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Kellogg distribution center set for Warren
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
The Kellogg Co., the world’s leading producer of cereal and convenience foods, will open a distribution center this summer in the former Delphi and Leedsworld facility on North River Road.
The company made the announcement in an email Thursday after the Warren Building Department revealed that it had approved drawings for a building permit at that location.
The building will be used as a distribution center, but Kellogg declined to reveal at this time how many people will be employed there.
Kellogg, which had more than $13 billion in sales in 2011, will use 174,000 square feet in the rear of the building at 665 North River Road.
The space last was used by Delphi Packard Electric. Leedsworld, which produced promotional materials there such as pens and tote bags, used the front of the facility closest to North River Road.
The approximately 100,000 square feet of space Leedsworld formerly used will remain vacant, said Chris Tanneyhill, Warren building inspector. Leeds-world closed the facility in April 2009 after about three years in business.
Kellogg will renovate a 4,120-square-foot section of the 174,000-square-foot warehouse into a break room, restrooms, conference room and offices.
The renovated area is at the southwestern corner of the building near a parking lot with 66 parking spaces.
The building department sent a letter to NRR Commerce LTD of Cleveland, the building owner, Thursday, telling the company that its building plans had been approved, Tanneyhill said. Kellogg is leasing the facilities from NRR, Tanneyhill said.
Kellogg is a Battle Creek, Mich.-based company that produces cereals such as Special K, Frosted Flakes and Kashi. It also produces Keebler cookies and crackers, such as Chips Deluxe and Cheez-It and makes snacks such as Nutri-Grain bars and Pop-Tarts, as well as Eggo, Morningstar Farms and Worthington products.
The Kellogg announcement comes during a first quarter of 2012 that also has seen several other commercial construction projects, Tanneyhill said.
Other projects include a $1.2 million, 8,877-square-foot U.S. Housing and Urban Development-Trumbull Metropolitan Housing Authority apartment complex for people with disabilities. It will contain 10 units and is at 2345 Plaza Avenue NE, behind the Elm Road Giant Eagle store.
O’Reilly’s auto parts is building two stores in Warren. One is at 2320 Parkman Road Northwest and is nearly ready to open. The other will be at the former J.D. Byrider car dealership, 4468 Youngstown Road SE, which has been demolished.
“We’ve had more [construction] in the first quarter of this year than we’ve done in the first quarter of the last few years,” Tanneyhill said. “So that’s an indication that things are better” economically.