Timmons Group is grateful for the opportunity to bring large scale industrial-focused projects to the regions we serve. In recent years, Timmons Group has worked on a variety of industrial warehouses, manufacturing facilities, distribution hubs, and fulfillment centers for Fortune ranked companies like Amazon, Meta, Lowe’s, Altria, Publix, and more. We’re fortunate to have professionals on our teams who know how to navigate a fast-paced, competitive market and understand how to create high-quality and functional spaces for industrial clients. Our teams strive to offer unparalleled service to our clients, resulting in shared success.
Follow along in this three-part blog series to learn more about our unique industrial project experience and where our clients’ visions for sustainable and innovative design is taking the industry.
TTI Innovation Center
A recent endeavor in our team’s industrial project experience is Cardinal Commerce Center in Hanover County, Virginia. With direct access to I-95 and other major interstates, the new industrial park can distribute to “55% of the Nation’s consumers within a one-day’s drive,” according to a report available on Hanover County’s website.
Cardinal Commerce Center is a 3-building industrial park on 112 acres located in southern Hanover County near the rapidly growing Virginia Center Commons area. Scannell Properties, with teaming partners Timmons Group, Jenning Stephenson, P.C., and ECS Mid-Atlantic, LLC has subdivided and developed the property in three phases.
Cardinal Commerce South is a 260,000 SF distribution facility with 272 car and 76 trailer spaces. The building features a TPO roof, clerestory windows, pre-finished gutters, and 32’ ceilings alongside accommodations specifically designed for industrial use including a 66’ concrete dock apron with 33 dock doors and 23 knock outs and (2) 14’x16’ drive-in doors. The project was constructed by Evans General Contractors in 2020-2021 and is fully leased. The fast-tracked agreement was backed by the County’s latest industrial and economic development initiatives.
Cardinal Commerce Center West is under construction now as a 186,900 SF speculative building with 162 car and 73 trailer spaces. Building specifications are similar to the previously constructed Cardinal Commerce South Building.
Cardinal Commerce Center North is the future home of Performance Food Group’s recently announced 325,000 SF new regional sales and distribution center in Richmond. The site plan can accommodate warehouse expansions up to an additional 182,900 SF. Significant site preparation for the future buildings was completed as part of the Cardinal South project, allowing for rapid development. The project budget was $80M. ARCO Construction Co., Inc. is the general contractor for the Cardinal North and West projects.
Performance Food Group is a food service industry leader with more than 100 years of experience and modification. Their three delivery segments include fresh restaurant ingredients; candy, snacks, and hot and cold beverages; and high-quality convenience store food items. Dealing with high volumes of food items means they must ensure the quality and freshness of deliverables to their clients. Timmons Group was proud to be part of the team that helped PFG realize their mission of supplying their clients with innovative and industry-leading distribution solutions.
The project also received a Tier 4 Site Characterization designation by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership in 2021, signifying the project’s readiness for infrastructure design and development.
Initial Phase – Cardinal Commerce Center South
Jon Murray, a senior project manager in Richmond, was the lead project manager for the site. He has fifteen years of experience working on a wide variety of private land development projects throughout Virginia, and some of his most unique experiences have been in working with industrial clients.
”Scannell Properties has been great to work with over the past several years during the design and development of Cardinal Commerce Center. It has been a unique project with many of the complexities of a subdivision (creating the industrial park) combined with numerous large scale site plans. We have done more test fits and master plans than I can count, but I’m proud to have been able to see this project through to completion and look forward to the next!” Jon said.
Mondelez International, like Performance Food Group, is rapidly growing and working to provide unmatched products and service to their clients. Mondelez International is a premium snacking company that focuses on biscuits, chocolate, and baked goods. Their growth model includes working with innovative partners to expand their presence in high-growth segments, such as Henrico County, Virginia where they recently invested in a bakery expansion.
Timmons Group with teaming partners Shockey Builds (construction) and Baskervill (architect) planned and executed a 7-acre design for the Illinois-based cookie and cracker manufacturer. The investment included a design for three high-speed Oreo production lines and a fulfillment center situated in a 69,000 SF addition.
Since its establishment in 1973, the Mondelēz International plant has endured several transformations, the latest of which was supported by a $1.8M grant from Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s office.
Timmons Group’s unique design incorporated a pump station to support the redirection of floor drains and the relocation of a fire suppression system. Personnel were tasked with navigating an operating facility during the design and construction phases.
Aside from its $122.5M facility investment, the manufacturer also engaged its employees by designing an additional bus stop near Laburnum Avenue to promote a safe, reliable, and affordable transportation option for its workers.
Rendering courtesy of Baskervill—Mondelez International
Greg Nelson was the project’s senior manager. His full breadth of experience includes site design for public and private land development. His responsibilities include site layout, grading, storm sewer and utility design, hydrological analysis, stormwater management, plan preparation, and project coordination and management. He has extensive experience with Henrico’s P.O.D. process.
“Mondelez International was constructed as an addition to an active bakery resulting in our team facing some unique challenges. In order to maintain access to the existing bakery and avoid impacting existing utility services during construction, we had to coordinate our design with the owner, architect, and contractor. There were also existing sewer lines under the addition that had to be re-routed and maintained along with the campus fire suppression system and roof drainage,” Greg said.
With the expansion of these food-based distribution centers brings new job growth and economic development opportunities to the greater Richmond area. Mondelez International’s expansion is projected to create around 80 new jobs and PFG is forecasting to hire around 125 new workers. Richmond is proving to serve as a key player in the food supply chain industry for the east coast market.
Timmons Group is honored to have worked on these rewarding projects. We are grateful for our skillful engineers who contributed solutions so these companies can continue their mission of providing premium service and delivering fresh, high-quality products to their consumer base.
From distribution and manufacturing to industrial and technology parks, our engineers know how to optimize space, movement, and material handling to create a seamless and efficient environment.
Lumber Liquidators Distribution Center
Stay tuned for the next two parts of this series to learn more about our work in the industrial sector. Coming up, we’ll highlight experience with Facebook Meta and Lowe’s and the unique challenges that each project posed.
