Work has begun on the construction of a major new warehouse and distribution facility at Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth, N.H.
The new project is one of several either under way or planned at the Tradeport, just east of Portsmouth International Airport, in 2024.
Procon Inc., a Manchester, N.H., architectural and construction management firm, and The Kane Company, a commercial developer in Portsmouth, have joined forces to build a "supply chain management facility" at 100 New Hampshire Ave. rather than the advanced manufacturing plant they previously pitched for the site, the Portsmouth Herald reported Jan. 2.
The developers, who also operate as Aviation Avenue Group LLC, are building the facility for Fidelitone, a supply chain management firm that "represents a nationwide home merchandising company," according to Michael Mates, the director of engineering at the Pease Development Authority (PDA).
Paul Brean, the PDA's executive director, said authority officials are "really excited about the project."
The project's developers, both well known throughout New Hampshire, have fenced in the property and begun site work.
"It's a really good fit for that part of the Tradeport. The tenant would like to be completely operational by this time next year," Brean told the Herald during a recent interview about ongoing and expected development in 2024 at the former Pease Air Force base. "The facility is for larger scale delivery of high-end retail."
The development team "feels confident they can get that building completed next year," Brean added.
He noted Fidelitone "really wants to be in New Hampshire" to take advantage of the Tradeport's location close to major highways, including Interstate 95 and the Spaulding Turnpike.
"You can be north and south in a matter of minutes to large urban markets," Brean said.
John Stebbins, Procon's managing director, previously estimated 30-70 people will work at the New Hampshire Avenue facility, with another 20 driving the box trucks that deliver the furniture manufacturer's product.
The warehouse and distribution facility will be 102,000 sq. ft., according to Stebbins.
Another Expansion at Pease to Focus on Diabetes Cure
Brean proudly pointed to the ongoing work by Lonza Biologics to build a new manufacturing facility at Pease "that could help lead to a cure for diabetes."
Lonza broke ground in August on the latest addition to its Pease campus that is moving toward a combined 1 million sq. ft. The new facility off Goose Bay Drive at the Tradeport will encompass more than 130,000 sq. ft.
The company is partnering with Vertex Pharmaceuticals at the site to develop islet cell therapies aimed at producing "curative therapies."
The two global companies have partnered in the process development and scale up for the manufacturing of the product portfolio as well as co-invested to build the new plant.
"This is a project that my staff has been working on for multiple years to look and see what's the best possible use for the parcel, and closely working with Lonza to identify their needs," Brean explained. "Ultimately, we produced a developable parcel that's going to host a game-changing medical gene cell therapy. It's so exciting, and it ties into the biopharma growth in the state."
Seeing Lonza and Vertex combine to create such an important medical manufacturing facility at Pease shows that the PDA "can compete with other areas and make this economically viable, but also get the talented people to work in the field," he told the Portsmouth news source.
Sig Sauer Plans to Grow Its Presence at Tradeport
Gunmaker Sig Sauer said in August 2022 that it was planning a major expansion on a 20-acre parcel at the Pease International Tradeport, in conjunction with Two International Group, a Portsmouth commercial real estate company.
At the time the weapons manufacturer made its announcement, Brean said the proposed new development at 165 Arboretum Dr. "would include light manufacturing, warehouse space and office uses."
The potential site for the facility is located "directly adjacent to the roundabout at the northern end of the Pease International Tradeport," he added.
However, Brean acknowledged to the Herald that "it hasn't been an easy parcel" to redevelop, due in part to the presence of an old Air Force pipeline that ran through the property.
The PDA and Sig Sauer "continue to work on the design and engineering and permitting process" for the project, he noted.
"It's been somewhat of a longer development process," Brean admitted. "At the end of the day we want to make sure we're restoring that correctly."
Samantha Piatt, Sig Sauer's director of communications and media relations, told the Portsmouth newspaper that the manufacturer made the initial announcement about its potential expansion at Pease after receiving "the largest small arms contract in history by the U.S. Army with the Next Generation Squad Weapons contract valued at over $4 billion."
The gunmaker already supplies every branch of the U.S. military with the Modular Handgun System for the M17 and M18, according to Piatt.
"Sig Sauer is a long-standing Pease tenant at 72 Pease Boulevard and provides a large number of skilled jobs [there] and throughout its New Hampshire facilities [in Rochester and Epping]," Brean said.
Arrivals Hall Taking Shape at Portsmouth Airport
Construction also is continuing on the updating and expansion of the Pease Arrivals Hall at Portsmouth International Airport, Brean confirmed.
"We're adding 5,200 sq. ft. of additional space at the airport and replacing outdated Air Force base-era utilities," Brean explained.
The expansion and updated Arrivals Hall project "will improve our arrivals capacity, alleviating current congestion, increasing accessibility, and supporting future growth at the airport," PDA officials stated in the project documents.
In addition, the PDA noted that the improvements "will also include the replacement of our 65-year-old outdated electric services, [the addition of] LED lighting throughout the terminal, and [the creation of] more windows to maximize natural light — all of which combine to help make our airport become more energy efficient."
The Pease Arrivals Hall upgrades, which are being paid for in large part through a $7 million Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grant, also will feature "a redesigned baggage claims area and the relocation of rental car counters, parking kiosks, and information and customer service booths."
The goal of the effort is to "improve the overall passenger experience, from the moment of arrival, whether you're taking off or landing here," according to project documents.
The upcoming improvements to the airport at Pease follow a $19.5 million terminal expansion unveiled in early 2021.
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