BLAIR TOWNSHIP: $15 million 'last-mile' distribution center OK'd

Bill O'Brien, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·3 min read

Dec. 13—GRAWN — Plans for a $15 million "last-mile" distribution warehouse near Chum's Corner were approved by the Blair Township Board Tuesday night — but it could still be several weeks before the owner of the new facility is formally revealed.

Township officials unanimously approved a special-use permit and site plan for a distribution center known as "Project Northstar" that's widely believed to be a new regional distribution facility for the e-commerce giant Amazon.

The plans call for a 65,000-square-foot building located on a now-vacant 31-acre parcel at 4471 US-31 South in Grawn, west of Menard's and across from an industrial park on Commerce Drive. It will include seven loading docks and a 64-by-191-foot canopy to store delivery vehicles, and is expected to generate up to 100 full- and part-time jobs. The parcel is located in the township's Commercial Manufacturing zoning district.

The plans were presented by Greg Koziol, senior development manager for the Ambrose Property Group based in Indianapolis. The firm specializes in e-commerce facilities and has completed several projects for Amazon, including distribution centers in Wisconsin and Kansas City.

Koziol said he expects ownership of the distribution center will be confirmed after the property transaction is closed and permits for the project are secured. The site was listed for just over $2.6 million by local Realtor James Schmuckal.

"Once we close on the property, the tenant will likely be known then," Koziel said after the hearing.

Koziol outlined the project's development plans for township officials during a 20-minute public hearing attended by more than a dozen local residents. The distribution center will be a single-story building varying between 32 and 25 feet in height, and include nearly 300 parking spaces. No on-site fueling of vehicles is planned.

Because of existing railroad and gas line easements on the property, only about half of the 31-acre site will be developed. Koziol said the facility is expected to meet the company's needs for at least the next decade, and that any future expansion would be at another location.

"There's no plans to expand right now in Blair Township or the City of Traverse City, but I'm not going to rule it out," he said.

Kimley-Horn of Michigan, an engineering and design firm based in Southfield, is the project engineer and the general contractor is Walsh Construction based in Chicago. The start of construction will depend on permitting for the project, Koziol said, although completion of the facility is projected for the fourth quarter of 2024.

The project calls for two egress sites to the property, one for light haul traffic and the other for automobile and delivery van use. Developers are seeking approval from the Michigan Department of Transportation for two right-turn lanes off US-31 to access both drives, along with a permit to construct a water main to the property under the state highway.

The only public comment at the hearing was from Dave Enger, owner of Grand Traverse Rubber located across the development site, who questioned potential delays in getting delivery vehicles in and out of the site because of the high traffic counts on US-31. Koziol responded that delivery schedules are designed around the late mornings and early afternoon to avoid peak traffic times.

"We try to operate during off-hours," Koziol said.

The township Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of a special land-use permit and site plan for the project following a Nov. 15 public hearing.