The “real thing” is coming to Manteca in a big way.

The city is currently processing development and environmental documents to allow the construction of a 295,176-square-foot beverage and beer distribution center primarily for Coca-Cola and Coors beer products.

Known as the GBx Manteca Project, it is located in northwest Manteca. It is to the west of the Crothall Laundry and borders the Union Pacific tracks.

It is separated from Lathrop Road by land zoned for general commercial.

As part of the CenterPoint development that currently includes Amazon, Tactical 5.11, and Penske Logistics (the disturbing firm for Lowe’s Home Improvement), it will be accessed by Intermodal Way.

The beverage distribution facility will generate 132 truck trips per day as well as 530 passenger vehicle trips.

The site will have parking for 241 cars as well as 56 trailer stalls..

The site will provide temporary housing of beverage and beer products for distribution in the local area — Modesto, Stockton, Tracy, Manteca-Lathrop and nearby communities.

As such, it represents a niche distribution market that Manteca is seeking to capitalize on.

Manteca is roughly 15 miles from Tracy, Modesto, and Stockton and as such is at the epicenter of 1.1 million consumers in the fastest growing region in California.

Firms have been looking to Manteca to consolidate operations for increased efficiency. Over the year examples are J&M Farm Equipment that replaced separate facilities in Modesto and Stockton with one in Manteca on Spreckels Avenue.

Another example is Frito-Lay. The firm also closed separate locations in Modesto and Stockton and consolidated them into one location on Spreckels Avenue as well.

Manteca has easy freeway access to the Tracy, Modesto, and Stockton areas.

Besides the efficiency of one location versus two or three, such consolidation can reduce the time and gas costs for deliveries.

It is why Amazon picked Manteca five years ago to launch its regional Amazon Prime service from a location off of Louise Avenue adjacent to the  Manteca Unified School District office complex.

The actual footprint of the proposed distribution center will be just over 280,000 square feet. That’s because it will include second floor space of 14,193 square feet that is part of the office area.

Some 20,000 square feet will have refrigerated storage for beer kegs that need to be kept at 38 degrees. There will also be a refrigerated area of 10,000-square feet at 58 degrees

 The structure will have 40 truck docks as well as three bays for truck maintenance.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com