March 5, 2008

Food Distributor Eyes Local Site
Company wants to build massive warehouse in city

By Deneen Smith
Kenosha News

A food distributor hopes to build a massive warehouse in Kenosha.

Affiliated Foods Midwest, a cooperative distributor that is member-owned by independent grocers, is seeking to build a nearly 400,000-squarefoot distribution center on nearly 100 acres located west of the Canadian Pacific rail road tracks between 52nd and 60th streets.

The building would be designed to accommodate future expansion to up to 1.5 million square feet.

According to a plan submitted to the Kenosha Development office, the distribution center would employ 50 fulltime workers and about 200 part-time employees.

Brian Wilke, city develop ment coordinator, said the site has been zoned for heavy manufacturing for some time. Affiliated, which plans to buy the property, is seeking a conditional use permit to allow its operation.

Company representatives will bring the proposal to the Plan Commission Thursday. City officials are recommending approval of the plan. It must receive the recommendation of the Plan Commission and approval of the City Council.

According to Wilke, Affiliated hopes to move quickly on construction, aiming to have the building completed by September.

Wilke said the site was designed to accommodate concerns of residents in nearby subdivisions, who had voiced worries about traffic and noise when the property was originally rezoned for heavy manufacturing.

"They were mostly concerned about traffic on 60th Street," Wilke said.

Under the plans for the business, all truck traffic to the distribution center would be off of 88th Avenue, just north of 60th Street. No truck traffic would be allowed on 60th Street. The entrance for employees' cars would on 60th.

Wilke said plans for the building were also flipped to reduce noise. The section of the building using freezers was moved to the north side of the site farthest away from homes to minimize noise from freezer fans.

Representatives of Midwest Distribution could not be reached for comment.

According to information on the company's Web site, it was founded in 1961 in Nebraska and now supplies independent grocers in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin and Oklahoma.

The company currently has distribution centers in Nebraska and Kansas.