Industrial

Adaptive Reuse in Core New Orleans Pushes Industrial Activity Westward

by John Nelson January 14, 2019

When real estate professionals think of the New Orleans industrial market, oil companies, the Port of New Orleans (recently rebranded Port NOLA) and distribution companies come to mind. That thought is currently undergoing an evolution. The historically industrial areas of New Orleans are being absorbed seemingly daily by an insurgence of retail and entertainment-based business. As traditional retail in American shopping and strip malls is on the decline, developers are rushing to buy warehouses for physical entertainment and non-traditional uses. Port NOLA used to be home strictly to cargo ships and tankers, but is now expanding to fill the need of cruise ships. Norwegian, Carnival and the newly announced Viking Cruise lines all now use it as a docking port. The $2 billion port master plan encompasses the growth needs of the cruise ships, as well as the recently announced deepening of the Mississippi River’s main channel to 50 feet. However, Tchoupitoulas Street warehouses that once served the port are being turned into cross-training gyms and breweries. High-profile industrial properties are in huge demand. Drive Shack, a competitor of popular Topgolf, is developing a $29 million venue at the old Times-Picayune newspaper site owned by Howard Investors LLC, which is …

January 14, 2019

Hawaii Industrial Market Reports Western Western Market Reports

Hawaii Has Faced A Compressed Industrial Market, But Relief Is in Sight

by Taylor Williams January 3, 2019

When we last reported on the health of Hawaii’s industrial market in 2018, we offered rationale for a then 2.02 percent Oahu industrial vacancy rate. This rate was fueled by the completion of many large residential high rises in urban Honolulu, the ongoing construction of a $9.2 billion light rail system (voter approved at less than $5 billion), and booming tourism and military sectors, our two biggest economic drivers. Oahu’s small, 41 million-square-foot industrial market was under further compression as industrial product was either being taken — or functionally interrupted — by the state to support light rail construction or lost to high-rise residential construction and the expansion of our main Honolulu harbor. A prohibitive industrial construction cost scale, which generally exceeds $125 per square foot for metal skin shell warehouse, had also slowed spec and build-to-suit construction. Fast forward to late 2019, and our market reflects an Oahu industrial vacancy rate of just 2.13 percent, a monthly industrial base rent average of $1.24 per square foot and monthly operating expenses of $0.41 per square foot. Much of this rate is composed of property taxes, which have increased more than 30 percent year over year in some areas, and 50 …

January 3, 2019

Industrial Market Reports Texas Texas Market Reports

Houston’s Industrial Vacancy, Supply of Developable Sites Dwindle

by Taylor Williams December 28, 2018

Industrial space throughout the Houston continues to be absorbed at an astonishing clip, pushing vacancy levels to some of their lowest points this cycle. According to Stream’s data, the overall industrial vacancy rate in Houston closed the third quarter at 4.9 percent. Vacancy rates in the six major Houston submarkets are all below 7 percent for the first time since Stream entered the Houston market in 2006. The low vacancy rate across the market has triggered waves of new development. Stream estimates that across Houston, there is approximately 14 million square feet of institutional-quality space under construction, with another 25 million square feet already having delivered since 2014. To put that in perspective, Stream tracked the overall market at 260 million square feet in 2014 compared to 285 million square feet today – a 9% market growth over that four-year period. If you layer in the product under construction today, that takes that growth to over 13 percent. Despite a hefty volume of development hitting the Houston market, leasing velocity continues to outpace new deliveries, keeping market fundamentals in check. This strength is attributable to many macro-economic factors but strong population growth, e-commerce, Hurricane Harvey recovery and the boom in …

