Posts filed under 'CSX - Winter Haven'
Posted: May 10, 2007: 2:57 pm
Last October representatives from Winter Haven visited Alliance, Texas for a closer look at the potential impact of the CSX Integrated Logistics Center planned for south Winter Haven. The Alliance facility provides a good look at an ILC and its surrounding area developed from raw land, much as the Winter Haven site will be. There is an interesting slide show and much more information on that ILC here.
On April 27, 2007, Jim DeGennaro of the Central Florida Development Council met with Bruce Bachman and Ben Adams, Jr. of Phoenix Industries in Eloise to discuss their October 2006 visit. He also sought their opinions on the proposed CSX Integrated Logistics Center in Winter Haven. Here are the highlights of that conversation:
• The two logistics management executives (Bachman and Adams) are very positive on both the Alliance and CSX Winter Haven projects.
• They said the primary difference between the two sites is that Ross Perot developed raw land near Ft. Worth and Dallas while CSX has to shoe horn its project on the Winter Haven land and buffer it from existing homes.
• Alliance has a cargo airport adjacent to its rail yards while CSX has the Port of Tampa 60 miles away and access to other Florida ports.
• Adams and Bachman believe the key to success in Alliance was a strong public/private partnership, and the same holds true for the Polk County opportunity.
• A variety of quality growth has mushroomed around the Alliance project in the past seven years, and they see the same possibilities for the CSX Winter Haven project.
Adams and Bachman traveled to Texas for a two-day survey last October to the 17,000-acre master-planned, mixed-use development. Both were immediately impressed with the cleanliness of the operations and that approximately one-half mile away from the rail yards were 4,000 sf homes in the $400,000 range and above, which were built after the advent of the intermodal facilities.
Other new developments to the Alliance site included the Texas Motor Speedway, Cabela’s Sporting Good Store, a pre-school, and numerous retail and industrial facilities. At the airport Fed-X, American Airlines and J C Penney have large operations.
The two executives were also impressed with the fact that there are no stoplights and RR crossings in the entire Alliance development. Traffic flow is steady and is helped by overpasses. They said that for the CSX Winter Haven site to reach the same kind of maturity that new roads, including the proposed Heartland Parkway, would have to be constructed to service the ILC and the surrounding area.
They said that there may be 4,000 truck trailers at the Alliance rail yard at any time but it was not noisy and was clean. They noticed at night that the facility was lit by direct lighting.
The two largest railroad customers at the rail yard in Texas are two trucking companies — J. B. Hunt and Schneider. As many as 600,000 containers a year are moved through the Alliance site. Adams and Bachman said that Homeland Security is huge at Alliance and that there are numerous controls at every entrance (much like the Port of Tampa).
They said an undivided two-lane highway feeds the entire Alliance complex while a four-lane divided highway is planned for the CSX Winter Haven facility.
Adams and Bachman have had numerous and extensive conversations with CSX Transportation officials including Rick Hood, Dan Murphy and Carl Warren. CSX has told them that the new Winter Haven facility will not deal with toxic materials, and that it will not house a power plant or a chemical plant.
They said that the country’s transportation of goods system is moving toward regional carriers, and that intermodal is growing at a 4 to 5% a year clip. They said the CSX Winter Haven project makes great economic sense and that, in their opinion, it has too much forward momentum to stop.
Some basic features and background on Alliance, Texas: Alliance is one of the most modern intermodal facilities in the world. Specifically built for intermodal operations, it was constructed in 1994 as a combination of two separate facilities in Dallas and Fort Worth. The Alliance facility operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with nearly 17 intermodal trains loaded and unloaded every day. Alliance houses a Foreign Trade Zone and is served by an interstate and two state highways.
