From the Ground Up: SWMO Rail and Business Park speculative warehouse

Owners: Williams and Kramer LLC and Rich Kramer Construction Inc.
General contractor: Rich Kramer Construction Inc.
Architect: R.E. Werner Architect LLC
Engineers: Anderson Engineering Inc., civil; and Schober Engineering LLC, mechanical, electrical and plumbing
Size: 160,000 square feet
Estimated cost: $9 million
Lender: Springfield First Community Bank
Estimated completion: April 2022
Project description: This speculative warehouse at the Southwest Missouri Rail and Business Park near Interstate 44 and State Highway 125 is designed with 32-foot ceilings and 18 dock doors. The metal frame for the building was produced in St. Joseph at the Varco Pruden manufacturing facility, said general contractor and co-owner Rich Kramer. There is parking for 33 tractor-trailers, and Kramer said parking lots and driveways will be concrete to provide the best life span while reducing heat, as compared with asphalt. “The city of Strafford was very helpful in creating an atmosphere of cooperation in getting incentives to get the facility constructed to add good jobs to the local area,” Kramer said. The SWMO Rail and Business Park website outlines some of the incentives available for businesses, such as a sales tax exemption program through the city of Strafford, and Missouri Works, which provides capital for facility expansion and job creation. Kramer added that the building can be used for distribution or manufacturing.