December 28, 2018

Georgia Industrial Market Reports Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Historically Low Vacancy, Port Growth Drive Savannah’s Industrial Development

by John Nelson December 17, 2018

Though Savannah by all standards is a small industrial market, you would never know it from the activity in the area. At 57 million square feet, the port city is poised to add an astounding 9.75 million square feet of inventory by mid-2019. The force behind all of this growth is attributed to one key factor: The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA). The GPA is an economic giant in Georgia supporting one of every 11 jobs in the state and accounting for 8 percent of its GDP. Home to the largest single-container terminal in North America, GPA moved more than 4.2 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) in fiscal year 2018, an 8 percent increase over 2017 and an all-time record for the port. With both CSX and Norfolk Southern on terminal, GPA also handled a record 435,000 rail lifts in FY 2018, which was a 16.1 percent increase over 2017. As the fastest growing port in the country, one might be concerned about congestion becoming an issue for the port, but reinvestment remains a top priority. The GPA recently opened its second inland port to move more containers toward population centers via CSX rail. It doesn’t hurt either that Savannah, geographically …

December 17, 2018

Industrial Market Reports Massachusetts Northeast Northeast Market Reports

Greater Boston Industrial Market – ‘If You Build it, They Will Come’

by David Cohen December 12, 2018

The Greater Boston industrial market is busier than ever. Supply for quality warehouse and flex space is limited and the demand is at an unprecedented high. As a result, we have seen rents soar, achieving upwards of $7 to $7.50 Triple Net rent along I-495, and $9 to $11 Triple Net rent along Route 128, notable increases from just a few years ago. To coin a well-known quote from the 1989 film Field of Dreams, “If you build it, they will come,” and both investors and tenants continue flocking to the industrial real estate market in the Commonwealth, in some cases making their first appearance in Massachusetts, or in others looking to expand their presence here. Along with the usual suspects, we are seeing plenty of non-traditional industrial buyer groups as well as users who are now seeing the value in the region and asset class. While developers have experienced tremendous success to date with speculative builds, there are undoubtedly some potential risks on the horizon. Tenants are looking for clear heights exceeding 30 feet with as many loading docks as possible, a first-class inventory type that is far from common or plentiful in our marketplace. To accommodate changing tenant …

December 12, 2018

California Industrial Market Reports Western Western Market Reports

Orange County’s Industrial Demand Fuels Rent Growth

by Taylor Williams December 11, 2018

The industrial market in Orange County remains strong as demand continues to far outweigh supply. Vacancy throughout the region remains at historic lows, staying below 3 percent for the 13th consecutive quarter through the third quarter of this year. The largest submarket, North Orange County, is also the tightest submarket with a 1.2 percent overall vacancy. As an infill market, we do not anticipate significant increases in vacancy within the Orange County industrial marketplace for the foreseeable future, despite the new developments recently delivered, planned or under construction. There are several significant industrial development projects in various stages in the county. This is welcome news by users seeking to upgrade and expand into modern facilities while maintaining local operations. The first is a 30-acre redevelopment site in Huntington Beach that was purchased by Sares Regis Group earlier this year. Sares Regis is expected to begin construction shortly, with plans to deliver more than 600,000 square feet of new product in late 2019. Shea Properties recently began construction on Shea Business Center in Santa Ana, which is planned for nearly 530,000 square feet and a completion date in 2019. Western Realco is also nearing completion of Beckman Business Center, a 900,000-square-foot, …

December 11, 2018

Industrial Market Reports Michigan Midwest Midwest Market Reports

Strong Manufacturing Industry Boosts Grand Rapids Industrial Market

by Kristin Harlow December 6, 2018

Last month I attended the NAI Global convention in Austin, Texas, and had the opportunity to talk with industrial real estate brokers from around the country. One thing was clear: there are many markets across the country that are facing the same dilemma as we are in West Michigan. The supply of vacant industrial buildings is at an all-time low, and construction costs are rising rapidly. Booming economy The manufacturing industry is extremely strong in West Michigan. Historically known for the automotive and furniture sectors, West Michigan has developed a strong presence in the medical device manufacturing, food processing and aerospace sectors. This diversity is a good indicator of stability for the West Michigan manufacturing sector for the foreseeable future. The strength of the economy has encouraged many companies to expand operations and has attracted numerous out-of-market companies to West Michigan. Low inventory The industrial vacancy rate in the greater Grand Rapids market is currently 1.6 percent, which is historically low. In order to provide some context, in 2012 the vacancy rate was 7.2 percent. Typically, when the vacancy rate is this low, it is a clear indicator that inventory is too low, and the construction of new buildings …

