Dec. 14—A planned development on Veterans Drive Southeast aims to ease what economic leaders say is a shortage of large buildings for light industry and warehouses in Decatur.

Rodan Development Co. announced last week its plans for Summit Commercial Park, with over 450,000 square feet of commercial industrial space on 31 acres off Veterans and Summit drives Southeast.

"There is a shortage of light industrial space in Decatur," said Dan Stephenson, a managing member of Rodan Development. "We hope to bring a quality product to market that will attract businesses from all over. We are getting quite a bit of interest so far. In fact, I was just on the phone with the CEO of a Birmingham-based company interested in opening a new facility at our site."

Dan Stephenson is a partner in the new development company with his father, Roger Stephenson.

Rodan purchased the property in 2020 from Summit Treestands. The purchase included a 54,000-square-foot warehouse/manufacturing building and a 46,000-square-foot warehouse/manufacturing building, Dan Stephenson said.

Dan Stephenson also has a women's fashion wholesale business called Judson & Co. that occupies the 46,000-square-foot building while another tenant is in the larger building.

Stephenson said Rodan plans to build four 10,000- to 15,000-square-foot office/warehouse buildings and two 15,000-square-foot commercial flex buildings at Summit Commercial Park that will be leased out in units as small as 2,500 square feet. There are also build-to-suit opportunities.

"These buildings will be similar to those that are on Southfield Drive," Stephenson said. "They will be upscale office warehouses with a yard."

Southfield Drive Southeast, located on U.S. 31 south of Beltline Road, near Minor Tire, includes about a dozen small companies like Contractor Services, Bravo Trailers and Certified Automatic Fire Sprinklers.

Summit Commercial Park will be built out in phases with construction planned to begin next year.

Jeremy Nails, president and chief executive officer of Morgan County Economic Development Authority, said he discussed with Stephenson the need for large, open warehouse/manufacturing buildings in the city.

Nails said there's a shortage of such buildings.

"A lot of companies are having problems finding warehouses," Nails said. "This project will be a real benefit to our recruiting efforts in bringing new companies to our area."

The large buildings like Rodan is planning could be used for manufacturing, warehouses and distribution, Nails said.

City Planner Lee Terry said the city has not been contacted yet about Rodan's plans. The company is required to get city approval of its engineering and design and construction plans as well as purchase building permits.

Terry said the property is zoned M-2, general industry, which would allow for Rodan's planned development.

Mayor Tab Bowling said Rodan's development is in an area of the city that needs commercial development.

"I'm hoping we will see more commercial opportunities than only warehouses in the development," Bowling said.

— bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432. Twitter @DD_BayneHughes.