Update May 29, 2007:Â In a decision released today, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) will evaluate both Phase I and Phase II as a single “Development of Regional Impact” (DRI. This process will provide a thorough review of the Intermodal Center with regard to such issues as transportation and environmental impacts of the center.
| See other posts filed in: CSX - Winter Haven, Commercial Developments
Posted: : 2:57 pm
Once the Winter Haven ILC is underway, CSX intends to purchase the surrounding 900+ acres the plans for which will be evaluated by the Development of Regional Impact (DRI) process. The plans call for a combination of warehousing, industrial and office space. Here are a few of the tenants attracted to the Alliance, Texas ILC:
Tenants at Alliance include the county Workforce Board, AT&T, Bell Helicopter, Cardinal Health, Coca-Cola, Daimler Chrysler Services, Ford Motor Company, a branch of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Fidelity Investments, Fortuna Pizza Pasta Subs, General Mills, General Motors, Hampton Inn and Suites, The Home Depot, IHOP, Kraft Foods, Manpower, Motorola, Phillips Electronics, Pitney Bowes, Ryder System, Snooty Pig Café, Texas Instruments, a US Customs Office and numerous other offices, retail operations and distribution facilities.
While the Winter Haven ILC is projected to employ 2,000 people when fully operational, companies like those listed above will, over time, locate facilities employing thousands more, bringing quality jobs and a diversified economic base.
Update May 29, 2007:Â In a decision released today, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) will evaluate both Phase I and Phase II as a single “Development of Regional Impact” (DRI. This process will provide a thorough review of the Intermodal Center with regard to such issues as transportation and environmental impacts of the center.
| See other posts filed in: CSX - Winter Haven, Commercial Developments
Posted: : 2:57 pm
CSX and 318 acres ….
In March of 2006, attorneys representing CSX Transportation requested a letter of clearance from the Department of Community Affairs in Tallahassee. The correspondence outlined the acreage requesting clearance and specifically addressed Development of Regional Impact (DRI) thresholds. Here are pertinent excerpts:
The project acreage was described as follows:
318 acres total
- 160 acres for the intermodal terminal
- 99 acres of vehicle storage and unloading
- 10.5 acres of administrative and control buildings
- 3.3 acres of maintenance buildings
- 45 acres of stormwater management areas
… together with construction and dedication of a public roadway connecting the Intermodal Facility to SR 60.
The total parking spaces for employees, visitors and vendors will not exceed 100. The Intermodal Facility will handle various types of consumer goods including, but not limited to, automobile/motor vehicles that are in transit through the facility. The Intermodal Facility will also marshal conveyances such as tractor trailers. The open and temporary storage of such freight and conveyances should not be considered for the purposes of calculating “parking spaces” when applying the applicable DRI thresholds to the development.
The letter went on to specifically address DRI numerical thresholds:
Based on the foregoing, the above described Intermodal Facility does not exceed the established thresholds for the applicable type of development. Section 28-24.029, Florida Administrative Code sets forth the applicable DRI thresholds for “Industrial Plants, Industrial Parks and Distribution, Warehousing or Wholesaling Facilities,” classifying such uses that provides parking for more than 2,500 motor vehicles or occupy thresholds, the Intermodal Facility will not constitute a DRI.
In a letter dated April 12, 2006, Michael McDaniel, Regional Planning Administrator for DCA, wrote in reply to the request: “The Department has determined that the CSX Intermodal Logistics Center development as proposed in your request for a clearance letter, is not required to undergo DRI review.”
(Editor’s Note added 5-11-07 at 7:31 a.m. — The roadway is not contiguous to the 318 acres and will be publicly owned and maintained. This type of transaction is often found in public/private partnerships and the bottom line is it saved Polk County taxpayers the cost of land acquisition.
In fact, it will accomplish one objective of a Polk County road improvement plan released last year. The roadway will complete the “Pollard Road extension.â€)
Update May 29, 2007:Â In a decision released today, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) will evaluate both Phase I and Phase II as a single “Development of Regional Impact” (DRI. This process will provide a thorough review of the Intermodal Center with regard to such issues as transportation and environmental impacts of the center.
| See other posts filed in: CSX - Winter Haven, Commercial Developments
Posted: April 11, 2007: 2:17 pm
In this morning’s Ledger and article on the proposed CSX Integrated Logistics Center noted that Lakeland officials will be meeting with the company to discuss the number of trains going through downtown Lakeland. Specifically the article noted, “CSX spokesman Gary Sease said the number of trains running through Lakeland could increase from 8 to 12 a day to 15 to 20.”
