St. Louis fire chief Dennis Jenkerson (right) accepts donation to Cool Down St. Louis from incoming IFMA-SL president Dave Gardin (left) and immediate past president Scott Held (center). Photo courtesy IFMA-SL.
Soulard Commerce Center bridges e-commerce, consumer gap
Soulard Commerce Center, a Class A warehouse building located in the 35-acre Soulard Business Park, is complete and available for leasing, according to JLL.
Developed by The Opus Group, the 154,937-SF spec warehouse is the first modern industrial building in the area since 2004. The building can accommodate final-mile destination warehouse and delivery, light manufacturing or general office/warehouse uses.
“This area of the city, and for that matter points further south in the city and county, are the most supply constrained in our market when it comes to modern industrial building product. It is a swath of the market with significant barriers to developing at scale, and The Opus Group has achieved that in Soulard Commerce Center. In the process, they’ve created a unique alternative for industrial occupiers who previously had to consider locations further away from their customer and employee bases,” said Pat Reilly, executive vice president of industrial leasing for JLL.
Soulard Commerce Center is designed for multiple tenants with individual build-to-suit spaces starting at about 22,000 SF. It features 32-foot, clear-height ceilings and 24 trailer parking stalls to suit a variety of uses, including e-commerce and urban logistics.
With easy access to Interstates 44, 55, 70 and 64, the building location can meet the distribution needs of modern final-mile networks, which have become more important with the explosive growth of e-commerce.
“The recent boom in e-commerce has created an increased demand for modern industrial space,” said Ryan Carlie, director of real estate development at Opus. “Soulard Commerce Center provides tenants a diverse space that can accommodate a variety of needs within a convenient and desirable location.”
The building benefits from 25-year real estate tax abatement. Base rent for the building is $6.50 per square foot.
The Opus Group embarks on 13.5-acre industrial site in Earth City
Castle Contracting has begun earthwork and site utilities installation on a 13.5-acre, two-building industrial development for The Opus Group in Earth City, Mo.
The St. Louis suburb site offers easy access to I-70 and Highway 141 and will include two warehouses - one speculative - the other for Johnstone Supply's new office headquarters and distribution center.
Johnstone Supply, an HVAC equipment and parts supplier, plans to occupy four acres of the site to support the company's plans to centralize operations, further establish its presence in the St. Louis area and hire additional employees.
Opus' custom-designed, 10,000-SF office space will feature a working lab and training center where the company will provide hands-on certification training for St. Louis County mechanical licensees. The distribution center will occupy the remaining 35,000 SF.
The remaining 9.5 acres will include an 111,000-SF speculative industrial building, built to accommodate multiple tenants. The spec building will feature 32-foot clear height, 27 dock positions (including two drive-in positions) and clerestory windows to maximize natural light and wall space.
Completion of the speculative industrial building is scheduled for May 2021; the Johnstone Supply headquarters is set for a February 2021 completion date.
Opus chips in on the 2020 industrial market boom
The Opus Group is chipping in on the ever-expanding 2020 industrial market, this time in Earth City, Mo.
Johnstone Supply, a leader in the HVACR industry, will anchor their new headquarters and distribution center on four acres of the 13.5-acre development. Construction of their 45,000-SF space is scheduled to begin this month.
“Our team has been grateful to work with Opus throughout this process and we’re eager to see this project through to completion. Our new building allows us to expand our business, offer additional educational training courses and bring new jobs to the community," said Larry Wines with Johnstone Supply.
Upon opening, Johnstone Supply will occupy 10,000 SF for the company’s headquarters, which will include a training room and product showroom. Centralizing these facilities under one roof will allow the company to further establish its presence in the St. Louis area.
“Our team identified this location as one of the last developable sites in Earth City. Through the expertise of our integrated team and strong broker relationships, we’ve been able to work closely with St. Louis County to develop a modern industrial building that will meet the demand for local, regional and national industrial users," said Ryan Carlie, director of real estate development at Opus.
Opus also plans to begin construction this month on an 111,000-SF speculative industrial development on the remaining 9.5 acres.
The addition will accommodate multiple tenants, offering 139 parking stalls, 32-foot clear height, 27 dock positions, including two drive-in positions, and clerestory windows. With immediate access to Interstate 70 and directly off of state Route 141, this project offers accessibility and external visibility.
Opus is the developer, design-builder, and architect and engineer of record. Jake Corrigan and Vince Bajardi with Sansone Group will be marketing the project for lease.
Construction on both buildings is expected to be complete in early 2021.