Amazon on the Palouse? Unnamed warehouse development planned near Pullman airport

A warehouse and distribution center is being planned near the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport, and speculation holds that it just might be one of the world’s largest companies.

The building will be about 29,000 square feet, operate every minute of every day, require the use of fleet vehicles such as a trucks and trailers, and be used to receive and deliver parcels and packages in bulk that may contain products, materials, food, grocery and liquor items, according to Whitman County records.

The description, which came from application materials, fits the characteristics of Amazon facilities, including the potential use of renewable energy systems like solar and hydrogen which the company vowed to draw all of its power from by 2030.

But the application does not directly identify the global retailer.

The documents were filed by Ambrose Property Group, a firm based in Indianapolis that is known to work with Amazon on developments.

Ambrose built two fulfillment centers in Fort Wayne, Ind., another in Bristol, Ind., and Amazon delivery stations in Kansas City and another in Toledo, Ohio, according to its website.

“The applicant is acting as an intermediary for whoever the company is,” said county planner Alan Thomson. “Rumor has it that it’s Amazon, but I don’t know for certain because it wasn’t said in the documents.”

A conditional use application was submitted to the county last month that was followed by a 21-day appeal period which ended last week.

Throughout the process, Thomson gained no insight into what company will occupy the space.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s not an issue whether it be Amazon or not,” he said. “Legally, they have gone through the process correctly, so I am no longer interested.

“Whoever it is will bring jobs and income so that’s good for Whitman County and the city of Pullman.”

Thomson said construction could begin as early as this fall and conclude in the spring.

Though the 29,000-square-foot Pullman project will differ from Amazon’s 2.6-million-square-foot West Plains Fulfillment Center or even its 1.3 million-square-foot Fulfillment Center in Spokane Valley, its footprint mirrors other Amazon locations.

A 30,750-square-foot facility is leased by the retailer on land owned by Spokane International Airport.

And next month, Amazon officials plan to finish construction on a 34,740-square-foot warehouse and distribution center at William R. Fairchild International Airport in Port Angeles, according to the Peninsula Dailey News.

Just north of Olympic National Park, the project was dubbed “Project Olympia” by the applicant – Ambrose Property Group.

The new building planned for the Palouse is named “Project Cougar.” Though Thomson remains unconcerned as to which company is ultimately behind the project, he believes Pullman is worthy of a high-caliber retailer.

“I don’t know about you, but my household makes prodigious use of Amazon as do thousands of people in the Palouse,” he said. “There’s a market here.”

Ambrose officials could not be reached Tuesday.