Amazon Plans Nearly 1.1 Million-Square-Foot Warehouse in Norwich, Connecticut

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Amazon plans to build a new fulfillment center spanning nearly 1.1 million square feet in Norwich, Connecticut, with the related proposal having been submitted by Bluewater Property Group to the Norwich Inland Wetlands, Water Courses & Conservation Commission for review. Amazon has confirmed to CT Insider that it is the entity behind the proposed project.

The project, codenamed "Project Wildcat," is slated for the Occum Industrial Center along Interstate 395, covering more than 170 acres. The preferred option is to construct a building of nearly 1.1 million square feet, with the filing documents also considering a larger alternative size. The warehouse will include parking facilities accommodating more than 420 tractor-trailers and over 730 employee and visitor vehicles.

The project is expected to employ approximately 500 workers, with around 200 construction workers also involved in building it. Norwich Mayor Swarnjit Singh wrote in a Facebook post that the assessed value of such warehouses typically exceeds $150 million; Bluewater estimates the project will bring approximately 500 permanent jobs, 200 construction jobs, and additional indirect economic benefits to Norwich.

While advancing the Norwich project, Amazon is also moving forward with a 1.3 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Killingly, located about 25 miles away. The Killingly Wetlands Commission voted 3-2 in July to deny the project application, and developer Ryan Cos. resubmitted the application on August 3, filing a lawsuit in state Superior Court the following day. Killingly has also implemented a one-year moratorium on warehouse construction to study the impact of large warehouses.

Amazon stated that it plans to move forward with both the Norwich and Killingly projects, with each expected to employ approximately 500 people. The company continues to add automation equipment at newer fulfillment centers, including robotic arms and other systems that handle portions of warehouse tasks; the planned total headcount for the Norwich and Killingly projects is lower than at some of Amazon's earlier fulfillment centers in Connecticut.

The Norwich and Killingly projects represent the latest moves in a series of recent adjustments Amazon has made to its fulfillment and delivery network. Earlier this week, Amazon signed a global supply agreement with AutoStore, establishing a framework for Amazon to procure AutoStore warehouse automation systems worldwide, with the agreement containing no purchase commitments. Amazon has also expanded its Locker pickup network to more than 750 locations across over 500 college campuses in the United States, allowing students to retrieve packages after the fall semester begins. On the last-mile delivery front, the company is also expanding its delivery network, including Prime Air drones, to accelerate delivery speeds and bring orders closer to customers.