By John Haba, principal, Gensler Houston The demands of global economics and trade continue to evolve in the wake of rapid digital transformation. There is an urgent need to build more resilient supply chains and infrastructure as international disruptions impact local economies. With this shift comes a great opportunity for industrial and logistics facilities to become more efficient, responsive and resilient. A key consideration in the evolution of the industrial sector is how a company embraces safety culture. Safety culture focuses on preplanning the processes needed to achieve an end goal while also continuously and purposefully reviewing and optimizing that goal as it relates to safety, quality, cost and constructability. There is demonstrated value in having architecture, engineering and construction consultants understand the significance of safety culture because it allows for “outside the box” thinking to bring value to a solution. This leads to efficiencies in construction and operations, an increased quality of work and a better value proposition. Efficiencies in Construction, Operations Today, site selection is more challenging than ever before, primarily due to the connectivity of infrastructure and systems, including water, electrical, gas, sewage and more recently, data. This is also compounded by the historical issue of community …
Industrial
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Houston-based developer Alliance Industrial has broken ground on Connor Lane Business Park, a 170,959-square-foot industrial project in northeast Austin. The development will consist of two buildings totaling 87,467 and 83,492 square feet, with depths of 120 feet and 175 feet, respectively. Both buildings will feature 32-foot clear heights and 130-foot truck court depths, and the complex will offer a total of 70 dock doors. Construction is slated for a fourth-quarter delivery. Alliance Industrial has tapped Colliers as the leasing agent.
NORFOLK, VA. — Houston-based Lovett Industrial and Chicago-based Heitman LLC have acquired Diamond Hill Distribution Center, a four-building industrial park in Norfolk spanning 720,000 square feet. The seller and sales price were not disclosed. Cushman & Wakefield brokered the transaction, and John Alascio of Cushman & Wakefield arranged an undisclosed amount of acquisition financing through Voya Financial on behalf of the buyers. Located on State Route 168 with adjacent access to I-64 and I-464, Diamond Hill is situated near Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, as well as the Port of Virginia’s Norfolk International Terminal and Virginia International Gateway port terminals. The park’s four buildings all have rail spurs that are activable for Norfolk Southern’s main line. The property was fully leased at the time of sale to four tenants and features a combined 96 loading positions, additional trailer parking, over 520 auto parking stalls and 27- to 29-foot clear heights. Lovett Industrial and Heitman have tapped Charles Dickinson of Harvey Lindsey Commercial Real Estate to lease and market Diamond Hill.
Clear Sky Capital Receives $17.5M Construction Loan for Self-Storage Project in Scottsdale, Arizona
by Amy Works
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. — Clear Sky Capital has obtained $17.5 million in construction financing for a self-storage facility at 16136 N. Pima Road in Scottsdale. With completion slated for third-quarter 2025, the four-story, Class A facility will include 1,051 climate-controlled self-storage units and 15 luxury collector car/recreational vehicle storage spaces. Additionally, the property will feature a state-of-the-art security system, including exterior surveillance. Kevin Mackenzie and Jason Carlos of JLL Capital Markets’ debt advisory team secured the loan for the borrower through Enterprise Bank and Trust.
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. — JLL has brokered the sale of a 216,000-square-foot warehouse in South Brunswick, located just outside of Trenton. Built in 1991, the cross-dock facility at 152 Ridge Road features a clear height of 30 feet and 33 loading docks and was fully leased at the time of sale to an undisclosed, third-party logistics company. The unnamed owner sold the asset to Atlanta-based Invesco Real Estate for an undisclosed price. Jordan Avanzato, Marc Duval, Nicholas Stefans, Jason Lundy, Jose Cruz and Conor Walsh of JLL brokered the deal.
LOS ANGELES — Lee & Associates – LA North/Ventura has brokered the acquisition of an industrial property located at 10643 Glenoaks Blvd. in the Pacoima neighborhood of Los Angeles. Greater Los Angeles Vector Control District, a local government health entity, acquired the asset from Glenoaks Partners for $13.1 million. Chris McKenzie of Lee & Associates – LA North/Ventura represented the seller in the transaction. The asset features 38,063 square feet of industrial space with 13,086 square feet of office space and high-power capabilities.
BURLINGTON, MASS. — Geotechnical engineering services firm McPhail Associates has signed a 12,739-square-foot lease at an industrial flex property in Burlington, a northwestern suburb of Boston. According to LoopNet Inc., the property at 42-44 Third Ave. was originally constructed in 1966 and totals 25,521 square feet. ABG Commercial Realty represented the landlord, Nordblom Management Co., in the lease negotiations. The representative of the tenant was not disclosed.
LEANDER, TEXAS — Baltimore-based St. John Properties will develop Leander Tech Park, a 270,000-square-foot industrial project that will be located on the northern outskirts of Austin. Situated on 50 acres, Leander Tech Park will comprise eight buildings ranging in size from 31,560 to 50,639 square feet that will be developed in phases. The first phase will consist of two buildings totaling roughly 90,000 square feet. Construction of Phase I will start later this year and is expected to be complete in the third quarter of 2025. Leander Tech Park will also feature 18,850 square feet of inline retail space. Colin Tierney and Taylor Golden of Gold Tier Real Estate represented the seller, steel fabricator Zekelman Industries, in the disposition of the land.
RICHARDSON, TEXAS — Lee & Associates has negotiated an 8,710-square-foot lease at Arapaho Place, a 151,728-square-foot industrial flex complex located in the northeastern Dallas suburb of Richardson. Jessica Reinhardt, George Tanghongs and Ally Tanghongs of Lee & Associates represented the landlord, an entity doing business as Dallas North Industrial LLC, in the lease negotiations. Nathaniel Barrett of White Rock Realty represented the tenant, Indian software developer Incresol Inc.
StarPoint Properties Nears Completion of 157,473 SF Point Central Business Park in Denver
by Amy Works
DENVER — StarPoint Properties is nearing completion of Point Central Business Park, a speculative industrial project situated on more than 9.5 acres in Denver. Commencing construction last summer, the park is scheduled for completion in the second quarter of this year. Located at 1051 E. 73 Ave., the 157,473-square-foot park features a 74,618-square-foot building and an 82,855-square-foot building. The development can accommodate occupier sizes ranging from 13,000 square feet to 157,000 square feet. Each building offers 2,358 square feet of high-end speculative office space, 2,000A/480V electrical and 32-foot clear heights. The park features 225 parking spaces, 27 dock-high truck doors (with the ability to add an additional 23 doors) and eight drive-in doors. Drew McManus, Bryan Fry and Ryan Searle of Cushman & Wakefield are marketing the property for lease.