When we look back at the last couple of years in the Dallas/Fort Worth industrial real estate sector, it is absolutely certain that it’s been great to be a tenant. Landlords have been fighting for new deals and trying to keep the ones they have. But is next year going to be better or worse than this year? In the past year, there have been glimmers that the real estate market and the economy might be on the rebound. With a complete lack of any notable new speculative industrial construction in the past 3 years in DFW, we’ve all been working to fill up the existing vacant inventory. In the past 4 quarters, we’ve seen positive absorption of approximately 10 million square feet. We’ve moved the needle in DFW from 11.5 percent vacancy, to 10.5 percent in one year’s time. While that’s significant compared to where we’ve been, it’s approximately half of where we were in 2007 when we saw more than 20 million square feet of industrial absorption in 2007 in DFW alone. While it seems that the market is positioning itself for some sustained growth, the flex sector of the industrial market still seems to be flagging. Vacancy …
Industrial
Southeastern Wisconsin’s industrial market absorbed nearly 1.28 million square feet in the third quarter — the fifth consecutive quarter of positive absorption — and 2.87 million square feet of absorption year-to-date. The vacancy rate registered 7.6 percent in the third quarter, down from 9.2 percent a year ago, according to Xceligent/CARW. Leasing activity in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties has accounted for 80 percent of the 2.87 million square feet absorbed year-to-date. Kenosha and Racine counties both experienced positive absorption of 81,527 square feet and 486,832 square feet in the third quarter, respectively. While impressive, this data is less substantial than previous quarters that we have analyzed. Traditionally, Racine and Kenosha counties compete for tenants crossing over the border from Illinois. These two counties will likely attract the next speculative or build-to-suit developments in Southeastern Wisconsin. With leasing and sales activity continuing to be on the rise late into the third quarter, we expect these positive trends to carry over into the final quarter of 2011. Quality industrial space is being depleted in many of the more popular submarkets south of I-94 and west of I-45. Natural tensions between quality supply and increasing demand are causing a stabilization of lease rates …
As we approach the end of the 2011, there are clear indications of an improving economy. Although the rate of commercial property foreclosure is still high, the rate of absorption of foreclosed properties has risen appreciably. These properties are not sitting on the market like they did the previous 24 months. One may say that this is not only a clear indication that we have turned the corner, but also that the community has genuine faith in the investment in commercial real estate. Although it may be time-consuming for some local businesses to secure financing, it is evident that traditional lending institutions are far more accessible than they were in 2009 and early 2010, albeit some more than others. The Small Business Administration (SBA) programs are propagated frequently, and the qualification process is not as cumbersome as in years past. The types of businesses that have taken advantage of the improved lending environment vary, and include automotive parts suppliers, manufacturing businesses, and distribution companies. Many area businesses are unsure about the near future. Considering what Detroit has endured over the past three years, this is to be expected. Although cautious, these same businesses are moving forward in a confident manner. …
When people manufacture products in the U.S., they manufacture them in the Rust Belt, and Cleveland is in the heart of the Rust Belt. Our manufacturing sector has experienced increased occupancy and decreased vacancy levels quarter over quarter for the past three quarters. Cleveland historically has been a manufacturing market, and when manufacturing is strong the Northeast Ohio market is strong. In addition to the strength of manufacturing, the development of the Utica and Marcellus Shale is the biggest factor affecting Cleveland right now. The Utica and Marcellus Shales have been big in the Pennsylvania market for the past five years, but development is now moving westward into Ohio. As drilling increases, so too does the need for services for the drillers. The drillers and their service providers need real estate, and there have been dramatic increases in prices over the past four months in rural markets such as Steubenville, Ohio. That growth is beginning to move toward Youngstown, Warren, and up to the Streetsboro area. Employment is expected to grow dramatically over the next five years. While the overall manufacturing market is surging, there are still challenges in old properties that were modern in the 1930s and 40s, which …
While the San Antonio area has not been immune to the effects of the economic slowdown, the city’s location, business-friendly atmosphere, strong labor force and low cost of living continue to create a thriving environment for warehousing, logistics and manufacturing companies. One of those companies, Caterpillar Inc., recently completed the construction on the 260,000-square-foot first phase of its manufacturing facility in Schertz that will supply components to the company’s assembly plant in nearby Seguin. Also in Schertz, Sysco Corporation is close to completing a 635,000-square-foot distribution facility in an effort to consolidate and expand its operations in Central Texas. These and other new additions continue to make local headlines, but what really had the industrial market buzzing during most of the first half of 2011 was the activity generated by the Eagle Ford Shale oil and gas play. As with many south and central Texas markets, industrial activity in San Antonio’s MSA has been positively affected by the Eagle Ford Shale, a 24-county oil and gas play stretching from the Texas-Mexico border to well east of San Antonio. With its central location along the northern edge of the Eagle Ford Shale, San Antonio has attracted the attention of major energy …
