61 North Logistics Center begins to take shape

Work on the massive 61 North Logistics Center on Tom Drive is progressing smoothly, according to Evan Scroggs of Lee & Associates.

Site work on the 240,000-square-foot distribution warehouse began in October, and a stretch of dry weather allowed work to progress smoothly through the fall, Scroggs writes on LinkedIn.

The project’s pad site and stormwater detention system have been completed, and it is now transitioning to pouring the concrete slab and vertical construction. The center is expected to be operational in September.

The project is being advanced by Ratcliff Development, an Alexandria-based commercial and industrial real estate developer, on an 18.55-acre infill site just north of the new Amazon fulfillment center. The site is strategically positioned for easy access to Interstates 10 and 12.

At the Greater Baton Rouge Association of Realtors’ Trends conference in June, Scroggs described the Baton Rouge industrial real estate market as being in a state of “gridlock and stagnation” as it continued to be chronically underbuilt, though he noted that the logistics and distribution sector seemed to offer the most potential for growth.

Once operational, the 61 North Logistics Center is expected to be a boon for that sector, catering to the growing demand for distribution and warehousing space in the region.

The center is poised to attract businesses looking for modern facilities to streamline their operations, though no tenants have been announced as of yet.