CHICAGO—Amazon.com, Inc. has been breaking ground throughout the US on new fulfillment centers, and officials from the company said yesterday that they would soon open a nearly 500,000 square foot fulfillment center in suburban Joliet. The site, an existing warehouse in Laraway Crossings Business Park, is the retailer's first in the state.
“Construction has begun at 250 Emerald Drive,” Nina Lindsey, an Amazon spokesperson, told GlobeSt.com. “The project is being developed by Global Logistics Properties. We haven't announced an opening timeline, but it is moving quickly. In fact, we're hiring now for 1,000 full-time jobs.”
Amazon employees at the fulfillment center will process smaller items, such as books, electronics and consumer goods. The company recently opened a 500,000 square foot fulfillment center in Kenosha County, WI, near Hwy. 142 and I-94 to serve customers in Southeast Wisconsin and the northern portions of the Chicago metro area. It also plans to open a smaller fulfillment center on Goose Island in Chicago.
The I-80 market around Joliet has become one of the most active in the metro area. The vacancy rate “dropped an impressive 132 bps over the previous quarter to the second quarter rate of 6.60%,” according to NAI Hiffman.
"We are thrilled that Amazon has chosen Joliet as the location for its new Illinois fulfillment center,” said City of Joliet Mayor Bob O'Dekirk in a prepared statement. He did not return a call seeking additional comment. “The company is not only the leader in the e-commerce sector, but it also will create quality jobs for a diverse community throughout Joliet and Will County.”
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Brian J. Rogal
Brian J. Rogal is a Chicago-based freelance writer with years of experience as an investigative reporter and editor, most notably at The Chicago Reporter, where he concentrated on housing issues. He also has written extensively on alternative energy and the payments card industry for national trade publications.
