A second independently-developed project by Andy and Bruce Brownis going up on Old Lexington Road. The developers' decisions tobuild were triggered by FedEx plans to erect a mega distributioncomplex at Piedmont Triad International Airport.

Big Hat plans a 500,000-sf structure with an estimatedconstruction cost of $30 million and a 200,000-sf building expectedto cost $12 million. The buildings will offer 33-foot ceilings tohandle vertical cargo stacking. The project will take three yearsto complete. Merritt and Chapman bought the 62 acres two years agofrom Sara Lee Corp. at the bargain price of $482,500, or $7,782 peracre (18 cents per sf).

Triad Commercial Properties will lease Big Hat's park for atleast $3 per sf, or about $1 less than distribution space aroundPiedmont Triad International Airport. Local brokers say there ishigh demand in the Triad for distribution and warehouse spacelarger than 150,000 sf.