IMG_5772 On Wednesday (Aug. 31), a ground breaking ceremony was held for a brand new, 241,140 square foot Cold Storage Warehouse Facility in the Northeast Redevelopment Area (NERA) of Burien. Speakers at the event included Burien Mayor Lucy Krakowiak, Port of Seattle Commission President John Creighton, Rob Adams from Tippmann Innovation, and Western Distribution Services President John Naylor. Dan Mathews, Chair-Elect of the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce, served as Master of Ceremonies. Western Distribution Services, LLC, a Renton-based logistics and cold storage warehouse provider, addressed their belief that the site’s proximity to the Seattle and Tacoma seaports and Sea-Tac Airport was essential to their interest in Burien. “We believe that the opportunity is great here [in Burien]. The Port Alliance between Seattle and Tacoma made me feel comfortable bringing a business here,” said Western Distributor Services President John Naylor. “We are right smack in the middle of a great spot. The improvements on both 518 and 509 will lead right into the airport and the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma. It’s really a great thing.” Naylor is happy to call Burien “home.” He said, “It feels good, like this was just meant to be. I have wanted to do something like this since the 1980s. Working with Burien has been great.” In her speech, Mayor Krakowiak addressed three key points as to what has been accomplished by NERA’s first industrial construction:

  1. Bringing new jobs to Burien;
  2. Increasing and diversifying Burien’s revenue base;
  3. Proactively Managing transportation and storm-water infrastructures.
“This project is a milestone in development for the Northeast Redevelopment Area (NERA), boosting the economy and creating new jobs in Burien,” Krakowiak said. Attendees included Burien City Councilmembers Nancy Tosta, Debi Wagner, Bob Edgar and Austin Bell, past Councilmembers Rose Clark and Gordon Shaw, members of the city’s Business and Economic Development Partnership and Planning Commission; Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce Board members and staff; the construction, development, and planning teams for the project; and Port of Seattle and City of Burien staff. Bridge Development Partners, LLC a Chicago-based industrial and office developer purchased the land in May, 2016 for $4.5 million, marking the first milestone in private-sector investment in NERA. Plans for the Airport Industrial-zoned segment of land adjacent to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, NERA, were launched in late 2007 through the adaption of the City of Burien Comprehensive Plan. The City partnered with the Port of Seattle – a major land owner of the site – and produced a NERA Redevelopment Plan and Implementation Strategy which guides new development in NERA. “This industry is naturally strong,” said Rob Adams, of Tippmann Innovation. “We look forward to the opening ceremony in the spring of 2017.” IMG_5798]]>