Herkimer County Confirmed- Tractor Supply Distribution Center Coming
Herkimer County has now confirmed what WIBX reported last month, Tractor Supply Company is currently working with officials there to construct a 930,500 square-foot distribution center on about 140 acres of property at the Pumpkin Patch (Frankfort 5S South Business Park). According to the news release, the company plans to create 350 new full-time jobs over the next six years with the option to expand the facility by 300,000 square feet at a later date.
County Chairman Bernard Peplinski said that upon final approvals and the signing of the pending agreement, construction is expected to begin this summer with the facility being operational by the end of 2018. Tractor Supply Company was founded in 1938 as a small mail order tractor and has grown into the country's largest lifestyle retailer with over 1600 stores in 49 states with more than 24,000 employees, 1000 of which are from New York State where they own 76 locations.
On Friday, Tractor Supply acknowledged that they are planning to construct a facility in New York State; but, still refused to confirm Frankfort as the location.
“As previously disclosed, Tractor Supply Company plans to construct and open a new distribution center in the Northeast region to support its continued growth. Pending final agreement and approvals, the Company expects to begin construction of a distribution center in the state of New York in the summer of 2017, with the facility being able to ship products to stores and direct to customers by late 2018.” –Tractor Supply Company
In March, WIBX reported that a contractor working closely with both the county and the investor confirmed that it was indeed Tractor Supply that was planning to open the distribution center. Company officials refused to confirm the Frankfort location, but did state their intentions of expanding somewhere in the northeast.
The Frankfort 5S South Business Park, a.k.a The Pumpkin Patch, was established more than 20 years ago and has been a "work in progress" according to Peplinski who credited Vince Bono, Chairman of the Herkimer County IDA along with his staff for the persistence in advancing the park. Peplinski also credited NYS Senator James Seward and past and current members of the Herkimer County Legislature for their work on the project. The name Pumpkin Patch was given to the parcel more than 20 years ago when the farming field was used to grow and sell pumpkins in the fall. The park is located on Route 5-S at the Frankfort exit across from the Herkimer County Fairgrounds. It's also home to its first tenant, Heidelberg Bread, which began operations there last year.
(Updated on Monday at 3:15 p.m. with statement from Tractor Supply)
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