According to a film detailing the history of Winter Haven produced by Meritor Savings (now Wachovia) (circa 1972), “in the mid-1920s Winter Haven saw 16 passenger trains and 8 freight trains through town each day.” Of course the tracks through downtown Winter Haven were removed years ago and some of the property will soon become the Chain of Lakes Trail.
Still an interesting fact.
The photo at top shows a special chartered train arriving in Winter Haven’s Central Park circa 1925.
Update May 29, 2007:Â In a decision released today, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) will evaluate both Phase I and Phase II as a single “Development of Regional Impact” (DRI. This process will provide a thorough review of the Intermodal Center with regard to such issues as transportation and environmental impacts of the center.
| See other posts filed in: CSX - Winter Haven, Commercial Developments, Perspective
Posted: March 1, 2007: 11:55 am
Today’s news reports outline some of the concerns expressed by residents near the planned CSX Integrated Logistics Center. While there was some mention of a proposed “berm” to buffer the site from the residential area, CSX addressed this and other concerns in a letter sent to Sundance Ranch owners on February 15, 2007. Representative samples of the proposed landscaping berm follow the highlights. (You can download the entire text of the letter at the end of this post.)
Additionally, CSX is currently preparing a plan to host neighborhood meetings as forums to discuss the questions and concerns of residents. The Chamber will also implement an “On Track” Q & A forum on our website where questions will be addressed by CSX experts. Watch for announcements of both the meetings and the “On Track” forum.
Highlights of CSX Letter:
CSX is taking the following steps:
- -Working with lighting design professionals to use the latest technology and techniques to minimize illumination beyond the limits of the terminal facility.
- -Retaining an expert engineering firm to conduct a detailed study to confirm that noise levels from terminal operations would comply with applicable noise ordinances;
- -Planning for a landscaped earthen berm between CSX’s existing track and the terminal facility to further reduce the noise and address the community’s aesthetic concerns;
- -Designing and constructing the access road to the terminal facility from SR 60 to direct truck traffic to the south to a major artery to avoid increased traffic volumes on residential streets north, east and west of the terminal;
- -Offering Sundance residents the opportunity to tour an operating CSX intermodal and automotive terminal facility similar to the integrated logistics facility to be constructed adjacent to the neighborhood; and
- -Inviting one or more SRE representatives to join a design/operations committee for the new integrated logistics facility to allow residents to share any on-going concerns during the process
CSX went on to offer to pay to redesign and relocate the planned landscape berm to the residential side of the tracks for enhanced effect. The offer specifically included the following six points (summarized here):
1. CSX is willing to construct an earthen berm parallel to the existing mainline track beginning at the Gomez property and continuing through the Ebel’s property.
2. CSX is willing to compensate each affected homeowner on whose property the berm is constructed. The homeowner would retain title to their property. There would be no conveyance to CSX.
3. With respect to the Chiavuzzi property and the existing lease of a portion of the property to the Childers for their nursery business, CSX will separately compensate both the Chiavuzzis and the Childers for the actual acreage of the owned and leased property used for the berm.
4. CSX’s proposed concept is that the berm be incorporated into the existing backyard landscape of each adjoining landowner’s property. CSX would work to meet the reasonable requests of each homeowner while at the same time achieving certain economies of scale in the construction.
5.The engineering for the landscaped berm along the rear of each homeowner’s property adjacent to the CSX track is feasible but will require certain modifications to address common drainage.
6.CSX is willing to engage in reasonable good faith discussions with the City and County to encourage them to consider expediting the paving of Cunningham Road leading int the subdivision though CSX cannot guarantee when such paving will occur.
