Concrete almost ready for new FedEx site

FedEx Ground is advancing construction on its new distribution center in Cedar Rapids — starting with a temporary concrete plant near Highway 965 in Johnson County that ultimately will pour some 40,000 cubic yards of concrete.

The $109 million, 479,000 square-foot distribution center in Cedar Rapids is slated to open in this fall and will create 434 part-time and full-time positions, officials said in January.

FedEx Ground spokeswoman Allie Addoms said the distribution center will accompany a FedEx warehouse at 985 Capital Dr. SW in Cedar Rapids.

Dave Streb, CEO of Streb Construction, said his company, which is laying all the concrete outside the facility, will have a temporary concrete plant up until the end of November.

“It’s a large volume of concrete so we put a plant up there to better service the project,” he said.

Steve Streb, Streb Construction vice president, said it is common for temporary concrete plants to go up with a project as large as the FedEx facility.

“We do it all of the time for (Department of Transportation) work and large highway projects,” he said.

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors will consider approval of the project’s site plan to start construction within a week to 10 days, Nathan Mueller, Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability assistant director, wrote in an email to The Gazette this week.

Mueller noted Johnson County staff is working through an outside review process before the site plan can go to the Board of Supervisors for consideration in the coming days.

“While this is a rural development in Johnson County, it is served by municipal water extended south from Cedar Rapids by the subdivision developer,” Mueller added.

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