Rooker advances on plans to develop warehouse near Jacksonville International Airport

Atlanta-based Rooker is a step closer to developing its proposed warehouse on Jacksonville Aviation Authority surplus industrial property in North Jacksonville.

The St. Johns River Water Management District issued a permit Sept. 16 for a surface water management system on 22.96 acres to accommodate Rooker's proposed 264,000-square-foot warehouse.

Rooker intends to lease the land along Wheels Road, which connects to Duval Road at northwest Interstate 95 and I-295. The site is near Jacksonville International Airport.

Rooker intends to develop the project through RP Perimeter West LLC. Almond Engineering of Jacksonville is the civil engineer.

"We hope that this will be the first building of many with the Jacksonville Aviation Authority," said Rooker Vice President Cason Bufe on Oct. 24.

JEA issued a service availability letter Oct. 23, 2023, for Rooker to develop the 264,000-square-foot warehouse. JEA previously issued a letter for a 288,000-square-foot warehouse on the site.

"We modified our design to make the site plan more efficient," Bufe said.

He said Rooker was designing the building and moving through permitting.

"We could start building construction in 2024 if we determine that market conditions are favorable," he said.

"We started discussions with the Jacksonville Aviation Authority back in 2021. We have been interested in developing one or more buildings on their surplus land since that time," he said.

The site is east of International Boulevard and south of Jacksonville International Tradeport.

"It is a proven location for Class-A industrial. The Jacksonville International Tradeport has been a high-performing industrial park for many years, but it is fully built-out," Bufe said.

JEA received a service availability request in October 2022 for the 288,000-square-foot industrial building.

"We are considering the site for a speculative industrial development similar to the buildings we have developed at Perimeter West industrial park," Bufe said by email Oct. 8, 2022.

Rooker, a full-service real estate development firm, has been developing Perimeter West at northeast I-295 and Pritchard Road.

Warehouses are in demand in Jacksonville.

Area market reports for second quarter 2024 show vacancy rates of 4.2% to 6.5% as of June 30. While those rates have been rising, real estate companies say demand continues for Class A warehouses.