Light industrial shells along the Interstate 40 bypass suit the kind of company that outgrows a garage or a rented bay and wants its own dock, and Weatherford has a steady supply of them. Wikipedia reports that I-40 was completed east and west of Weatherford in 1960 and that a southern bypass around the city opened in July 1970. A bypass moves through traffic away from downtown, and the land beside it tends to be flatter, cheaper and easier for a trailer to reach than infill lots. We build metal and tilt-wall shells there, 10,000 to 60,000 square feet, for users who need a clean, flexible space and a good truck approach.
Weatherford is about 70 miles west of Oklahoma City, close enough that a distributor can serve the metro on a short run and far enough that land costs behave like a western Oklahoma town. That combination is why we see regional parts houses, building-supply dealers and equipment sales and service companies choose it, and why a few owners use it as an overflow depot for metro operations.
Several sources on Weatherford are general references, so we word some points cautiously. The sections below describe our services, the local market, weather and our process.
Services that complete a light industrial shell
A shell is only the start. Most Weatherford owners need a floor that holds up under forklifts, a dock package that matches their trucks, and an office or showroom at the front of the building. Our industrial concrete floors work places a slab with a proper base, reinforcement and joint plan, and our dock equipment and levelers work sizes the pit and leveler for the trailers that visit.
For users with more complex needs, such as a parts business that wants a pick mezzanine, the mezzanine office buildout can be part of the original structure. Doing it together saves money, because the columns and the floor are designed once, not retrofitted.
What we build here
Typical Weatherford projects include a contractor's shop with an office, a regional distribution building, a flex building divided into several bays for small tenants and a manufacturer's expansion. The shop-and-office building is the simplest: a metal frame, a slab, a few overhead doors, offices and a yard. The distribution building adds docks, a longer clear span and heavier pavement. The flex building adds demising walls, separate utilities and individual entries.
Wikipedia reports that a roughly 50-year-old plant in Weatherford received a $15 million expansion in 2017 for flexographic packaging plates. We do not know the details of that project, but it shows that Weatherford has a manufacturing tradition, and that a plant can stay and grow. Suppliers who serve such a plant want warehouse space nearby, and we build for them.
Flex buildings deserve a note of their own. A 30,000-square-foot shell divided into four bays lets a developer lease to four small users instead of waiting for one large one, but each bay needs its own electrical meter, restroom, grade-level door and parking. Planning those items at the start costs far less than adding them after the first tenant signs, and it keeps the demising walls rated and the sprinkler system balanced across the bays.
A university town on a freight corridor
Wikipedia reports that Southwestern Oklahoma State University reached more than 4,200 undergraduates and post graduates by 2015, making it the largest institution of higher education in Western Oklahoma. A university is a steady demand source: food service, printing, facilities supply and maintenance all need storage, and a student population supports retail and delivery businesses that need small warehouses. It is also a labor source, which matters to a distribution owner hiring part-time shifts.
TravelOK describes the Weatherford Wind Energy Park as planned to reach as many as 98 wind turbines of 1.5 megawatts each, covering more than 5,000 acres in Custer County, with turbines visible from I-40. Wind projects need long-term maintenance, and maintenance crews need storage and shops. We keep the possibility in mind when we lay out a flexible building. The airport, Thomas P. Stafford Airport, has a 5100' x 75' paved runway according to Wikipedia, which suits small aircraft and does not drive our freight design. Owners also look at Clinton and Elk City, and compare I-40 frontage in all three.
Tornado history and wind design
The National Weather Service Norman tornado list for Weatherford records an F3 tornado on May 25, 1962 from south of Weatherford to southeast Weatherford, with 4 injuries, and the Custer County list records an F4 tornado on June 10, 1967 with 4 deaths and 1 injury. These are older events, but they remain a part of the local memory and they inform how we design. We detail roofs and walls for uplift, brace end walls, use wind-rated overhead doors and offer a reinforced interior refuge.
We also handle safety on our job sites. Daily briefings, fall protection for steel erection and controlled truck access are standard, and we verify that electrical, mechanical, plumbing and roofing subcontractors are licensed. If your building will store hazardous materials, we design the rooms and ventilation with your safety officer and the fire marshal.
Codes and how we work with the city
The state sets minimum codes through the Uniform Building Code Commission, and cities adopt and enforce their own editions and amendments. We contact the Weatherford building office early to confirm which edition applies, what the local amendments say and what the review time is. Oklahoma does not license general contractors, so we explain who is responsible for what in the contract.
We then work with the owner on a short list of decisions that shape the building: size, height, door count and yard. We present options with prices, and we help the owner choose. For an owner who wants to lease to a tenant, our spec warehouse shells are delivered ready for a tenant's own fit-out, and the building products trade is a frequent tenant on I-40.
Walk a Weatherford lot with us
Tell us what you store, how many bays you need and which trucks arrive. We will review the lot, the utilities and the permit path, then return a concept and a rough budget.
Common Questions
Why build along the I-40 bypass?
Wikipedia reports that a southern bypass around Weatherford opened in July 1970, and I-40 was completed east and west of the city in 1960. Land along a bypass tends to be flatter and easier for a trailer to reach. We check the entry geometry on any lot.
How far is Weatherford from Oklahoma City?
About 70 miles west. That is close enough for a same-day metro run and far enough for lower land costs. We help owners compare that tradeoff against other western Oklahoma towns.
Does the university create warehouse demand?
A university supports food service, printing, supply and maintenance businesses that need storage. We do not assume any particular contract, but we design flexible buildings that can serve those users.
Should I plan around the wind energy park?
TravelOK describes a planned park of up to 98 turbines covering more than 5,000 acres, visible from I-40. Wind projects require maintenance, which can mean storage needs. We design flexible shells that can serve such users, but we do not size your building to a project.
How do you protect a building from tornadoes?
The city and county have had F3 and F4 tornadoes in 1962 and 1967. We detail the structure for uplift, brace the end walls, use wind-rated doors and can add a reinforced refuge area.