Target and Ryan, both headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, have collaborated on six previous industrial projects with services ranging from site selection and due diligence to design-build and construction services. Last year, they completed a distribution complex in Savannah, GA, totaling 4 million sf in three buildings handling non-perishable and imported items.

SuperTarget is among Florida's top-ten grocery store chains despite having only 24 stores and 1.8% market share, according to the Shelby Report, an industry publication. The leading statewide grocery chains are Publix, with 40% market share; Wal-Mart, 25%; and Winn-Dixie, 13%.

Ryan is also building a Target food distribution center in Cedar Falls, IA, that will be similar to the Lake City facility upon opening late next summer. For both projects, the developer's design and construction team is utilizing a Building Information Modeling (BIM) system that helps design intent, perform estimating and quantity takeoffs, and coordinate on-site activities.

"It lets the entire team provide their individual opinions and test our collective assumptions, as we can literally put the building together piece by piece, before we even break ground," says Anthony Johnson, Ryan's senior project manager. He adds that the system also helps reduce material and labor costs, along with addressing weather-related scheduling problems.