This week The Opus Group, the City of Liberty and the Missouri Department of Economic Development broke ground on the first building at Liberty Heartland Logistics Center, an industrial build-to-suit distribution hub for Hallmark Cards, Inc.
The 847,475-SF facility is an expansion of the current Liberty Distribution Center where Hallmark, a 111-year-old Kansas City-based company, ships its products across North America.
The new facility will be located less than one mile from the current distribution center and will bring multiple smaller outlying distribution facilities under a two-roof, co-located operation creating a more optimized and efficient distribution network. This will reduce Hallmark’s environmental impact by reducing transportation needs—which will also mean using one million fewer cardboard boxes annually for outbound shipping.
“Opus is excited to deliver a Class A development for Hallmark’s new distribution hub,” said Joe Downs, executive vice president and general manager at Opus. “Our integrated team has worked diligently with our partners to effectively plan and execute this project. The trust, support and collaboration from the City of Liberty, Hallmark, the Missouri Department of Economic Development, Missouri Partnership, Davidson Architecture & Engineering and Newmark Zimmer has been invaluable throughout this process.”
The building will feature 40-foot clear height, 48 dock doors; two drive-in doors; 150 trailer parking spots; and 450 vehicle parking spots. The second distribution facility will allow Hallmark to expand its footprint in Liberty by fifty percent.
Opus also has plans for two more buildings on the site. Buildings B and C will include a 572,000-SF cross-dock building and a 239,000-SF rear-load building, which can be customized for a prospective tenant’s needs.
Opus is the developer, design-builder, interior designer, architect and structural engineer of record. Mark Long, John Hassler and Scott Bluhm with Newmark Zimmer are marketing Buildings B and C for build-to-suit to own or lease. Michael VanBuskirk with Newmark Zimmer represented Hallmark for the site selection.
“Hallmark’s decision to grow in Missouri is a true testament to our state’s position as a leader in distribution and logistics,” said Governor Mike Parson. “Our strategic location in the center of the United States provides companies like Hallmark with easy access to global markets. We are proud to be the home of Hallmark’s headquarters, and we will continue to provide Missouri businesses with the tools they need to be successful in the state.”
The building is slated for completion in February 2023 at which time Hallmark anticipates more than 1,200 full-time employees working between its two facilities and about 150 seasonal part-time employees.