The first phase is made up of $15.2 million in infrastructure for the first 180 acres, on a parcel south of the American Airlines overhaul base and fronting Prairie View Road and Interstate 29 on the east side of the airport. The first of four buildings for phase one will be a 494,000-sf spec distribution facility, with an area next to it for a double building to go up pending demand, says Steven Bradford, managing director of airport distribution centers for Trammell. "If everything goes well, we'll have the spec building up and ready for occupancy by late fall-December 2009." The facility will be labeled "Building D," as the designations are given alphabetically from the northwest to the southeast portion of the site.

He says the company had been talking to two groups who were interested in build-to-suits in the park, but then the economy went south. "There had been exceptional interst in the park, it's been very frustrating," Bradford tells GlobeSt.com. "Everyone has put their requirements on hold for a short time to see how things flush out."

The Kansas City area has a growing demand for distribution facilities, and is working to become a major rail, trucking and air hub, Brandford says. The intermodal designation comes from the air side connection, which will bring in companies that want to have access to the runways. "We're going to work to market KCI to air cargo operators, air freight logistic providers, as well as aeronautical and aviation manufacturers," he says.