Badiee Development has logistics and industrial projects throughout the Western U.S., but its current focus is the region’s three S’s: San Diego, Sacramento, Calif., and Salt Lake City.
“Badiee Development is prioritizing leasing at our existing projects in San Diego and Sacramento, and entitling future projects in San Diego, Sacramento and Salt Lake City,” says Ben Badiee, the firm’s founder and CEO. “Our company holds a ‘land bank’ with plans to develop more than 2 million square feet across four distinct projects in three markets.”
San Diego
Badiee’s headquarters is ripe with industrial ventures for the firm. These include the two-building, 242,969-square-foot Sanyo Logistics Center and the 38-acre Britannia Airway Logistics Center, both of which are being built near the Mexican border in Otay Mesa.
Britannia Airway has also been entitled for an interim use of industrial outdoor storage (IOS), allowing the project to accommodate about 1,000 trucks and trailers.
“Being in our ‘backyard,’ Otay Mesa has proven to be a highly successful market for the firm,” Badiee says. “It is at the forefront of the onshoring/nearshoring trend for the U.S. and Mexico, and land availabilities are scarce.”
Sacramento
Land scarcity has also been a driver for Badiee in Sacramento where it’s developing another phase of Metro Air Park. The 40-acre industrial park already boasts more than 500,000 square feet of logistics and distribution space, but plans are in the works for another 550,000 square feet. The two prime parcels are fully entitled and shovel ready, with plans for a 193,600-square-foot building and a 358,837-square-foot building on 32.2 acres.
“Metro Air Park is poised for long-term success as one of the last developable industrial parks in the greater Sacramento region,” Badiee explains. “Sacramento is a beacon of opportunity, offering a compelling blend of strategic location, affordability and access to a talented workforce…making it a prime target for our investment and development initiatives.”
Badiee notes he appreciates the region’s advantageous position near the Sacramento Airport, the San Francisco Bay Area and Oakland port. It also serves as mid-point for Reno, Nev.
Beyond that, he was drawn to the many universities that surround Sacramento and create a steady stream of skilled labor. These talent funnels can be seen in the companies that call the Sacramento region home, including Walmart, SC Johnson, Amazon, UPS, Target and more.
Salt Lake City
Badiee is also capitalizing on Salt Lake City through its 21-acre, five-building Jordan River Innovation Center in nearby Taylorsville. The project is fully entitled as Badiee finalizes the site’s rough grading. The firm has taken an intentionally patient approach to Jordan River’s groundbreaking due to the spike in construction costs and rising interest rates, though Badiee is bullish on this project and market.
“Given the solid industrial market in Salt Lake City, we remain confident that there will be significant demand for this product when we break ground later this year,” he explains. “The timing could not be more opportune in the Salt Lake City industrial market. The market remains robust, characterized by vibrant leasing activity, an influx of new institutional buyers and a lack of new industrial projects entering the market.”
Jordan River’s five flexible buildings will total more than 300,000 square feet of space, accommodating tenants ranging from 5,000 square feet to 120,000 square feet. It’s positioned just off the main I-15 corridor near the airport and downtown areas.
“The center’s adjacency to a golf course within a business park, in addition to being a 20-minute drive to Snowbird and Alta Ski Resorts, makes it a desirable place to own a business,” Badiee adds. “Jordan River Innovation Center is a legacy project for Badiee and is positioned to be a long-term hold for the company’s portfolio.”
Though the firm and its leader have their hands full with these projects, Badiee notes they will continue to look for new opportunities in various Western markets.
— Nellie Day