A very large warehouse in Eagan that has been empty since 2005 has a resourceful new owner.
How big? As big as six football fields, that's how big.
Murphy Warehouse Co., the Minneapolis-based logistics firm, bought the gigantic site on Yankee Doodle Road to help it better serve the south Metro and southern Minnesota markets. Terms were not disclosed. Previous tenants include the 99 Cents Only stores, and Snyder Drug.
Soon, it will become a "logistics campus" for the fourth-generation family-owned firm, which serves the food, medical, retail, paper and home-construction industries.
One of 11 facilities in the Twin Cities. Murphy Warehouse plans to invest $3 million in the long-fallow facility, including the installation of environmentally sustainable features ranging from native prairie grasses to solar panels. (The latter, thanks to two state grants, and one federal grant.)
Other green features planned to meet LEED and EnergyStar certifications include energy-efficient HVAC, sprinkler and lighting systems. Bloomington-based tenKsolar will install panels on the roof to generate energy for the company's use and to supply the grid. Longer term, the company wants to raise the roof of the warehouse an additional 10 to 12 feet.
A new access driveway will be built off of Michael Collins Drive, and rail connections will be re-established to bring rail cars indoors.
Richard Murphy, president and CEO, says his firm has been able to survive -- and thrive -- despite a tough economy and high fuel prices. By diversifying its customer base and service offerings, the company has "been able to make this investment and increase our presence in our home market."
