Dynamic diverse commerce in Baltimore County is by no means limited to Maryland Port Administration facilities, as Tradepoint Atlantic continues buildout of a first-rate inland port on a 3,250-acre site that had been home to steelmaking since the 19th century.
“Over the last couple of years, we’ve really laid the foundation for a world-class industrial logistics facility,” Kerry Doyle, Tradepoint Atlantic’s chief commercial officer, told AJOT. “We’re transitioning from an environmentally contaminated steel mill site to a world-class inland port to Seagirt Marine Terminal. We’re able to grow with the Port of Baltimore and the Maryland Port Administration.”
A federal grant supporting development of modernized bulkhead, a boost from Baltimore County to build connective infrastructure, a commitment for a Volkswagen processing facility and agreements with additional retailer tenants are all contributing to optimism of Tradepoint Atlantic’s leadership.
“This year is a major year for infrastructure buildout,” said Aaron Tomarchio, Tradepoint Atlantic’s senior vice president of administration and corporate affairs. “2019 is a huge buildout and infrastructure improvement year for Tradepoint Atlantic. This is a transformative year.
“It ain’t your father’s steel mill anymore,” Tomarchio added, citing the transformation of the Sparrows Point site in eastern Baltimore County to a modern logistics and distribution hub from a Bethlehem Steel mill that dated back to 1889 but saw production cease in 2012.
The property was bought by Tradepoint Atlantic in 2014 for $110 million, and that’s just the start of investment on the site, which Doyle said is likely to top $2 billion from his firm and customers by full buildout.
Already in place at Tradepoint Atlantic are facilities of such companies as Amazon, FedEx and Baltimore-based Under Armour, with a pair of big Atlanta-based concerns – The Home Depot and Floor & Decor – among those having recently inked deals for warehouse space. Breakbulk shippers in the fold include building materials giant LafargeHolcim.
In addition, Perdue Farms unit Perdue AgriBusiness is establishing an organic grain receiving and storage facility on a tract linked by short line to CSX and Norfolk Southern rails, and Volkswagen is putting in a 115-acre installation replete with a 150,000-square-foot vehicle processing center.
“Volkswagen represents a really exciting opportunity in a line of business we’re hoping to expand upon,” said Doyle, noting synergies with the Port of Baltimore’s leadership in handling vehicles and other roll-on/roll-off cargos.
Governmental support for the Tradepoint Atlantic development includes a $78 million financial assistance package approved in late 2018 by Baltimore County to help with building of roadways and water and sewer infrastructure.
Meanwhile, a $20 million federal grant is helping advance the $50 million modernization of 2,200 linear feet of bulkhead on a waterfront portion of the site, to, by spring of 2020, facilitate roll-on/roll-off, breakbulk and heavylift operations.
And, with April passage by the Maryland General Assembly of enabling legislation, Tradepoint Atlantic leaders are working with Maryland Department of Transportation counterparts to establish a heavyweight corridor for draying containers and other loads constituting as many as 100,000 pounds gross vehicle weight along an 8.6-mile route.
“Tradepoint Atlantic is a very diverse facility,” Doyle said, “which means it needs very diverse infrastructure. Along with public- and private-sector partners, we have really created momentum.”
