Gaines Township planners sign off on distribution facility linked to Amazon.com

Gaines Township planners sign off on distribution facility linked to Amazon.com

GAINES TOWNSHIP — A proposed “massive” distribution and warehouse facility in southern Kent County has moved one step closer to a groundbreaking.

The Gaines Charter Township Planning Commission on Thursday recommended the overall development plans of “Project Rapids” move ahead to the township board.

The board could approve the project at its meeting next month, according to David Riefe, senior vice president for the Midwest region of Seefried Industrial Properties Inc., the Atlanta-based development firm behind the proposed project.

MiBiz first reported last month that the proposed facility of more than 1 million square on almost 100 acres would be a distribution facility for Seattle-based online retailer Amazon.com Inc.

Riefe declined to name the intended user of the facility.

WOOD-TV first reported the Planning Commission recommendation on Friday morning.

Should the Gaines Township board give its approval next month, Seefried plans to break ground in June and work on an approximately 13-month construction timeline, Riefe said.

While Seefried executives remain mum on whether Amazon is the intended user of the facility, the company has built multiple distribution facilities for the online retailer, as MiBiz previously reported.

Moreover, the proposed facility looks nearly identical to other Amazon distribution facilities around the country, according to multiple reports.

The site proposed for the facility is located along 68th Street between Patterson and East Paris Avenues on land currently owned by Steelcase Inc.