The Gateway Commerce Center capitalizes on the dense infrastructural buildup of the regionÑwith rail, barge, truck, and air facilities all close at hand. From a logistical standpoint, the geographic and infrastructural position of the American Bottom remains a site of nearly messianic centrality--whose success is a sort of geographic fait accompli. And, if current tenants are any indication, the likes of Hershey, Unilever, and Procter & Gamble agree.

The low-slung warehouses might look like the degree-zero of architecture, but they are best understood as economic instruments. All part of Foreign Trade Zone No. 31Ña public/private partnership run by the Tri-Cities Regional Port DistrictÑthe FTZ status of the Park eases and eliminates a number of duty requirements for materials that are stored, exported, or otherwise pass through the Commerce Center. As hot spot in the geography of economies, it is also an Illinois Enterprise Zone and TIF district.

The GCCÕs website positions itself along numerous well-rehearsed labor and industrial linesÑfirst, as an alternative to the Southern California ports that are known for labor strife, and secondly as second-only to Chicago in its railroad workforce and within reach of taking over from the Windy CityÕs prominence as the countryÕs largest freight manager. The ParkÕs master plan includes interstate grade roadways and infrastructural with high-capacity utilities ready at hand. The north boundary of the Park has access to the main line of the Norfolk Southern Railroad, with the 62-acre Triple Crown intermodal center stretched along its northern boundary as well.