December 6, 2018

Industrial Market Reports New Jersey Northeast Market Reports

Location, Demand Drive Statewide Growth in New Jersey Industrial Market

by David Cohen December 5, 2018

A combination of location and demand for e-commerce continues to drive industrial activity across New Jersey, spurring increased activity in the already robust northern and central regions of the state and driving a frenzy of activity in the south. Unlike some of the previous speculative booms, however, this one appears be carefully thought out and is likely to be sustainable. Northern and Central New Jersey We are seeing an enormous increase in the number of tenants interested in the market who face a limited supply. Across Northern and Central New Jersey, a record low vacancy rate of 3.4 percent is pushing rental rates to an all-time high despite a healthy but cautious building cycle. The region is an inherently attractive one, thanks to its proximity to New York City and Port Newark as well as the ability to reach 60-plus million people in the tri-state area in a matter of hours. Speculative development across North and Central New Jersey is ongoing, and we anticipate a number of legacy sites to be redeveloped during the next two- to five-year period. Of course, the 2008 recession remains on everyone’s mind. Accordingly, speculative velocity is not as robust as it was in previous …

December 5, 2018

Industrial Market Reports Nevada Western Western Market Reports

Reno’s Industrial Market Continues to Attract Attention

by Taylor Williams December 4, 2018

The industrial market’s direct vacancy in greater Reno increased by 80 basis points to 4.53 percent at the end of the third quarter of 2018. It was carried by 715,821 square feet of positive net absorption, a relatively below average figure, as well as by an increase in new deliveries. Notwithstanding, pending transactions currently underway in the fourth quarter should mitigate the increase in the market’s overall vacancy. Tenant demand in the third quarter was robust for spaces with less than 50,000 square feet. Transactions that involved Class A space accounted for 84 percent of the total gross absorption. The North Valley was the best performer of all the submarkets, resulting in a 35 percent decrease in availability. The I-80/East submarket, however, recorded a substantially negative quarter due to deliveries/new availability pushing the vacancy to 12 percent. Sublease availability was static for yet another quarter, which demonstrates stability in the market. The average transaction size in Reno decreased slightly to 53,195 square feet. Heading into the fourth quarter, the market witnessed an increase in inquiries and tours involving more than 200,000 square feet. This gave existing landlords confidence that vacancies and new deliveries will be leased in the short term. …

December 4, 2018

Industrial Kentucky Market Reports Southeast Southeast Market Reports

Steady Demand, Available Labor Prepare Louisville’s Industrial Market for Success

by John Nelson December 2, 2018

Strong market performance has allowed the Louisville industrial market to recently post the highest quarter of positive net absorption in market history during the second quarter of 2018, which occurred on the heels of the second-highest quarter of positive net absorption recorded just one quarter earlier. This outcome has been the result of recent build-to-suit projects, the availability of quality product and growing demand by new and prospective tenants in the Louisville market. Beyond healthy supply and demand fundamentals, Louisville is achieving great balance with access to available labor along with low utility costs. Tenant Demand Picks Up There are currently over 20 active prospects considering 200,000 square feet or larger in the metro Louisville market. Much of this demand is attributed to the high level of activity at the two local Ford Motor Co. plants, as well as the proximity of the UPS Worldport, the 5.2 million-square-foot-core of UPS’s global air network located in the heart of metro Louisville. Along with the natural interest from companies in the automotive supply chain and e-commerce companies benefiting from the proximity to UPS, we have recently seen an increase in pharmaceutical and food-related companies considering Louisville for a location. Strong Labor Force …

December 2, 2018

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