Westside scores another: ProLogis to develop first projects in city

[thelakelander]

JACKSONVILLE -- Industrial development giant ProLogis plans to develop up to 2.5 million square feet of speculative and build-to-suit distribution space in the Jacksonville area.

ProLogis Park Westlake and ProLogis Park 295, both in the site-work phase, are the Denver-based company's first development projects in Northeast Florida.

They are a result, in part at least, of customer inquiries, said Richard Strader, senior vice president and Southeast regional director for ProLogis. "We really for the first time have been approached by several of our global customers about whether or not we're in Jacksonville and whether or not we're going to build in Jacksonville."

Those inquiries coincided with the Jacksonville Port Authority's expansion in recent years and plans for two Asian cargo shipping companies to build their East Coast container terminals in Jacksonville. "We thought the timing was just right," Strader said.

ProLogis Park Westlake will be a 1.5 million-square-foot master-planned industrial park on 97 acres in the Westlake Industrial Park on Pritchard Road. ProLogis bought the property in 2007 from Colorado-based Tremaine Investments LLC for $7.8 million.

Construction is expected to begin soon on the first of four buildings, a 486,400-square-foot speculative cross-dock distribution center that could be expanded to 559,000 square feet. ProLogis Park Westlake will be marketed to retailers, service and supply companies, manufacturers, logistics providers and other companies with large-scale distribution needs.

ProLogis is the seventh user in Westlake Industrial Park, a 3,289-acre mixed-use project master-developed by Norfolk Southern Corp. (NYSE: NSC). The industrial portion is now about half full, said Gary Henderson, manager of site development for Norfolk Southern.

full article: http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2008/05/05/story1.html?b=1209960000^1628442

[Jason]

Good news.  This port deal is really bringing in the money and the jobs.

Way to go Mr Mayor!

[Driven1]

Good news.  This port deal is really bringing in the money and the jobs.

Way to go Mr Mayor!

trust me...i think the mayor should be applauded if he was responsible for this, but where do you read that?

[Driven1]

on another note...lol - i thought prologis was building "PROJECTS" at first according to your headline.    like - in tha hood projects.

[Jason]

I would say he had a hand in the port negotiations.