Port to sell Odell industrial land for Amazon’s last-mile delivery station
To create rural industrial sites in Hood River, the Port of Hood River fully redeveloped the Lower Hanel Mill land, a Brownfield site, into a 12-acre industrial park with four build-ready lots using Port funds and state grants.
It wasn’t easy.
In late 2024, the Port wrapped up roadwork and utility installation — three-phase electric, fiber optics, natural gas, water, and sewer. Those improvements capped a decade of complex redevelopment: Environmental cleanup to remove soil contaminants, log pond excavation, demolition of existing buildings, wetland remediation (a payment-in-lieu wetland fill permit), utility installation, site grading, and a partnership with Crystal Springs Water District for a new, 1,350 foot-long, 10” main water line for sufficient fire flow pressures to the site.
Now, the Port has applied to Hood River County for land-use permits (Replat #25-0204 and #25-0194) to replat the four build-ready lots into one parcel so that Amazon can build a 49,000 sq ft “deliver station” on the industrially zoned (M1) site, shown on the Amazon Site Plan. Click here to see it bigger.
Amazon’s massive regional hubs in North Portland and Woodburn, known as “Project Riverhawk,” are being replaced as its shipping model to rural areas. The Odell site represents Amazon’s new “last-mile” strategy – a targeted expansion to cut delivery times of packages destined for the Mid-Columbia region and to reduce trips from distant hubs.
Amazon launched its new model (Rural and Super Rural, or RSR) to better compete with Walmart, UPS and USPS for overnight and two-day delivery to rural customers countrywide.
In an April memo to Port Commissioners titled Decision on Odell Properties, Executive Director Kevin Geenwood asked for a decision to sell the 12 acres or build its own storage unit facility. “If the Commission does want to sell the (Odell) land should the proceeds go into the roundabout project?” He wrote, “the Second St. and Riverside intersection could benefit from an infusion of cash for construction which could jumpstart opportunities at (the Port’s) Lot 1 or Lot 900.”
The Port-Amazon sales contract outlines a delivery facility with six truck docking spaces, three trailer parking spaces, four box truck parking spaces, 20 van loading spaces, 224 van parking spaces, and 125 parking spots for 110 employees. The development will have four driveways: three on Neal Creek Mill Road and one on Sunday Drive.
Trucks will enter and exit from the northernmost driveway on Neal Creek Mill Road.
The next driveway to the south (#2) will serve as an exit for van traffic. The third driveway on Neal Creek Mill Road will allow employee/guest vehicles to enter and exit and will serve as an entrance for van traffic. The driveway on Sunday Drive will provide full access for van traffic.
The Port is selling the Lower Hanel Mill site to Amazon because the e-commerce giant offered a record-setting purchase price (over $3.47 million) that sets a new benchmark for industrial land value in the Mid-Columbia region, according to the Port.
Amazon’s project will undoubtedly bring new and significant traffic impacts to its immediate vicinity and the broader Hood River County road network. The severity of these will be an issue as the County evaluates the project and takes public comment over the next few weeks. The deadline for comments is 5 PM, Wednesday November 12. (see below).
The “last-mile” delivery station will have a “nominal impact” on nearby intersections with Hwy 35, according to a traffic impact study by Florida-based NV5 Engineering. It forecasts that semi-truck, delivery van and car traffic into and out of the Amazon facility will produce a combined 548 trips per day.
It predicts that 70% of Amazon’s daily traffic (384 trips/day) will occur between its Odell delivery station and the City of Hood River on Hwy 35 — through current bottlenecks at Pine Grove, the 4-way stop at E. State Steet, and at I-84.
The authors also conclude that none of Amazon’s driveways warrant left- or right-turn deceleration lanes and that improvements at the study intersections are not required to mitigate its impact.
However, the facility’s operations will likely intensify traffic on Hwy 35 during morning and evening hours when all delivery vans necessarily arrive and depart around the same. Ski resort traffic coming down the mountain, Odell fruit-packing warehouses, and nearby farms will also be impacted.
Thrive is gathering details and evaluating the Port’s application. We will provide feedback.
Click the link to review the Port’s Sales Contract With Amazon & Project Information.pdf
Review the Port’s application to Hood River County at Port’s Land Use Application 25-0194-PLNG App.pdf
Click here to read the 25-0194 TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY.pdf.
The County has asked that the public “please respond by 5 p.m. Wednesday, November 12, 2025. You can email planning@hoodrivercounty.gov with “Replat 25-0204, #25-0194” in the subject, or by mail to Hood River County Planning Dept, 601 State Street, Hood River, OR 97031.
You can also comment directly to the Port of Hood River through its online form, by emailing info@portofhoodriver.com or by mail to 1000 E. Port Marina Dr, Hood River, OR 97031