Representative examples of proposed earthen berm to buffer the terminal:
Do you think these are reasonable first steps in the design of this project?
Complete text of CSX Letter to Residents of Sundance Ranch Estates
Update May 29, 2007:Â In a decision released today, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) will evaluate both Phase I and Phase II as a single “Development of Regional Impact” (DRI. This process will provide a thorough review of the Intermodal Center with regard to such issues as transportation and environmental impacts of the center.
| See other posts filed in: CSX - Winter Haven, Perspective
Posted: February 21, 2007: 4:50 pm
“We’re here, we value our partnership with the City of Winter Haven, we are committed to being a good neighbor and we’re spending money. And anytime we’re spending money … you know we are truly committed.” With those words, Cameron Wilson, Director of Acquisitions and Development for CSX Corporation summed up his remarks to the Business Trustees of the Greater Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce at their February 21 luncheon.
Wilson was on hand to present the current project status for the planned two-phase Integrated Logistics Center to be built on 1250 acres of property that is currently a part of Winter Haven’s Wastewater Treatment Plant #3.
Highlights of Wilson’s update:
CSX expects to close on 318 acres necessary for Phase I sometime during 2007. Phase I will primarily involve “rail and pavement” as facilities for transfer to and from rail and trucks are developed. Completion of this phase is projected for early 2009.
Phase II involves the purchase of the remaining 950 acres and will attract the development of warehousing, industrial and office space estimated now at:
- 1.5 million square feet of industrial space
- 500,000 square feet of office
- 3 million square feet of warehousing
Both Phase I and II combined are projected to employ at least 2,000 people on site and an additional 6500 indirect jobs across the County. Estimates for Phase I alone are 910 construction related jobs the first year with an additional 460 in year two. The daily operations of the terminal will have 184 employees and 550 indirect jobs.
All access to the site (during construction and later for operation) is planned from SR 60 to the south between Lake Wales and Bartow. CSX has purchased and closed on the property necessary for this access. This access roadway is presently in the design stage.
CSX is currently developing environmental impact reports for the site. The first 18 soil drillings have produced promising results. They are mapping the wetlands and working through mitigation. Endangered species on site are few but they are being cataloged.
The company is working with appropriate State and Federal agencies.
CSX has kept their employment and completion projections conservative so as to not create unrealistic expectations. They estimate payroll and benefits when fully operational (8,500 employees) at $282 million.
Dale Smith of the City of Winter Haven presented an update on the proposed Heartland Parkway toll road. As currently proposed the left arm of a “Y” configuration would angle SE from the Polk Parkway and the right arm would angle SW from the 417 Greenway near Celebration converging in the immediate vicinity of the SR 60 access road to the CSX site. Smith noted the toll road needs the ILC traffic to be financially viable and the ILC needs the transportation corridor for much the same reason. The net result is to keep freight traffic out of urban areas. Due to the economic impact of this project, the parkway could be built in as few as seven years.
The net increase in the number of trains to the site is expected to be three to four over a 24 hour period. Wilson emphasized that trains will not be longer and the center will be designed to prevent crossings from being blocked.
The center will handle consumer goods and automobiles and it is being designed to serve the entire state.
Wilson said upon completion of Phase I design he will return to present those plans. He is an expert in urban planning and development who joined the CSX Corporation six months ago.
The potential economic impact of this project transcends the Winter Haven area and will involve the Highway 60 corridor as well. While Winter Haven, Polk County and Polk Public Schools could see more than $10 million each in annual taxes from the ILC, the 6,500 indirect jobs produced by the project will transform the average wages earned by workers in East Polk.
From a business and economic standpoint, what do you believe a project of this magnitude means for our future?
Site map with details …
Update May 29, 2007:Â In a decision released today, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) will evaluate both Phase I and Phase II as a single “Development of Regional Impact” (DRI. This process will provide a thorough review of the Intermodal Center with regard to such issues as transportation and environmental impacts of the center.
| See other posts filed in: CSX - Winter Haven, Commercial Developments, General Announcements
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