The Amazon distribution center in Visalia. Photo by Gabriel Dillard

Atlanta-based Seefried Industries has submitted an environmental impact report (EIR) to the City of Visalia for a 284-acre industrial park at the northwest corner of Shirk Street and Riggin Avenue. The big project would require annexation into city limits to move forward. It would expand the Visalia Industrial Park to the north.

Called the Shirk and Riggin Industrial Project, the development would be the largest in City of Visalia history with plans to build 3.82 million square feet of industrial buildings with more than 4000 workers once all phases are constructed. The site plan shows 3,750 parking places for all types of vehicles.

The applicant plans eight industrial buildings for warehouse, distribution and light manufacturing; six flex industrial buildings; two drive-through restaurants; a convenience store; a recreational vehicle and self-storage facility; gas station and car wash.

The footprint shows multiple phases of large industrial buildings, with the corner of Shirk Street and Riggin Avenue having several retail uses located across the street from a proposed Costco shopping center.

The EIR says the project would offer four access points along Shirk Street, five access points along Riggin Avenue and five along Kelsey Street. Onsite orchards would need to be removed, and appropriate landscaping and lighting would be incorporated into the overall site design consistent with applicable city requirements and guidelines.

The project’s draft EIR was filed Thursday with a comment period ending May 28. As is typical, a final EIR would be released, and consideration by the city council after that before the project is submitted to the Tulare County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) for annexation.

Founded in 1984 by Ferdinand Seefried, Seefried Industrial Properties is a privately held real estate firm that focuses on the development, leasing and management of industrial properties across the U.S. The firm primarily focuses on development in core industrial markets and build-to-suits with tenants in core and second-tier markets. Seefried leases and manages approximately 25 million square feet for its institutional and European clients and has developed more than 200 million square feet of space valued in excess of $18 billion across 30-plus markets. Based in Atlanta, the firm has regional offices in Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles and Phoenix.

New $30M investment

In Visalia, Seefried built and leased the 1.2 million square-foot Ace Hardware distribution center on Plaza Drive — now in full operation. In related news, Ace Hardware is installing a $30 million conveyor system expected to automate deliveries from Visalia to all parts of California in a speedy manner. The end result is expected to be higher e-commerce sales from Visalia that could boost the city’s tax revenue.

Seefried also has plans for a second 500,000 square-foot spec warehouse nearby at Goshen Avenue and American Street. The company purchased the Shirk and Riggin property from the Ritchie family.

The company’s site plan for the new industrial park indicates two huge buildings on Kelsey would be first to be constructed, adding up to about 1.8 million square feet across from Amazon.

Seefried is pressing on with these massive plans despite the fact that the warehouse market has cooled in California and in Visalia.