Global TranPark hopes warehouse will attract businesses, jobs
By Sam Atkins
Published in News on April 23, 2004 2:11 PM
KINSTON -- The N.C. Global TransPark will soon have an addition that officials say will spawn more business and create more jobs.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday at the TransPark for a 120,000-square-foot warehouse called GTP One.
The $3.8 million building is expected to be completed by the end of this year, and Duke Realty Corp., the GTP's development partner, will manage the construction contracts.
An artist's conception of what the GTP One warehouse will look like when completed.
"We are excited to see this happen," said Andrew Kelton, senior vice president of Duke Realty's operations in Raleigh. "This is going to turn out to be a great project."
About 80 people, including elected officials, local leaders and supporters of the GTP, attended the public event. They gathered at the Kinston Regional Jetport and were transported by bus and van to the groundbreaking site.
Several national brokers representing potential tenants attended the ceremony, and Jeff Sheehan of Duke Realty said there was a list of prospective companies that could move into the warehouse. The warehouse space will be tailored to the needs of the tenants, he said.
The warehouse's design is for a building that is 600 feet by 200 feet. It will feature loading docks at the back and will be on a nine-acre site along John Mewborne Road. It is being paid for through an escheat fund created by a loan from the N.C. Treasury Department.
Almost all prior spending from the fund has been for land acquisition, land services, construction of a hangar and construction of a modern cargo building, said Darlene Waddell, GTP executive director.
The GTP's executive committee cleared the way in December for three new buildings designed to attract new business. In addition to GTP One, there are plans for a new operations and maintenance building to replace old facilities and a new 200,000-square-foot building. These plans are contingent upon one of several prospects agreeing to come to the GTP.
Gene Conti, vice chairman of the GTP Authority, said the GTP learned a lot from its attempts to attract Boeing to the park. The plane maker eventually chose Washington for its plant. But the selection process brought national attention to the GTP, Kinston and eastern North Carolina.
"The new building demonstrates the park's viability to prospective clients and speeds us toward closing large transactions," Conti said. "This is another important landmark here at the GTP."