The site plan for a distribution center at Cortana Mall, which is widely expected to be an Amazon fulfillment center, was approved Monday evening by the East Baton Rouge Parish Planning Commission.
The commission unanimously approved the item as part of its consent agenda, said Ryan Holcomb, planning director. The consent agenda is a list of several items that commissioners approve at once, without discussion.
Seefried Industrial Properties, which works closely with Amazon, filed a site plan that shows the mall being demolished and replaced by a single five-level warehouse and office. The warehouse would have 2.9 million square feet of space. There would be 1,251 parking spots at the facility, a hint at the number of people to be employed.
In April, Atlanta-based Seefried handled the purchase of a 34.3-acre site on Bethany Church’s Industriplex campus. That property is now home for Amazon’s South Baton Rouge Distribution Center, a 111,918-square-foot facility. In November, the company bought a 63.3-acre site off La. 415 in Port Allen and filed documents with the West Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court’s office outlining a lease agreement it has with Amazon.
The Planning Commission approved a rezoning for Cortana earlier this month, which allows for commercial warehousing at the location. The East Baton Rouge Metro Council is set to consider that action during a special meeting at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
