Clues point to Amazon building a distribution center in Virginia Beach
Someone wants to build a five-story, 650,000-square-foot distribution center in Virginia Beach — and while officials haven’t named the end user yet, several clues point to online retail giant Amazon as the potential company.
The Virginia Beach Planning Commission approved the new use of a 160-acre property at the intersection of Dam Neck and Harpers roads at its May 11 meeting. The proposed building, which would be used for storage, packaging and distribution, would include 55 loading docks, 420 tractor trailer parking spaces and 1,750 regular parking spaces, according to planning commission documents.
The documents say the project would also support more than 1,000 employees.
At the meeting, commission members and other officials avoided naming the company behind the project. However, Virginia Beach attorney Eddie Bourdon, speaking for client and contractor Panattoni Development Company, called the proposed building a “state-of-the-art e-commerce robotics fulfillment center” which would support good and excellent paying jobs.
Several contractors associated with the project have previous experience with Amazon facilities. Panattoni was involved with a 650,000-square-foot fulfilment center in the Western Branch neighborhood of Chesapeake, along with Amazon projects in Richmond and Nevada. The project’s design consultant firm, Kimley-Horn, has worked on Amazon facilities in Florida and Wisconsin.
Even some of the renderings of the proposed facility contain the horizontal blue stripe present on other Amazon fulfilment centers.
In an email, Amazon spokesperson Emily Hawkins declined to say whether Amazon was behind the development.
“Amazon is a dynamic business, and we are constantly exploring new locations,” Hawkins said. “We weigh a variety of factors when deciding where to develop future sites to best serve customers, however, we have a policy of not commenting on speculation or our future roadmap.”
As part of the project, the developer is in talks with Virginia Beach officials to construct a road between Dam Neck and London Bridge roads, according to planning documents.
During the meeting, Virginia Beach Economic Development Director Taylor Adams said some public investment would be required to secure the prospect, referencing the road.
“But for the public investment, this may not happen,” Adams said.
Amazon has been busy in Hampton Roads during the past several years. Along with the Western Branch location, the company is constructing an 3.8 million-square-foot distribution center — larger than the Pentagon — in Suffolk. The company has also opened smaller delivery stations in Norfolk and Hampton and a career center in Chesapeake.
The Virginia Beach City Council will hear the proposal on June 7.
Trevor Metcalfe, 757-222-5345, trevor.metcalfe@pilotonline.com
