Property Type

By Maxx Kossof, The Missner Group Chicago’s industrial market is active — vacancy is low, rents are up and the construction pipeline remains substantial. But the market is not uniform. Smaller deals, in tighter locations and existing buildings, are moving. That segment has been underserved for some time, and that is starting to change. Big box is largely spoken for Chicago’s active construction pipeline is significant, but the majority of it is already committed. The large projects breaking ground  are build-to-suit developments for specific users, including Kimberly-Clark, CJ Logistics and Walmart. Big speculative groundbreakings have been largely absent for some time, reflecting a period of softer leasing demand that is only now beginning to recover. That pipeline serves an important segment of the market, but a narrow one. Most tenants are not those users. They are regional distributors, light manufacturers and last-mile operators looking for 25,000 to 90,000 square feet in a location that works for their workforce and customers. For years, speculative development bypassed this segment in favor of larger tenants and higher absolute rents. That is beginning to shift. Infill is competitive  When a well-located older building becomes available in Chicago, there is real competition for it. The …