BELGRADE — A 200-acre development along Jackrabbit Lane between Cameron Bridge Road and Frank Road could be the next commercial corridor as growth continues throughout Gallatin County, with Amazon planning to build a facility and more retailers coming soon.
“When you look at Jackrabbit, it's really a food and services desert,” says Todd Waller, founder of Venture West Development.
Waller has been focusing on building and bringing businesses to the Belgrade area.
“We're really kind of trying to focus on the commercial,” says Waller. “There is an incredible pent-up demand, and Belgrade provides a great platform and opportunity for this business growth.”
Amazon plans to build a 53,000-square-foot distribution center; the development also has plans for a grocery store which will be named later.
Residential development will also be on the site in future phases.
“It’s the name of any of the big commercial projects that are in the works or coming to fruition,” says Belgrade City Manager Neil Cardwell.
Cardwell says this is a welcome business opportunity for the city as Belgrade continues to see rapid growth.
Just in the first three months of 2024, the city has issued 115 new single-family building permits and seven new commercial building permits.
“The impact is real and we're feeling it. We're on par to have the busiest year in both residential and commercial construction Belgrade's ever had," says Cardwell.
As part of the development, motorists will see improvements to streets in the area.
“Stoplights that are going to be coming in on Jackrabbit to help mitigate the traffic. We're also looking at improving other side streets in the area to be able to move people east and west and north and south,” says Cardwell.
Waller says they expect to see even more businesses wanting to move into the area.
“There's a lot of retailers and restaurants that follow those grocers,” says Waller.
The site still needs final approval from Belgrade City Council. If they get the go-ahead, developers expect to break ground on the Amazon facility in the next couple of weeks.
