Amazon Likely Building Second Distribution Center in Baton Rouge Area
It appears that Amazon is going to build a second distribution center in the Baton Rouge area. The online retail giant recently signed a lease with a developer to buy a 63.3-acre site off La. Highway 415 in Port Allen.
The plot of land was officially purchased this past Friday for $8.15 million.
Seefried Port Allen 2020 LLC filed documents with the West Baton Rouge Clerk of Court's office outlining the lease agreement it had with Amazon.
The Atlanta-based firm works closely with Amazon. They purchased the 34.3-acre site in Baton Rouge earlier this year that is now home to Amazon's South Baton Rouge Distribution Center -- a 111,918 square foot facility that recently opened.
While Amazon looks to hire hundreds for its South Baton Rouge center, it is unclear how many jobs this new center will support. The Port Allen site is said to be similar to the Baton Rouge location, but larger.
Amazon has not publicly commented yet on this potential new distribution center.
West Baton Rouge Parish President Riley "Pee Wee" Berthelot says that Amazon will make a public announcement regarding the facility within a week or two.
Amazon typically builds two types of buildings in markets where it is looking to offer faster shipping customers -- a fulfillment center or distribution center (also known as a delivery station).
Fulfillment centers feed to regional sort centers and then to delivery stations. They're typically one million square foot warehouses with hundreds of employees. There are more than 175 fulfillment centers across the world.
Delivery stations are smaller in size and in some markets, there is more than one. This enables Amazon to deliver products to customers faster than two-day shipping.
Amazon already has a distribution center in the New Orleans area in Elmwood where warehouse workers sort packages before delivery.
And here in Acadiana, Amazon reportedly has a deal to buy property at the old Evangeline Downs site in Carencro to open up a fulfillment center.
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