Another 250 jobs will be coming to Jacksonville by the end of 2021.
Mayor Lenny Curry’s office announced Monday Boston-based Wayfair, Inc. has selected the city for a new warehouse and distribution center on the Westside at AllianceFlorida at the Cecil Commerce Center.
Wayfair is a large online retailer known for its home furniture, décor and outdoor offerings. It carries some 5,000 brands of furniture, lighting, cookware and more; offering more than 10 million products in total.
“Their entry adds hundreds of jobs to our community, and contributes economic value that bolsters our statewide growth in job creation and demand,” Curry said in an email to WJCT News.
The distribution center – which was code named Project Empire when it went before City Council – will serve Wayfair’s customers throughout the southeast.
Our Jacksonville Daily Record partner reports the distribution center will cost $72 million to develop and that the City Council approved a $3.3 million grant for Wayfair in October.
“This is a big win for our community and helps further establish Jacksonville as a significant player for retailers looking to efficiently reach customers in a fast-growing part of the country,” JAXUSA President Aundra Wallace said in the same email, adding, “Companies can get to 60 million people within an 8-hour drive and our interstate access, robust rail system and exceptional port make our city very attractive to businesses like Wayfair.”
Area Map of AllianceFlorida At Cecil Commerce Center
Wayfair generated $6.2 billion in net revenue for the twelve months ended September 30, 2018. It employs more than 10,000 throughout North America and Europe.
This is the latest in a series projects of similar scale for the city.
Jinko Solar also recently opened at AllianceFlorida. That $50 million plant is currently launching its pilot production as it ramps up and will ultimately employ up to 200 people.
Amazon has opened multiple fulfillment centers, employing some 4,000 people and last year IKEA opened a 290,000-square-foot Jacksonville store at the corner of Gate Parkway and Interstate 295 that employs more than 200.
