Amazon’s Iowa City delivery station set to open in spring

Amazon.com is working to open a recently unveiled last-mile delivery station this coming spring at the former Procter & Gamble distribution center in southeast Iowa City.

Building plans for the project, submitted to Iowa City for review in early November, show Amazon will occupy nearly three-quarters, or 247,591 of the 341,521-square-foot facility at 2500 Heinz Rd.

Amazon will use the lion's share of the building, or 217,485 square feet, for warehouse storage with loading areas, while 93,930 square feet will remain vacant. The balance is to be used for office business and assembly spaces.

A construction schedule from Ryan Cos. shows the Seattle tech behemoth hopes to complete its delivery station by mid-May.

The schedule called for workers to start building out the warehouse portion last week, with some walls demolished and high-speed roll-up doors installed by the end of January.

Procurement of materials, including roofing materials, dock equipment, electrical gear and fans, is slated for completion by early February.

The remaining interior buildout, including for the station's office, training and Amazon Hub areas, is to be done by mid-March, the construction schedule shows.

Wendy Ford, Iowa City's economic development coordinator, last month confirmed plans for Amazon to lease the former Procter & Gamble site. At least eight company positions in Iowa City have appeared on job boards.

In applying for its delivery station, Amazon paid Iowa City at least $31,318, including for staff to review its plans, permit and other fees.

Amazon last year began operating an 18,000-square-foot delivery station in North Liberty and has plans for a similar facility in Grimes.

Ryan Cos., Amazon's developer in Iowa City, also is handling Project Bluejay, an apparent $250 million, 780,000-square-foot Amazon fulfillment center in Bondurant.

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