FORT WAYNE, IN When Bridge Development, of Chicago, Illinois, planned to build an advanced, state of the art, convertible refrigerated/freezer building near Seattle, Washington's, Sea-Tac Airport, they turned to refrigerated facility construction specialists Tippmann Innovation (TI). 

"Tippmann was a great choice for a high profile, precedent setting project like this," said John Naylor of Western Distribution. "The building will become an anchor for Burien and the greater Seattle market, and marks a big step in growing the food business and jobs in this part of Washington."

Breaking ground on the ambitious, 241,140-square-foot building has happened at the facility located at 1010 South 146 St. in Burien, Washington. Western Distribution Services (WDS) of Renton, Washington, will operate the facility.

"We were able to leverage Tippmann Innovation's distinctive knowledge base in developing this building," said Steve Poulos, President of Bridge Development. "They helped us with all the design details optimized for the scale of what we wanted. Their experience with cold storage is well beyond that of a regular contractor. They are a high touch company that facilitates every aspect of a project."

WDS searched for four years, finally securing the 14-acre site to accommodate the scale of the facility they planned on building. 

The building is unique on multiple levels, and represents several design and engineering challenges. WDS wanted a versatile building that is fully convertible and can be utilized as a freezer or cooler. The building will be able to manage a range of temperatures, from 40 degrees Fahrenheit to -10 degrees Fahrenheit, accommodating everything from meat and produce to frozen foods.

"We're honored to have the opportunity to help companies like Bridge Development and Western Distribution Services meet their unique challenges," said Rob Adams, Principal, Tippmann Innovation. "Every project is different; there is no standard playbook or template that can be used to develop cold storage buildings. We like to feel that each project builds on the last, and helps us push the envelope of what's possible just a little bit further."