Eagan Just Approved a 337,000 Sq. Ft. Industrial Building on the Old Thomson Reuters Campus

TLDR

• Eagan’s Planning Commission voted 7-0 on Feb. 24 to recommend approval of a new 337,000 sq. ft. industrial building on the former Thomson Reuters campus.
• The building will operate 24/7 with up to 200 employees and delivery contractors running from 3am to 8pm.
• This is widely associated with Amazon’s “Project Nova” — though the tenant hasn’t been officially named.
• It goes to Eagan City Council on March 17, 2026.

The former Thomson Reuters campus in Eagan is getting closer to its next chapter — and it’s a big one. On February 24th, Eagan’s Advisory Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of a 337,000 square foot industrial building on the south side of the redevelopment site.

What Was Approved (So Far)

The commission voted 7-0 on two things: a plan development amendment allowing the new building, and a preliminary subdivision creating two lots from the 30.6-acre south industrial area.

Here’s what the building looks like on paper. It’s 337,000 square feet — think about 6 football fields of floor space. It sits at the southwest corner of Opperman Drive and Highway 149. It’ll be 43 feet tall. It’ll have parking on three sides, with truck loading docks and a flex loading area on the south side.

The tenant plans to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with three shifts of 30-60 employees to start. They’re projecting 200 total employees eventually. Ten trucks will deliver product daily. Private contractors using personal vehicles for deliveries will be on-site from roughly 3am to 8pm.

That last detail — the delivery contractor hours — is a pretty specific clue about who’s moving in. But Ryan Companies hasn’t officially named the tenant.

The Thomson Reuters Backstory

This building is part of a much bigger story. Thomson Reuters sold 179 acres of its massive Eagan campus — an office park once built for 7,000 workers — to Ryan Companies for $41 million in December 2024. Ryan’s master redevelopment plan, approved by the Eagan City Council in November 2024, calls for the south section of the campus to become industrial — up to four buildings total. This is the first of those buildings to move toward construction. Lot 2 (10.89 acres) remains for future development.

The total south industrial area is now planned for 633,500 square feet of building space — about 45,000 more than originally anticipated, but still within the range studied in the city’s environmental review.

A Few Approved Deviations

The commission kept previously approved deviations in place: reduced parking ratios, smaller parking stall sizes, and building heights up to 50 feet (this building comes in at 43 feet, well under the cap).

New deviations approved: green space on Lot 1 at 24.9% — just under the 25% minimum — and reduced architectural requirements on the south (loading dock) side of the building. The parking lot facing Highway 149 also won’t get full screening plantings because the topography makes large plantings impractical there.

What Happens Next

This goes to the Eagan City Council on March 17, 2026. After that, Ryan Companies moves into final design and eventually construction. Track Eagan’s development projects at cityofeagan.com/development. You can also get all the south metro development updates through the South Metro Scoop newsletter.

The Bottom Line

This is the south metro’s biggest development story right now. The old Thomson Reuters campus is becoming a major logistics hub — and if it is Amazon, it’ll bring hundreds of jobs and significant economic activity to Eagan. The commission said yes unanimously. The City Council has the final word on March 17th.

FAQ

Is this definitely Amazon?

Officially? No. The tenant is unnamed. But the project has been publicly reported as Amazon’s “Project Nova,” and the 24/7 operations, delivery contractor hours (3am–8pm), and distribution-style building all point that direction.

How big is 337,000 square feet really?

About six football fields of floor space under one roof. A typical Target store is around 130,000 square feet. This is nearly three times that.

Will this affect traffic near Opperman Drive and Highway 149?

There’ll be 10 truck deliveries per day and delivery contractors throughout the day. The access design uses a private street (Nassif Way) for full intersection access at Opperman Drive, with right-in/right-out at Highway 149. A traffic study found the intersection will operate at acceptable levels.

What’s going to be built on Lot 2 next?

That’s TBD. Lot 2 (10.89 acres) is created by this subdivision for future industrial development. No proposal has been submitted yet.

When might construction start?

After City Council approval on March 17th, the project still needs final subdivision approval and permits. A realistic timeline for construction start is likely mid-to-late 2026.