After years of stagnant developments, Aldi's plans for a regional distribution center in Goodyear are gaining traction. The German supermarket chain initiated a pre-application process for a facility in the Loop 303 corridor, signaling a move towards establishing a significant presence in the area.
According to city of Goodyear records, the application lodged in May marks the latest step by Aldi towards bringing the project to life. A city spokesperson indicated that while Aldi has not provided a construction timeline, the city remains engaged with the process. This distribution center, situated at the southwest corner of Indian School Road and Cotton Lane, is touted to cover approximately 569,400 square feet, with a dedicated office space of 16,900 square feet, as ABC 15 reported.
Aldi's establishment in the valley could be a boon for employment, with the potential to create up to 700 jobs, starting initially with 120 positions. although specifics about the project's phase are currently sparse, the potential for such a workforce expansion suggests a substantial impact on local employment figures. Despite requests for comment about the developments, Aldi has yet to respond.
The Goodyear community has been expectant of Aldi's investment since talks first emerged in 2016 about the acquisition of city-owned land for the proposed center, an investment that has seen the allotment of $2.8 million by the city for area infrastructure improvements, according to Phoenix Business Journal. Furthermore, an existing job creation agreement anticipates an injection of at least $60 million from Aldi, conditional upon Aldi delivering on job and salary expectations.
Despite a slowdown in speculative industrial development, targeted projects such as Aldi's distribution center contribute to the ongoing industrial growth in the Valley. With Aldi already controlling approximately 90 acres at the designated site, the distribution center is poised to join the ranks of prominent enterprises operating within the comprehensive PV | 303 industrial park. As of the second quarter, Metro Phoenix witnessed significant activity in the industrial sector with approximately 25 million square feet under construction and an encouraging absorption of 3.3 million square square feet of space.
