seminal project' for Baton Rouge                                   Cortana plan page 17.jpg                                          60218c12c5c1f.image.jpg?resize=1200,793                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Cortana rezoning approved, called a 'seminal project' for Baton Rouge | Business | theadvocate.com

 

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Not a fan of Jeff Bezos....but  nice to see Cortana  being  put to a re-use.

 

On 2/9/2021 at 9:58 PM, dan326 said:

Yeah, I switch between chrome and internet explorer, I think one or the other didn't show that message.

 

 

Thanks for the head's up :thumbsup:

6 hours ago, fla_tiger said:

This is welcome news for Baton Rouge. I am curious of any impact of the additional semi traffic on already heavily travelled Airline and Florida .  Are additional lanes proposed, or will this be another "after the fact" (see Loyola airport flyover and the new NO North Terminal)? 

You know this Amazon development is BIG!   When the legendary  Fla_Tiger pays a visit!  You did an excellent job with BR on Skyscraper Page .Com :thumbsup:

Would be nice to see some high-rise cranes go up in Downtown

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9 hours ago, fla_tiger said:

This is welcome news for Baton Rouge. I am curious of any impact of the additional semi traffic on already heavily travelled Airline and Florida .  Are additional lanes proposed, or will this be another "after the fact" (see Loyola airport flyover and the new NO North Terminal)? 

Now your know the answer to that question...

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Potential Amazon center at Cortana Mall advances after Metro Council approves $30 million tax break

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/article_2972b16c-6bbb-11eb-a51c-f3f920afcc67.html

 

An endeavor to transform Cortana Mall into what is likely a new warehouse center for Amazon took another step Wednesday night when the East Baton Rouge Metro Council approved a 10-year tax abatement worth more than $30 million. 

The council unanimously approved a tax break for Seefried Industrial Properties, a company with close ties to the massive online retailer, through a tax incentive program that's been rarely used in the parish. All signs indicate the tax cut will open the door wider for a new Amazon facility. 

Seefried wants to demolish Cortana Mall and replace it with a five-level warehouse and office, which would have 2.9 million square feet of space. The Planning Commission on Monday approved a rezoning request from Seefried as part of the complex process of finishing the project. 

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41 minutes ago, dan326 said:

Potential Amazon center at Cortana Mall advances after Metro Council approves $30 million tax break

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/article_2972b16c-6bbb-11eb-a51c-f3f920afcc67.html

 

An endeavor to transform Cortana Mall into what is likely a new warehouse center for Amazon took another step Wednesday night when the East Baton Rouge Metro Council approved a 10-year tax abatement worth more than $30 million. 

The council unanimously approved a tax break for Seefried Industrial Properties, a company with close ties to the massive online retailer, through a tax incentive program that's been rarely used in the parish. All signs indicate the tax cut will open the door wider for a new Amazon facility. 

Seefried wants to demolish Cortana Mall and replace it with a five-level warehouse and office, which would have 2.9 million square feet of space. The Planning Commission on Monday approved a rezoning request from Seefried as part of the complex process of finishing the project. 

$30 million is about what they'll spend to knock down the old mall.   IMO it's worth it.   It's rare that big employers that don't emit significant air pollution willing to hire so much labor that close to north Baton Rouge.    The city needs this.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Site plan approved for Cortana Mall distribution center by developer with Amazon ties

Cortana plan page 17.jpg

The site plan for a distribution center at Cortana Mall, which is widely expected to be an Amazon fulfillment center, was approved Monday evening by the East Baton Rouge Parish Planning Commission. 

Seefried Industrial Properties, which works closely with Amazon, filed a site plan that shows the mall being demolished and replaced by a single five-level warehouse and office. The warehouse would have 2.9 million square feet of space. There would be 1,251 parking spots at the facility, a hint at the number of people to be employed.

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/business/article_5f0fd724-75ec-11eb-bb5e-2fb303017c6a.html

On 2/11/2021 at 9:27 PM, richyb83 said:

Not a fan of Jeff Bezos....but  nice to see Cortana  being  put to a re-use.

 

Yup, I halfway believe in the conspiracy theories but I figure until any of it can be proven, might as well try to get some benefit out the situation of Amazon being an empire.

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Site plan was changed from the one you posted.   They added 500 additional employee spaces (on the east side of the building) and about 50% more truck docks out back and on the west side of the structure.    With two shifts, they will employee up to 3500 people.  Not 2500.

That makes Amazon Cortana larger than any current operational facility operated by Amazon in the world; although a larger one is under construction in Arkansas.

Edited by cajun
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1 hour ago, cajun said:

Site plan was changed from the one you posted.   They added 500 additional employee spaces (on the east side of the building) and about 50% more truck docks out back and on the west side of the structure.    With two shifts, they will employee up to 3500 people.  Not 2500.

That makes Amazon Cortana larger than any current operational facility operated by Amazon in the world; although a larger one is under construction in Arkansas.

Cool! Where'd you get that info??

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8 hours ago, dan326 said:

Cool! Where'd you get that info??

Business Report

 

https://www.businessreport.com/business/amazon-site-at-cortana-could-create-up-to-3500-jobs-sources-say

 

Quote

 

Revisions to the original plans will be filed with the Planning Commission in the weeks to come and will increase the number of parking spaces to 1,750 from 1,250, which suggests the facility will employ as many as 3,500 workers instead of 2,500.

Employees will work 12-hour shifts so an increase of 500 parking spaces indicates 1,000 more workers will be on site each day.

