Business

Online giant plants a footprint in Mills River

Amazon is building a 3-acre warehouse and distribution center on 28 acres on N.C. 280 in Mills River.

By Lightning Reports, Published: May 15, 2020

MILLS RIVER —The online giant that's taking over the world is planting a 3-acre footprint in Mills River.

The large warehouse is a "last mile" delivery center for Amazon, the huge virtual retail store. Although Amazon had kept its plans secret, circumstantial evidence pointed to the shopping company as the likely owner.

The Lightning reported in February that a contractor had received a town zoning permit for a 112,485-square foot facility that was similar in size to an Amazon warehouse in Bremerton, Washington, which like the N.C. 280 site was also near a regional airport. Property buyers for the West and East coast sites were ALM Bremerton LLC and ALM Asheville LLC.

An applicant received a sign permit for the building this week, said Mills River Town Manager Daniel Cobb. Asked whether the signs say Amazon, he said, "They do. That was the giveaway."

Although Amazon did not ask for economic development incentives through property tax breaks, the Henderson County Partnership for Economic Development was aware of the project and had listed the 28-acre tract of land, in recent years planted in corn, among its industrial sites.

"It’s a great addition to Mills River," Cobb said. "Last I heard (the warehouse would add) up to 200 jobs and they hope to be in operation by the end of the year."

The contractor for the project, Greensboro-based Samet Corp., listed the building's value at $21,285,000 on a building application. The building is across the street from the Pepsi-Cola distribution center and across N.C. 280 from Broadpointe Industrial Park.