Work has begun on the site where Amazon’s robotics fulfillment center will rise. (Jonathan Spiers photos)
The checkered flag appears on Project Speedway, with online retailer Amazon first across the finish line.
The governor’s office announced Wednesday that Amazon will locate a robotics execution center in the 2.6 million-square-foot industrial complex planned by Hillwood Enterprises in Texas on land north of Richmond Raceway.
The center is expected to create 1,000 jobs, despite the robotics technology involved in the facility. It is expected to launch in 2022 and will be the first of its kind in Central Virginia. A similar facility in Suffolk was announced last year and will open later this year.
Wednesday’s announcement confirms Amazon’s involvement in the development, codenamed Project Speedway. The five-story building, based on a 650,000-square-foot footprint, is one of several nationwide that Hillwood has developed with the online retailer reported as a tenant.
The building will be used on a 120-acre portion of the 247-acre site, which extends across Richmond Henrico Turnpike, and will be used for overflow parking for the racetrack. Last week, the racetrack sold the 120-acre lot, at Richmond Henrico Turnpike, 5901, to Hillwood for $ 7.7 million.
The 247-acre Richmond Henrico Turnpike just north of the racetrack.
The rest of the country, at 5900 Richmond Henrico Turnpike, was under ownership of the track on Wednesday, according to Henrico property records. The province recently estimated the property at $ 1.5 million. The 5901 property, where work is already underway on the project, is estimated at $ 2.9 million.
The announcement did not specify how much Amazon intends to invest in the facility. A spokesman said the company did not disclose the figure.
“I can tell you that we are excited about the wonderful jobs we have created in the state, which offer competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits from day one,” said spokeswoman Courtney Norman. “We are proud to call Virginia home and will continue to invest in the state and in the communities in which our employees live and work.”
Norman said the plant’s robotic technology is designed to help employees who work with the machines sort, pack and ship smaller items such as books, electronics and household items. She said the robots were not meant to eventually replace the employees.
“It really affects the way our employees do their daily work,” Norman said. “It makes it easier for them because they work with the technical help and cooperation to expand the human reach, and it also frees up their time for more skilled tasks.”
The version of the 2.6 million-square-foot five-story building planned for Amazon’s facility. (Thanks to Hillwood Development Facebook)
The project was accomplished through coordination with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Henrico Economic Development Authority, the Port of Virginia, and the Greater Richmond Partnership.
Anthony Romanello, executive director of the Henrico EDA, said the process began last year when the raceway and Hillwood approached the country about rezoning the land for industrial development, leading to a rezoning application filed last fall.
Hillwood has done a number of projects with Amazon and NASCAR. It’s the marriage, if you will, to bring these three groups together, ‘Romanello said, adding that Amazon was brought into the picture once the rezoning was approved.
Hillwood, based in Dallas, is led by Ross Perot Jr., the son of the late businessman and presidential candidate Ross Perot Sr. from the nineties. He has developed dozens of industrial projects across the country and in Poland, with several of his more recent projects. is built for Amazon.
In March last year, Hillwood and NASCAR announced an exclusive arrangement to improve the surplus soil in motor racing’s real estate portfolio, with the first focus on 13 markets across the country. The companies said at the time that the goal of developing the unused land was to create jobs and increase prosperity in communities where NASCAR operates.
Romanello praised the efforts of all the parties involved in bringing the Richmond Raceway project together.
‘This project is about working for Henrico families. “We are proud that we are number 2 in Virginia for total jobs, and because it comes from the pandemic, it has never been so important for the people of Henrico and Central Virginia to have good jobs,” Romanello said. It is partnerships like these that will help us grow our economy. ‘
Amazon delivery trucks filled a stage space across from the site for the training center on Wednesday.
Amazon is eligible for benefits through the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program and the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program. Employee training support is provided by the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.
The facility will contribute to two other fulfillment centers that Amazon operates in the region: at Meadowville Technology Parkway in 1901 in Chesterfield County and at 5000 Commerce Way in Dinwiddie County. The centers have more than 1,100 people together and each stand at about 1 million square feet.
Other Amazon facilities in the region include a distribution center at 4949 Commerce Road in Richmond. The company also rents two 320,000-square-foot buildings in Chesterfield at 1601 Bellwood Road and in Hanover at the Northlake Industrial Park Stock Exchange. Both buildings were built by developer Devon USA.
Amazon was previously near the racetrack in an industrial park at Carolina Ave 410, where third-party Amazon contractor Bear Down Logistics ceased operations after Amazon severed ties with the company. Henrico-based Allegiance Logistics currently coordinates Amazon deliveries at the racetrack, with a truck set-up area set up across the street from the planned completion center.
This is an evolving story. Stay up to date with BizSense for updates.