A developer looking to build Amazon a new distribution center in Gaithersburg is making major changes to its plans after pressure from city officials — which could quash the e-commerce giant’s interest in the site.
The Matan Cos. told city planners in mid-August that they have changed course and intend to build multiple buildings with a mix of commercial uses on the 44-acre property off Interstate 270 near Lakeforest Mall. That marks a substantial shift from Matan’s previous plans to build a single industrial facility on the site, which it advanced with the goal of luring Amazon as a tenant for a new “last-mile” distribution center.
There’s no telling how that change will affect Amazon’s plans. Gaithersburg officials say a distribution center of some kind could still be accommodated on the property under the city’s zoning rules adjacent to other buildings there. But Amazon seems to disagree. After months of declining to acknowledge it was interested in the site at all, the tech company in July began lobbying the city directly, arguing forcefully that the facility needs to be the only structure on the site for it to operate safely and efficiently.
