New "Project Rex" to bring 1,500 jobs, $200 million in improvement

[thelakelander]

The center's footprint is 855,000 square feet. However, the larger size for the total enclosed space indicates the structure is several stories high.

Reading the quote above, I don't think she ever made a speculation that it would be double the square footage of other centers. Seems like she's describing what's shown in the interior images above. If the others have a similar footprint (which is true) and a similar height (they appear to have a few levels of vertical storage), they probably are of similar overall square footage, depending on the calculation used.

[RattlerGator]

Hmmmm. You may be right, Ennis, although I don't think so . . . but:

Could the potential Amazon.com Inc. fulfillment center on 180 acres in North Jacksonville contain almost 2.4 million square feet of space?

According to a city Mobility Fee Calculation Certificate, yes.

That's not speculation it could be more than double the square footage, Ennis? Really? As opposed to the proposed NorthEast Florida facility, this is how those WestCentral Florida facilities were described:

The Ruskin facility will employ more than 1,000 workers, most of whom will pick, pack and ship small items such as books, electronics and consumer goods. The Lakeland workforce will number in the hundreds, Lindsey said. They will focus on shipping large items such as kayaks and televisions.

http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2014/05/14/amazon-centers-in-ruskin-and-lakeland-reach.html

Is this a next-generation, combination facility? That's what I'm curious about. Was that article Karen Brune Mathis' way of saying yes, Jacksonville, yes it is. After all, this is how the BizJournals described Ruskin:

The project calls for a $200 million capital investment, with 1,000 permanent jobs and as many as 1,000 additional jobs during peak season.

http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/news/2013/10/10/sources-amazon-land-deal-in-ruskin-is.html

But KBM has told us, "The center would hire 1,500 people by year-end 2019, but peak seasonal employment would reach 3,500 workers among two shifts."

Sounds like a next-generation combo to me. Still premature analysis for sure, and she may be leaping to an unwarranted supposition, but I'm going to go ahead and score this one for Jacksonville.

[thelakelander]

^I don't think she's speculating that it will be double the size of everything else they've built. I think you are. The footprint is slightly smaller than the Ruskin center. However, nothing in the article indicates what other centers have applied for, in terms of concurrency, mobility fees, etc. Without that extra level of background research, for all we know, all of the recently opened distribution centers are probably the exact same thing, with slight modifications.

For example, the 2010 quotes you pulled mention that the Ruskin center will employ 1,000. A March 2016 article states that center's employment is up to 2,500 now. It also claims the center is 4 million square feet...

After finishing construction on new sorters, conveyors and other equipment at its Ruskin Fulfillment Center, Amazon ushered in Gov. Rick Scott and other local dignitaries for a tour Wednesday.

The company, which started out with 1,000 employees in 2014 and now employs 2,500 at the Ruskin location, showed off the precise and very detailed robotic and manual system it uses to launch printer paper, electronic tablets, paper towels and upscale purses to all points in Florida and beyond.

Company officials also announced it is building a new training center on site where employees can take college courses on their off time.

Brian Owens, regional director of fulfillment centers for Amazon, talked of the relationship between technology and humans in the 4 million square-foot Ruskin warehouse that move millions of inventory items each year. The system allows every kind of company from Florida mom-and-pop operations to huge retail centers to get products out quickly, he said.

"There are not a lot of places where we can say we added 2,500 jobs in a year and a half," the governor said. "This state is on a roll. It's great that Amazon is not only creating jobs, but giving back to the community" in which its employees live.

Full article: http://www.tbo.com/news/business/amazon-provides-tour-of-ruskin-distribution-center-for-scott-local-officials-20160330/

Btw, if you click on the link, there's a video inside of the Ruskin facility where they explain how things work at that advanced technology complex. Storage appears to be multilevel in that facility as well. At the end of the day, this is a warehouse and one that they're placing in every region where they want same day delivery service. Based on the site plan and numbers tossed around so far, I seriously doubt whatever shows up locally will be significantly different than what they've been putting up recently across the country.

[RattlerGator]

No, it's definitely double what they originally built:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/economicdevelopment/amazon-to-expand-ruskin-facility-creating-hundreds-of-jobs/2228333

Your latest article was after the expansion. Still, my original question is probably a moot point now. Unless . . . they've built in an expectation to expand in Jax, too, depending upon initial demand.

More than likely it will simply mimic the Ruskin facility.

[thelakelander]

Sounds like the building footprint remained the same but the amount of what they could store, increased by vertical storage expansion inside the facility.