 

Plan updates will also include an increase in the number of parking spaces for semitrucks, to 335 from 265, indicating the facility will handle more packages than originally planned.

Though the footprint of the 2.9 million-square-foot building will not change, revised plans will show the building will be 10 feet higher to accommodate the latest generation of robots, sources familiar with the plans tell Daily Report.

 

 

Notice the updated parking on the east and the new truck docks along the north and west.

 

l-ml-Xz-VBBBMwob-VCeseaj-Q6-RBG8wx-Fo-EEf-WPF2c-CBja3-DQije-I5wy-DYf-Ux-Ae-B3i-F-q-Sy-B76-A6-WP9up42-Pfy7-R0-P50-UPf-RK0y-XH.jpg

 

8-QNGHUf-DB5-St-Br-Rso-Yrt-Lwi-Uf-MZ-YSJKZe-T1b-B-d-UDRGk-V9-Z0gg-Rek-GEo-Zd3w-KWGE06-GDt9r3-SNx-Dhij-TH2u-Z3-Rpye-Jko8-YB2-P00.jpg

Edited by cajun
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On 2/26/2021 at 9:16 PM, cajun said:

Business Report

 

https://www.businessreport.com/business/amazon-site-at-cortana-could-create-up-to-3500-jobs-sources-say

 

 

Notice the updated parking on the east and the new truck docks along the north and west.

 

 

 

 

Where'd you get those pictures from? I was tryna see em full size( on my phone).

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On 2/27/2021 at 9:48 PM, dan326 said:

Where'd you get those pictures from? I was tryna see em full size( on my phone).

They are from The Advocate, but that's the largest I could find.   Not very good quality. 

 

FYI - another Amazon DC is likely in the works for the Hammond area, although more in line with the size of the Siegen Lane location.  

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8 hours ago, cajun said:

They are from The Advocate, but that's the largest I could find.   Not very good quality. 

 

FYI - another Amazon DC is likely in the works for the Hammond area, although more in line with the size of the Siegen Lane location.  

Ok, thanks.

Hmm, I guess they'll just build one for every metro area.

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Deal to sell Cortana Mall to Amazon developer finalized. How many jobs could it create?

 A complicated deal to sell Cortana Mall to a developer that works closely with Amazon has been completed, setting the stage for a demolition and development of a five-level warehouse that's nearly twice the size of the near-vacant mall.

Wilson LaFoe, a Jackson, Mississippi, developer who owned the former Virginia College space in the mall, said the deal closed Wednesday. LaFoe did not know the sale price for the entire property.

As of Thursday afternoon, documents detailing Seefried Industrial Properties’ purchase of the former shopping center had not been filed with the East Baton Rouge Clerk of Court’s office. The deal, which has been in the works for several years, is one of the biggest transactions in Baton Rouge since 2013, when the former Advocate site downtown was sold to become an IBM software development center and apartment tower.

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/business/article_905b627c-7d16-11eb-ae91-e3522c42832e.html

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2 hours ago, dan326 said:

Deal to sell Cortana Mall to Amazon developer finalized. How many jobs could it create?

 A complicated deal to sell Cortana Mall to a developer that works closely with Amazon has been completed, setting the stage for a demolition and development of a five-level warehouse that's nearly twice the size of the near-vacant mall.

Wilson LaFoe, a Jackson, Mississippi, developer who owned the former Virginia College space in the mall, said the deal closed Wednesday. LaFoe did not know the sale price for the entire property.

As of Thursday afternoon, documents detailing Seefried Industrial Properties’ purchase of the former shopping center had not been filed with the East Baton Rouge Clerk of Court’s office. The deal, which has been in the works for several years, is one of the biggest transactions in Baton Rouge since 2013, when the former Advocate site downtown was sold to become an IBM software development center and apartment tower.

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/business/article_905b627c-7d16-11eb-ae91-e3522c42832e.html

Excellent news.   Just wanted to point out.  Amazon will likely hire at least a couple of thousand people for the Cortana center.   While some of those positions will require special skills or a technical background, most won't.   The facility also won't be emitting air pollution and will also likely employ additional workers during the holiday season.

HUGE win for Baton Rouge.   This could have easily gone to Hammond, Prarieville, or Livingston - but it went to the capitol city instead and will result in a dead mall being wiped off the map.  

Now is the time to get started on  lengthening the runways at BTR to accommodate the heaviest Amazon cargo jet....and widening Airline Highway through the city (especially north of I-12 to the Huey Long bridge).

Edited by cajun
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A look at Amazon's timetable for demolishing Cortana Mall and building its distribution center

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/business/article_fc7a0c2a-82ba-11eb-86bf-4b388a4fede8.html

 

The goal is to have the fulfillment center open by August 2022, said Walter Monsour, a vice president with CSRS, the engineering firm representing Seefried Industrial Properties. Seefried is an Atlanta-based developer that works closely with Amazon.

“They want to have the center ready for their busy season,” he said.

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6 hours ago, dan326 said:

A look at Amazon's timetable for demolishing Cortana Mall and building its distribution center

https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/business/article_fc7a0c2a-82ba-11eb-86bf-4b388a4fede8.html

 

The goal is to have the fulfillment center open by August 2022, said Walter Monsour, a vice president with CSRS, the engineering firm representing Seefried Industrial Properties. Seefried is an Atlanta-based developer that works closely with Amazon.

“They want to have the center ready for their busy season,” he said.

That's aggressive....but Amazon and their construction team has demolished/replaced old malls more than a few times.   Good luck to them!  

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