A couple of years ago, I discussed how Express was getting ready to consolidate some smaller stations into larger 'mega' stations. You can pull up the postings, its all here for all to read. I actually saw blueprints for a number of these planned stations, which were state of the art facilities.
Then something happened - they didn't get built with the exception of those that were REALLY needed (smaller stations in leased property which were forced out, leaving Express with no choice but to go forward).
This was yet again another business plan of Express which they dithered on, and in many cases put off indefinitely. The reason was cash flow. They had other things in mind back in late 2011 (I wonder what....) for their cash in 2012 and 2013. The money went to aircraft, and the current employee buyouts...
Express WILL consolidate many of their smaller stations into larger mega-stations. They've got Office to provide the 'customer service' for Express product (written extensively about this), so Express doesn't need to have WSCs spread out like they needed 10+ years ago. In addition, with the increasing span of control being forced on operations, having mega-stations ensures that at least one operations manager is present at all times. In some of the smaller stations right now (that have undergone a reduction in the number of ops managers), there are times when there isn't ANY manager on-site when operations are happening. This is usually in the PM during the reload, but Express doesn't like to have an operation running without at least one manager present.
Express knows that it can't continue to retrofit old buildings and have that be cost effective. So the 'plans' are to build mega-stations out in some empty field (low land acquisition cost), then build a facility which they believe they can get 30 years of use out of. The layout of the facility is optimized for traffic and package flow through the building, with optimized loading docks for CTVs. The buildings AREN'T placed to facilitate easy customer access (many of them are planned to be MILES outside normal commercial districts), they are placed to minimize land acquisition cost and more or less to encourage customers to utilize FedEx Office as their pickup and drop off points for shipments.
I'd look for Express to push ahead with this starting with the beginning of FY 15 (June 2014). They'll have the expense of the buyouts pretty much behind them at that point, and will be looking at the next phase of the reorganization to put cash into. They'll also have a better idea of just how big they need to have these stations, with all the part-time routes being run out of them (more vehicles needed), along with a better computation of the additional stem times involved (station consolidation by definition will result in an INCREASE in total stem time incurred in getting volume into and out of the larger consolidated station). An increase in stem time will mean an increase in routes - all to insure time commitment is met..