Amazon Plans Last-Mile Delivery Center North of Ukiah
Stock image; photo by Bryan Angelo on Unsplash
Amazon is constructing a last-mile delivery center in Mendocino County at the Friends of Liberty Industrial Park just north of Ukiah, according to reporting by The Mendocino Voice.
In an article by Sydney Fishman, county documents show that Amazon purchased just under 14 acres at the industrial park and plans to build a roughly 59,000-square-foot facility at 1775 N. State Street. The project is part of Amazon’s broader push to expand its rural delivery network, focusing on smaller “last-mile” facilities that sort packages for final delivery to nearby communities.
Fishman reports that the facility is expected to be completed later this year, though an exact timeline has not been publicly announced. The site owner, local officials, and Amazon representatives all weigh in on how the deal came together, what type of operation is planned, and what it could mean for jobs and development in the Ukiah area.
The Mendocino Voice also explores local concerns about labor practices, the absence of a public review process, and how the project intersects with ongoing debates about annexation north of Ukiah—along with responses (and non-responses) from county and city officials.
For full details, including quotes from those directly involved and critics of the project, readers are encouraged to read Sydney Fishman’s full story at The Mendocino Voice.
Note: This article was edited after it was originally published to delete a redundancy.
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I think that Amazon building a last mile delivery center north of Ukiah will speed up packages delivered to rural areas. Now the bitching starts for what reason who knows. This will give construction workers jobs as well as hiring people to work in the facility itself. Ukiah is a fair size town but there are people that need a job and want to work. Mendocino Voice try printing something positive without all the negative garbage!
100% out of town contractors
nice try, maybe you can get one of those gig driving jobs?
I should have said local contractors. I think that I will give you the gig driving trucks. Is that ok with you friend. I need to tell you that a special license is needed to drive the big trucks.
none of the last mile delivery drives need a special license so youll be ok! they do drug test though…..
Local businesses provide local jobs, and Amazon crushes local businesses. It is the foundation of their business model. And as another guest points out, the construction is being done by an out-of-region contractor. So much for local jobs there. And then, as the article points out, Amazon has a long history of bad -to-illegal treatment of its workers and a lot of lawsuits on behalf of workers. So much for “good jobs.” Amazon can be depended on to export profits from our struggling local economy, further harming our economically struggling region. And the lack of transparency and public participation in the shadowy deal to make this boondoggle happen doesn’t look good. The anti-annexation parties probably expect the city of Ukiah to provide first responder services, though, another expense that the people Ukiah and Mendocino County will have to bear. So in light of the facts, explain again why this is a net positive.
I thought all the bitching would start and it sure has!
And I suppose your definition of “bitching” would apply to anyone that has an opinion that differs from yours…
It was a popular expression in the 1950’s, and it referred to something that is cool. Your comment is “bitching”.
Interesting thing is if you talk to any small businesses, they practically all buy items and resell them. The local boutique owners I talked to were excited as they can get orders faster, all small businesses locally buy cheap and mark up to sell higher. Local stores are for convenience, your giving extra money for that instant gratification. It makes sense to mail-order from Amazon and SAVE MONEY. OR OAY MORE TO SUPPORT A SINGLE SHOP OWNER. Of course some people will always be negative about anything new, that’s the way they are programmed, lots of doomsdayers for anything new in Northern California.
Too bad we didn’t get a new hospital on that spot within 150 miles of Eureka. The Amazon center will let them bring more efficient long haul trucks into Ukiah and then send the shorter trucks north through Richardson Grove. Tom Wheeler and EPIC are making another appeal against the Richardson Grove bypass and widening. They must be shooting for 20 years of CEQA delays after the 18 so far. I’m going to guess a built in truck switch will save on shipping into Humboldt.
Amazon also partners with small businesses – I have bought tack for my horses from a small shop in N. Carolina and hubby has bought from small surf shops in SoCal. You can filter for “small businesses” in your search. Yes, Amazon takes a cut, but these shops would never be selling more than locally otherwise.
I’m not defending everything they do, but just to keep the info more complete.
Any word on what’s going on at the Scotia mill sale?
OhNo, here’s what AI is reporting: “As of late 2025, the former “Mill A” and surrounding industrial buildings in Scotia, California, are in escrow with an unidentified buyer. The site, which has suffered from deterioration and roof collapses, is expected to be dismantled rather than repurposed, with the value primarily in the land.”
May be Ebay will buy it.
“the facility is expected to be completed later this year or in 2026”
Later this year would be 2026. 🤦♂️
Thanks for the catch. Fixed.
Rumor is one is going in McKinleyville as well.
It doesn’t require today’s National Shutdown Day to urge everyone to stop using Amazon. Sure, Jeff Bezos’s mega-billion-dollar shipping center is convenient, especially in the sticks. But Amazon does hurt local businessses — our neighbors. And Bezos is an unapologetic supporter of Trump’s evil and illegal policies, a big campaign supporter, has bought into the criminal Trump-Epstein Ballroom, and paid $75 million to help produce Melania’s awful “documentary.” The hell with Amazon.
Agreed. Since I live an hour+ from town I’m guilty of relying on online shopping at times when my own transportation is lacking, and used WalMart to avoid buying from Amazon… only to have an item I bought off WalMart.com delivered in an Amazon package!! 🙀 I almost abandoned my mail, thinking “I don’t buy from Amazon,” but my name was on the package, and inside was the item I had ordered from Walmart. They’re all in cahoots with each other, and destroying local brick & mortar stores… CVS and Rite Aid closing in Eureka, I thought corporate franchises would be more insulated from the impact, but even they’re falling prey to the online supercenters. The only good that could come of this is if brick&mortar storefronts are repurposed for housing… it’s very spooky to see all the empty stores and people without safe places to sleep in one town.
Rite Aid went out of business as an entire chain because of oxycontin lawsuit payouts.
Yep! BOYCOTT AMAZON…. For so many reasons!!!
You can boycott them, but guaranteed the small businesses in our community buy from Amazon and resell to us for a markup. That’s called capitalism and basic economics. Amazon process a great service to billions around the world, Why do you hate Amazon, is it Bezos Derangement Syndrome? Just hate the wealthy? But why hate people who have been rewarded for providing extremely good service to billions of people? Ask yourself
Local businesses and restaurants depend on Amazon, ask around and you will learn the truth
I recommend everyone read the embedded article by the Mendocino Voice to get a better understanding of what Ukiah is getting from this Amazon deal.
Sounds like not much.
And screwed.
I use Amazon because i cant find a damn thing in eureka stores that i need.
Or, if they do have it, it’s overpriced.
Here’s a Ukiah haiku called Shop Local.
Corporate masters.
Thank you for all the good jobs.
Good jobs for robots.
Computer Techs familiar with controlling robots should do ok at Amazon. But then you have to put up with Bezos. That could be ulcer city.
What has Bezos done to you exactly? Have u ever used Amazon? Sometimes it’s just easy to hate success and wealth…