United States Cold Storage, Voorhees, N.J., is building a 3.5-million-cubic-foot refrigerated distribution center in Omaha, Neb. Officials say the project will completely revitalize the company’s existing 30th Street location, a rail-served site in the city’s historic meat-packing district.

USCS built the original warehouse in 1952 and expanded it in 1964.

“Redeveloping this rail-served property provides the best economic model and keeps us in close proximity to many long-term customers,” says Rod Noll, vice president and area manager-West region. “We also believe this modern facility will generate significant new business because no one has built a cold storage facility in Omaha during the past 30 years.”

One of two strategic Omaha locations, USCS’ 30th Street warehouse handles boxed beef, sliced bacon, deli meats and steaks. It also serves area processors of breads, pastries, soups, potato products and even frozen novelties. In addition to refrigerated and frozen storage, it offers case picking, order assembly, blast freezing, export and rail shipping services.

Additional services down the road will include product tempering and expedited blast freezing once the new building is completed in the second quarter of 2013. The finished building will house 16,300 pallet positions, and the site has a build-out capacity of 9 million cubic feet.

“We’re determined to protect and grow our market share in the Midwest,” says Dan Goodhard, Omaha general manager. “We will accomplish this with a more energy-efficient building that also incorporates the latest security and food safety measures to protect our customers.