Lou Kahnweiler, the founder of Bennett & Kahnweiler, the predecessor to Colliers International here in Chicago, is reported to have once declared, “Industrial Real Estate is a great way to get rich slowly.” He meant buying or building buildings, putting 25-year debt on them, keeping them leased and was the way to wake up rich 25 years later. During the late 1990s and most of the 2000s, industrial real estate in Chicago was the place to get rich quick, as developers couldn't build fast enough to satisfy the demand of well-heeled investors who, by 2006, were actually paying more for vacant properties than those actually encumbered by leases and demanding tenants. “Buy it and figure it out” was their strategy. Flips, portfolio premiums, cap rate compression and an overall “drunken sailor” mentality generated lots of fees for brokers and huge profits for many developers and investors until the music stopped. I vividly recall touring in 2006 with a group of investors from the East Coast who, after looking at the per square foot prices of property around O'Hare and comparing them to New Jersey, said that they wished they were brokers and owners in Chicago, because it must be so …
Industrial real estate activity is up in the El Paso/Juarez, Mexico metro area, indicating that the recession-driven slump, which had been intensified by reported violence on the border, has not deterred companies from making long-term commitments to the region. The increase in industrial leasing and sales, as well as improved employment statistics and increasing commercial truck crossing data are all positive signs for the future of the local industrial economy. The industrial market in El Paso and Juarez totals 115 million square feet split between two countries and is an intersection of international manufacturing firms, global supply chains and the local economy. During the past 3 years both the global recession and security situation in Mexico have reverberated across the industrial market. However, industrial leasing and sale activity is up on both sides of the border, with Juarez leading the way at 658,000 square feet of net absorption during the first 6 months of the year, and El Paso recording 264,000 square feet. However, El Paso was the first city to start the rebound in 2010 with almost 600,000 square feet of net industrial absorption in the second half of the year. Both markets have seen industrial vacancy levels recede …
There is no denying that the industrial market in the Inland Empire is improving. In the past three quarters, a great deal of space has been leased, and vacancy is therefore down. Voit’s first quarter industrial market report revealed that vacancy rates have declined to 8.95 percent in the market, down from 11.55 percent year-over-year, in large part because ten buildings over 500,000 square feet have been leased in the last three quarters. There is actually now a shortage of buildings in this size range. Big Buildings Make a Comeback As occupancy increases, lease rates are rising. This excites developers and investors alike. On the development side, the market is seeing speculative development for the first time in three years in certain size ranges — a huge indication of an improving marketplace. At least four industrial buildings are either under construction or in pre-development in the Inland Empire right now. Watson Land Company recently broke ground on a 600,000 square-foot building in Redlands, while the O’Donnell Group has broken ground on a 786,000-square-foot building in Banning. In addition, at least two others in the 600,000 to 700,000-square-foot range are now ready to break ground. While excitement grows around new projects, …
Southeastern Wisconsin, which consists of a seven-county region, is experiencing slight growth in the industrial markets. We have seen positive absorption throughout the area with rumblings of future deals on the very near horizon. The region is experiencing flat to declining leasing rates due to hungry landlords and excess available space. Day-to-day activity is busy, but many of the current tenants that are touring are typically attempting to procure a better deal in their current location. Tenants in the market are still in a wait-and-see mode. The southeastern region of Wisconsin has seen very little new development. Wispark LLC purchased a 185,000-square-foot building in Racine County for CalStar Products, a green brick manufacturer that will manufacture bricks and pavers from fly ash obtained from the nearby We Energies Oak Creek power plant. Wispark is also planning a new 170-acre business park in the southern Milwaukee county community of Oak Creek. The business park is shovel-ready and part of a TIF district. “There is not a lot of new development going on in Southeastern Wisconsin, but I would say there is uptick in the market,” says Todd Rizzo, vice president of Milwaukee-based Wispark LLC. CenterPoint Properties has landed a build-to-suit project …
Demand for industrial space remains moderate in Northern and Central New Jersey. People are, undoubtedly, out in the marketplace, but much of our regional activity ties to lease renewals. Tenants facing term expirations are opting to remain in place, reflecting the “wait and see” approach that so many companies have chosen in this tough economic climate. Relocations almost always involve a flight to quality, with tenants taking advantage of opportunities to land attractive deals for Class A space. Deals today are being made at aggressive rental rates. As a result, available Class A space, especially in the Exit 8A submarket, has seen some absorption over the past 12 months. Across all submarkets in Northern and Central New Jersey, renewal activity comprises the bulk of leasing activity. Although year-to-date leasing totals are up from a year ago by approximately 1.2 million square feet, vacancies have held steady during the past 12 months. At the end of 2010’s third quarter, the overall Northern and Central New Jersey vacancy rate rested at 11.3 percent. That figure is identical to the rate recorded at this time last year. The average direct triple-net rental rate for Northern and Central New Jersey was $5.84 per square …