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Amazon property in Ruskin sells for $103.6 million, biggest industrial sale in Tampa Bay history

 
Amazon will remain as a tenant in the 1.1-million-square-foot center at 3350 Laurel Ridge Ave. in Ruskin, but the facility is large enough to accommodate future tenants.
Amazon will remain as a tenant in the 1.1-million-square-foot center at 3350 Laurel Ridge Ave. in Ruskin, but the facility is large enough to accommodate future tenants.
Published June 23, 2016

RUSKIN — In the largest industrial property sale in Tampa Bay history, the huge Amazon distribution center in Ruskin has been sold for $103.6 million.

The buyer is a Phoenix-based real estate investment trust.

The 1.1-million-square-foot center is 100 percent leased to the giant Internet retailer, which will remain as a tenant, but it is large enough to accommodate future tenants.

"The property's state-of-the-art features, outstanding location and limited competition made this an exceptional investment opportunity," said Mike Davis of Cushman & Wakefield, which represented the seller, USAA Real Estate Co. "We believe that it truly is the highest-quality industrial building in Central Florida."

One of two Amazon distribution centers in Florida (the other is in Lakeland), the Ruskin facility opened Sept. 17, 2014, and makes delivery to much of the region available within a day and, in some cases, within an hour. From Ruskin, Amazon also coordinates deliveries to large swaths of the Southeast.

The center at 3350 Laurel Ridge Ave. employs more than 2,500 people in an area the size of more than 28 football fields. There is enough steel inside to build the Eiffel Tower — twice — and if all the conveyor belts inside were laid out in a straight line, they would stretch farther than 10 miles. Hundreds of robots — including self-driving vehicles — scoot around inside.

A renovation completed last fall added new levels of work space, more conveyors and workstations, making it larger in terms of cubic square footage than the Lakeland facility.

The center also has 40-foot clear heights, a 200-foot truck court, 92 rear-load doors, 54-foot by 50-foot column spacing, an advance sprinkler system and extensive space for trailer parking.

Amazon did not return a call and email requesting comments.

Contact Susan Taylor Martin at smartin@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8642. Follow @susanskate