Industrial

ST. CHARLES, MO. — Air Products has selected Fountain Lakes Commerce Center, which is located at Interstate 370 and Elm Street in St. Charles, as the site for its new 269,837-square-foot production facility. Korte Construction is building the two-phased, $54 million project. The first phase of the project will consist of a 98,047-square-foot facility that is slated for completion by the middle of next year; the second phase will consist of a 171,790-square-foot facility that is scheduled to open in 2010. The Millstone Company is the owner and developer of the 475-acre Fountain Lakes Commerce Center. Tom Erman and Kevin McKeon of NAI DESCO represented Air Products in its acquisition of the 12-acre site. The new facility will allow Air Products to increase output of its membrane products by more than 50 percent. The company currently operates a membrane production facility at 11444 Lackland Ave. in St. Louis County. Upon completion of the new facility, the existing plant will continue to operate.

AURORA, ILL. — Atlanta-based IDI will develop a build-to-suit facility for Weinheim, Germany-based Freudenberg Household Products within its Prairie Point West Business Park, which is located at 2188 Diehl Rd. in Aurora. Freudenberg has signed a 10-year lease for the 525,000-square-foot building. Situated on a 28.5-acre parcel, the new facility will serve as Freudenberg’s North American headquarters, and will include space for the company’s manufacturing, distribution and administrative operations. The $30 million building will include a 35,000-square-foot office component, as well as 32-foot clear ceiling heights, 40 truck dock doors, parking for 350 cars and 30 truck stalls, which is expandable to 90. The city of Aurora is finalizing an incentives package for the project that includes a 10-year tax abatement of up to $1.5 million and a waiver of 75 percent of building permit fees during construction. George Cibula, Richard Daly and Joe Bronson of Darwin Realty & Development Corp. represented Freudenberg Household Products; Kirk Armour and David Prell of CB Richard Ellis represented IDI in the transaction. Freudenberg Household Products plans to move into its new facility by September.