New Amazon mini-fulfillment center in South Buffalo is first of its kind in Western Pennsylvania

Nov. 13—Amazon has arrived in rural South Buffalo.

An outdoor mini-distribution center opened in mid-October in the rear parking lot of the township professional building inside RIDC Armstrong Innovation Park.

Township supervisors unanimously approved a lease agreement this fall with Amazon, permitting it to operate from the parking lot.

The township will receive $30,000 annually, or $2,500 per month, per the lease agreement.

Further details of the lease agreement were not made available.

Amazon selected Armstrong County as one of two locations nationwide for a pilot program aimed at providing maximum efficiency for local delivery.

Township resident Phillip Tompkins, 47, first noticed the new center on Election Day and said it has caused a bit of a buzz.

"I saw that and I was curious," Tompkins said Friday. "I asked, 'Hey, what is that?' "

The climate-controlled 40-foot-by-8-foot modular storage facility is used daily by Amazon delivery drivers to access and pick up packages for local delivery.

The unit features 12 separate compartments that are accessed electronically by Amazon Flex drivers, non-Amazon employees who use their own vehicles to deliver Amazon packages.

Supervisor Joe Charlton said Amazon approached the township about the new facility. It's been a win-win for the township and surrounding areas since opening, he said.

"It's a great opportunity not only for the township and county, and it's a small footprint and brings rental income to the township, which helps to defray our expenses," Charlton said. "It does not interrupt our township operations at all and increases delivery efficiencies for township and county residents."

Tompkins agreed.

"As a resident, it's bringing in income to the township, and that's exciting. It's not a big warehouse like the one in Sewickley. It's low impact and created local jobs," said Tompkins.

Supervisor Paul Bergad said township officials had several talks with Amazon officials to secure the deal.

"This is nationwide and still in the test phases, I believe," Bergad said.

Amazon spokesperson Sam Fisher confirmed Friday the Armstrong County facility will expedite delivery and said Amazon Flex delivery drivers partner with Amazon but are not Amazon employees.

"We're always looking to better serve our customers," Fisher said. "At this facility in Armstrong County, Amazon Flex delivery partners will pick up customer orders for fast, local delivery."

Fisher declined to provide additional information on the pilot program or provide an update on a warehouse in New Stanton, except to say it's not open. A distribution warehouse with a pickup area for customers opened in late summer in North Versailles.

In South Buffalo, Amazon trucks pull up to the back of the township building daily to unload packages that are stored via conveyors inside each bay.

The facility is under video surveillance for added security.

Tompkins said he first noticed the storage unit when he went to vote Tuesday.

"They were training and they were definitely learning the system. Maybe South Buffalo is really leading the way in this type of technology," Tompkins said.

South Buffalo and a town in Florida were two locations vying to land the new center, with supervisors voting unanimously to approve the Amazon lease.

"I think it's key that this isn't big. A lot of communities are rejecting the big warehouses, and this type of thing I'm good with," Tompkins said.

Tompkins said he's happy to see the Amazon presence in the township, and he offered some advice for the supervisors: "Keep doing what you're doing and don't raise our taxes — and keep putting South Buffalo on the map."

Charlton said the money from the lease agreement will go into the general operating account to defray township expenses.

"It's so new, we haven't allocated it anywhere yet," Charlton said.

Joyce Hanz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joyce by email at jhanz@triblive.com or via Twitter .