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Aug 01, 2023

Riverport to go ahead with warehouse project

Brian Wright Owensboro Riverport Authority board members are moving ahead with plans to demolish an existing warehouse on the property, while stabilizing an adjacent warehouse to extend its lifespan.

Brian Wright

Owensboro Riverport Authority board members are moving ahead with plans to demolish an existing warehouse on the property, while stabilizing an adjacent warehouse to extend its lifespan.

Riverport President and CEO Brian Wright told board members Wednesday the port is soliciting bids to demolish the east building of Warehouse 10, which the riverport purchased from Crop Production Services and Nutrine earlier this year.

Wright said the riverport staff recommended the warehouse building on the east side of the site be demolished, while the western building will be shored up for future use.

Repairing the western building will give the warehouse “a life of 15 years or more,” Wright said.

“It could be 20-plus years,”Wright said.

After the meeting, Wright said staff would begin working with engineers on a request for proposals to repair the warehouse.

The warehouse could be used by a specific client, or for more general storage of items such as paper, Wright said. A dock door will be added to the building, along with a truck ramp.

The staff also considered adding a conveyor belt to the site, but recommended against it, unless there is a company willing to make a commitment to use the site, Wright said.

The conveyor belt will be reconsidered in the future, Wright said.

“The capital spend on the conveyor was pretty hefty, based on the estimate,” Wright said. “We are walking into this, getting the east building demolished and getting the west building stable. Then, we’ll know where we are with tenants” for the site.

“We don’t want to consider an RFP for the conveyor when we don’t have the building shored up yet, or a permanent client,” Wright said.

Demolishing the east building gives the riverport the ability to build a new warehouse on that site in the future, and the foundation will be kept in place.

“We really wish we could salvage a portion of that building,” but the project would be cost-prohibitive, Wright said.

A request for proposals to demolish the east building was issued in mid-August. The goal is for bids to be opened and a contractor selected in September, and for the demolition to be complete by the end of November, Wright said.

James Mayse, 270-691-7303, [email protected], Twitter: @JamesMayse

Brian Wright

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