I wonder why the need for a large building opposite Micron and near the airport. What is the building for?- William Mullen
What is the very large warehouse going up across I-84 from Micron?- Karen
BOISE - In the desert land south of Interstate 84 near Micron - something new has sprung up. In an area once occupied by nothing but sagebrush and a few wild animals lies a massive new building. Still under construction, the huge building sits on a newly built network of roads.
Those roads provided the first clue to who was behind the project. The building sits on WinCo Court.
"We had to make the streets, so I guess we got to pick the name," WinCo Food spokesperson Michael Read said.
That new building belongs to the Boise-based supermarket chain - and will be home to its latest distribution center. The roughly 750,000 square building should be done this summer - with an opening date in August. Trucks from suppliers all over the country will deliver goods to the center - and WinCo will then take those items to its stores.
Read says the Boise location will be a boost to the growing grocer.
"It will give us the opportunity to be more efficient in Idaho and Eastern Washington, and allow us to move into Utah."
Right now, stores in our area get their goods from WinCo's distribution center in Woodburn, Oregon - more than 400 miles away. That made Boise the outer edge of WinCo's growth area.
Now the company will add three stores in Utah - serviced from here in the Treasure Valley.
"It's what we need to serve the present base of stores, but also what we anticipate building over the next few years," Read said.
The giant warehouse will also provide at least a small economic boost to the local economy - with as many as 200 workers needed for the grand opening.
"We'll add more jobs as they grow. It won't be near full capacity when it opens," Read said.
