Mattel Finishes Logistics Center

globest.com06/01/04

MATTEL FINISHES LOGISTICS CENTER

By Bob Howard SAN BERNARDINO, CA-Toy maker Mattel has occupied a new 1.2-million-sf distribution center at Hillwood Investment Properties’ AllianceCalifornia project that is one of the largest such warehouses ever built. The project is located at 1456 E. Harry Sheppard Blvd. and occupies a 58-acre site within Hillwood’s 2,000-acre business park, which formerly was the Norton Air Force Base. The new Mattel center, big even for an Inland Empire market that is accustomed to outsized distribution buildings, was completed by Oltmans Construction Co. of Whittier, project general contractor. Dan Wozniak, project manager for Oltmans, estimates the value of the new Mattel facility at more than $35 million when taking into consideration all of the related public infrastructure work that was completed in order to accommodate the development. Los Angeles-based Mattel will employ approximately 250 workers at the facility, which represents an expansion and consolidation of Mattel facilities that were located in Chino and the City of Industry. Mattel occupies the property under a 10-year lease with Hillwood. The Mattel facility is a concrete tilt-up structure that features 25,000 sf of built-out space that serves as an aftermarket retail outlet. Project architect was Hill Pinckert Architects (HPA) of Newport Beach.The Mattell distribution center joins an AllianceCalifornia roster that includes a 600,000-sf Kohl’s Department Store warehouse and will include other facilities that have been announced. Those include a 1.8-million-sf distribution center for the Stater Bros. grocery chain and a 600,000-sf Pep Boys facility. Hillwood’s plans for AllianceCalifornia call for the development of approximately 14 million sf of industrial space and logistics buildings, as well as an air cargo complex at the former Norton base.