Macy's Fulfillment Center

Macy's Fulfillment Center on track for 2024 completion

A er breaking ground in April 2022, the contracting company has begun the foundation construction for the new, 1.4 million square foot industrial space for a new Macy’s fulfillment center.

Macy’s will eventually invest more than $584 million in the “automated, direct to consumer” fulfillment center in China Grove.

The center will be located at the intersection of I-85 and U.S. 152 on Exit 68. It will serve as Macy’s main shipping location for customers in the central southeastern United States, but will ship orders directly to customers nationwide, accounting for nearly 30 percent of the retailer’s digital supply chain capacity once fully operational.

The project expects to be completed by December 2024 but with new technology and even bigger amounts of jobs to prepare for, the two-year process to meet the deadline began in October with the Southeast Silverman Group construction e orts.

Scott Shelton, vice president of the Rowan County Economic Development Council, shared that the Silverman Group has had smooth progress at the 85 North Logistics Center, covering 198 acres of land. Half of the building has been filled with a foundational, concrete slab to be used as flooring in the facility. At the same time, the outside concrete slabs are being installed to assure e iciency in the process.

With the completion of flooring in half of the building, the walls of the fulfillment center are erected, where slabs are complete, and the interior of the structure is beginning to take shape. Toby Nelson, who is working with the leasing side of the development, called these “perimeter walls” for the building. As those walls go in, visitors will be able to get a clearer idea of what the facility will look like in 2024.

“The tenant, the Macy’s team and the construction team are working as a team in this massive project to push along the construction and the process,” said Nelson. The business, when completed, expects to add 2,800 jobs in Rowan County. Once the exterior and building foundation are in place, the inner workings of the distribution center can begin to be assembled, creating one of Rowan County’s largest economic job investments. ✦

By Madeline Wagoner

intern@salisburypost.com

Cherry Treesort adds new Lodging

By Madeline Wagoner

intern@salisburypost.com

Local lodging is more than a vacation spot for a weekend outing or holiday. For a China Grove stay, Cherry Treesort’s 26 acres o ers a unique assortment of treehouses and hobbit homes for a cozy place to relax for whatever need a clientele

could need.

Cherry Treesort is one of the 11 lodging options and is a member of the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce. The newest attraction to the lodge came in July with the construction of “Trevor’s Layaway”, a treehouse that provides optimal shade that was just in time for the summer season for $212 a night. The 400 square foot home can house up to eight gusts with outdoor swings and a fire pit for an all-round experience of the forest sight on the farm including a view for sunrises and sunsets.

“We open one to two a year,” said owner of the property, Trent Cherry. “We have ten now since we opened in 2015.”

“Trevor’s Layaway” was named a er Cherry’s brother, a tradition of the resort for each of its homes. Every one is named a er a family member of Cherry’s, including Mimi and Papa’s hobbit house and Miss Molly, a treehouse named a er his daughter. The hobbit homes reflect an overnight stay for those fans of the popular fantasy series, Lord of the Rings, but the comforting anterior and large circular doors o er a di erent stay for anyone coming through Rowan County or local to the area.

When it comes to the lodging industry, the option to expand comes down to the demand in the local market and the up on booking.

“You never want to overbuild,” shared Cherry. “We’re kind of at that spot now where we had a goal. I don’t know if we’re going to add one next year or not yet, we usually plan about four to six months out and usually build in the summer.”

A driving force for the resort business is a collaboration with local stops in the area that is rich for out-of-town visitors for both vocational and job prospective purposes.

Cherry said guests can expect to find a directory in each of the homes that list local shops, eateries, attractions, wineries and other special places to stop during their stay in the Grove stretching from Lexington to Concord. The Rowan Economic Development Commission describes Rowan County as a place that “provides a better balance for business and life that is a draw to new residents and businesses.”

“We kind of keep an eye on where we’re at. We got two hobbit houses to give something a little di erent than treehouses. We just put in a 70 by 30 jump pillow which the guests really like.”

The unique amenities in addition to the typical you would see at lodges make Cherry Treesort stand out in the South of the County. In October, the resort hosted the Great Pumpkin Wall on the property of the farm that included full participation of the community. The outdoor shelves were stacked with hundreds of pumpkins carved by South Rowan schools and scout troops in addition to sports teams, farms and churches. The heavy involvement with the locals caters to potential for an even stronger workforce to continue growing the commerce of Rowan County.

Other means Cherry Treesort has taken to cultivate the economy in the area included participating in Winterfest 2022, o ering a tour of the homes on the farm in addition to hosting the Young Entrepreneur Fest for 40 youths of the County to share their goods as a business endeavor opportunity at no cost.. ✦