Duke Realty Helms 1.4 MSF Industrial Construction

By Keith Loria

Duke Realty is developing a 1.4 million-square-foot distribution center in Bloomingdale, Ga., a Southern port city of Savannah, for Floor & Décor. When completed, the facility will be the second-largest distribution center in the area.

“Opening the new Savannah distribution center marks another milestone in the growth of Floor and Decor,” Tom Taylor, Floor & Décor’s CEO, said at the groundbreaking of the site. “Due to the diligent efforts of our world-class distribution team and our great partnerships with the Savannah Economic Development Authority, the Georgia Ports Authority, Duke Realty and others, we are proud to make Savannah one of our long-term distribution homes.”

Situated on 90 acres within the Morgan Business Center, a 250-acre industrial park, the complex will be close by the intersection of interstates 16 and 95 and will offer convenient truck and rail access to the busy Port of Savannah. The project is expected to bring roughly 90 jobs to the area. Combined with the 47 positions at Floor & Décor’s 68,000-square-foot Savannah retail store and design center, this will bring its total employment in the area to 132.

“The Savannah area’s many assets, such as our workforce, the Port of Savannah and our vast infrastructure, are among the keys to making this distribution center a lasting success,” said Kevin Jackson, Savannah Economic Development Authority’s chairman of the Board of Directors.

CBRE worked with the retailer on the project.

Large Presence in Savannah

Duke Realty’s portfolio consists of 7.9 million square feet of space in 24 buildings, making it the largest industrial/warehouse owner in Savannah. 

Last summer, Duke Realty promoted Steven Schnur to senior regional executive vice president. He is responsible for overseeing the company’s U.S. East and West regions, while leading and managing its Midwest region.

In December, the company acquired the Bayport Distribution Center II, a two-building industrial warehouse project in Houston’s suburb of Pasadena. In October, Duke Realty Corp. acquired a portfolio of two soon-to-be-developed land parcels and 10 industrial properties in Southern California, Northern New Jersey and South Florida, from Bridge Development for $700 million.