Saud Anwar

Sens. Anwar and Cassano Excited by Possibilities of Amazon Leasing Former Manchester Warehouse

In response to news announced today that Amazon will lease a significant portion of a former warehouse complex on the border of Manchester and East Hartford, State Senators Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) and Steve Cassano (D-Manchester) today said they were excited about the possibilities of the move for local employment and business opportunities. In addition to Amazon, the complex additionally houses Stop & Shop’s parent company and J.C. Penney, its former main tenant, indicating growth in local warehousing.

“Amazon is the latest company to expand operations locally, further adding to the benefits we’ve derived from Stop & Shop and J.C. Penney already there,” said Sen. Anwar. “Our local community will benefit from this move not just in the increased local employment and improved local logistics but in the positioning of our region as a draw for warehousing due to its proximity to many major destinations in the Northeast. It bodes well for the future of the Logistics Center @ Rentschler Field as well, as that future development will only further bolster local warehousing prowess.”

“On top of the jobs this move will make, we cannot forget the importance of this local resource continuing to be used,” said Sen. Cassano. “For years, we worried about what would happen if J.C. Penney left Manchester. While they have indeed reduced their presence, it only allowed more companies to move to our region, which will provide positive economic benefits for the larger community. I’m excited by what this means for the future and hope the good news continues to snowball on behalf of the entire Manchester caucus. On a personal note, this has a special connection for me as well – the morning after my initial election as Deputy Mayor of Manchester in 1977, we held our first meeting with J.C. Penney to discuss what would eventually become this warehouse.”

Amazon will lease 350,000 square feet of the 2-million-square-foot warehouse complex located on Tolland Turnpike, with the complex already hosting Stop & Shop parent company Ahold Delhaize and J.C. Penney. The Amazon announcement is expected to bring 600 jobs to the region; it was facilitated by property owner Winstanley Enterprises, which has invested tens of millions of dollars into renovating the warehouse.

This is the latest promising regional news regarding warehousing, with more likely to come. Amazon already operates a warehouse in Windsor and is constructing a delivery station as well, while Pratt & Whitney announced last week it is marketing 300 acres of its property at Rentschler Field in East Hartford to be developed as “The Logistics Center @ Rentschler Field.”