Amazon finished construction on the 1.1 million-square-foot fulfillment center in September and hired more than 1,000 workers to run it. The facility, at 3350 Laurel Ridge Ave., near Interstate 75 and State Road 674, has shipped millions of packages since.

But the company left room inside the cavernous $200 million building — it's 10 times the size of the average Home Depot — to one day expand its ability to store and ship even more stuff to customers across Florida and the world.

The Seattle company decided the time for that expansion has come, Lindsey said. Hundreds of temporary construction workers will also be hired and work has already started inside the warehouse.

Amazon is adding more computer systems, conveyor belts, robotic mechanisms and storage facilities. But the company would not say when it expects to finish construction, when it will start adding full-time workers or how many it will hire.

"What we're doing now is adding additional inventory space to increase the amount of items we're able to store in the fulfillment center," Lindsey said. "That means we'll be able to increase our selection in the region, which will allow us to offer the super-fast shipping speed that Amazon customers expect from us."

Yeah, this sounds pretty similar to what's being proposed in Jax.

[Josh]

It's official. It is Amazon.

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2016/07/27/its-official-amazon-bringing-1-500-job-fulfillment.html?ana=twt

[mtraininjax]

"This is the largest single jobs announcement in our city's history — with the multi-national company planning to create 1,500 jobs here," Jax Chamber President Daniel Davis said in a statement. "It is great news for our entire community and another example of what we can accomplish if we are working together with the common goal of growing jobs."

Well, 1500 jobs by 2019.....at least I will be able to get my packages delivered by drone much easier now.

Good news for Jacksonville for sure.

[ProjectMaximus]

It's official. It is Amazon.

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2016/07/27/its-official-amazon-bringing-1-500-job-fulfillment.html?ana=twt

Worst-kept secret in real estate Thanks though, Josh, no need to hold my breath now!

[FlaBoy]

I wonder if they will start offering the new Amazon delivery and grocery options here?

[Steve]

^I'm guessing yes. It usually takes them 9-10 months to put up one of these and then usually another 2-3 month to have it running optimally, depending on automation level (it's not a question of whether or not it's automated, but to what level). My guess is next fall.

[KenFSU]

Citi just announced plans to bring another 800 jobs to Jacksonville.

http://jacksonville.com/jobs/local-jobs-news/2016-07-27/story/citi-hire-800-here

Pretty good day for the city.

[bast553]

Pardon my ignorance, but is there any particular reason why the city is forking out $13.4 million for this? Amazon's sales are expected to be $29.3 billion this QUARTER. The City of Jacksonville is (allegedly) broke. If Amazon has a need for a distribution center in Jacksonville, they will build one, regardless of tax incentive. So, other than corporate welfare and a resume-enhancer for politicians, what is the purpose of giving Amazon money the city does not have?

[Jax-Nole]

"This is the largest single jobs announcement in our city's history — with the multi-national company planning to create 1,500 jobs here," Jax Chamber President Daniel Davis said in a statement. "It is great news for our entire community and another example of what we can accomplish if we are working together with the common goal of growing jobs."

Well, 1500 jobs by 2019.....at least I will be able to get my packages delivered by drone much easier now.

Good news for Jacksonville for sure.

Way too close to the airport for drones unfortunately.

[KenFSU]

Pardon my ignorance, but is there any particular reason why the city is forking out $13.4 million for this? Amazon's sales are expected to be $29.3 billion this QUARTER. The City of Jacksonville is (allegedly) broke. If Amazon has a need for a distribution center in Jacksonville, they will build one, regardless of tax incentive. So, other than corporate welfare and a resume-enhancer for politicians, what is the purpose of giving Amazon money the city does not have?

I wouldn't think of it as the city "forking out" $13.4 million from its struggling coffers. The money will come in the form of tax refunds and through the city's Recaptured Enhanced Value Grant program, which basically (and temporarily) reduces taxes that result from the massive property value spikes caused by Amazon's investment in the area. In all, the $13.4 million in incentives will be parsed out over 12 years. Plus some roadway improvements.

In return, Amazon brings $200 million in capital investment to Jacksonville, 2.4 million sf in bleeding edge warehouse space, and 1,500 new jobs totaling over $50 million in annual salary.

I understand the push-back against incentives, but zero chance this doesn't ROI for the city in very short time.

[pierre]

Citi just announced plans to bring another 800 jobs to Jacksonville.

http://jacksonville.com/jobs/local-jobs-news/2016-07-27/story/citi-hire-800-here

Pretty good day for the city.

Unfortunately, I think most of these are going to be low-paying call center jobs. But better than nothing I guess.