Blackstone Funds $475M Distribution Center
Plans call for a 1 million-square-foot project in Burlington, N.C.
Ahold Delhaize USA and funds managed by Blackstone Credit & Insurance will invest $475 million into the development of a 1 million-square-foot automated distribution center in Burlington, N.C.
JPMorgan represented Ahold Delhaize USA as exclusive financial advisor, while A&O Shearman served as legal counsel. Milbank LLP worked as legal counsel on behalf of Blackstone Credit & Insurance.
The grocery retail group entered into a triple net, long-term lease agreement with Blackstone Credit & Insurance, which will own the upcoming facility and will cover the entire construction. Once the development is completed, Ahold Delhaize has the option to acquire the property under pre-agreed terms.
Ahold Delhaize owns and operates five major brands across the U.S., including Food Lion. This new facility aims to expand its presence in North Carolina, where it has operated for more than six decades.
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Construction will begin this quarter, with full completion expected in 2029. The facility will take shape near the Alamance and Guilford county lines, between the Rock Creek trail area and Lake Mackintosh, marking the largest capital investment in Burlington’s history, according to Spectrum News. The location allows for access to the Piedmont-Triad area via interstates 40, 85 and 840.
The project is part of Ahold Delhaize USA’s long-term investment in its U.S. supply chain. Plans for the new facility were unveiled in October last year. Initially, Ahold Delhaize USA and its distribution company, ADUSA Distribution, revealed plans for a $860 million, highly automated distribution center aimed at serving Food Lion stores with fresh and frozen grocery products.
The new facility will expand ADUSA Distribution’s and ADUSA Transportation’s capacities toward supporting growth in North Carolina. Over time, the development is expected to employ more than 500 workers across both branches. At the time, the North Carolina Department of Commerce provided a $250,000 performance-based grant from the state’s One North Carolina Fund for the creation of the first 120 jobs.
Tenant demand in the Piedmont-Triad region stays solid
Industrial tenant demand in the Triad area was robust, as food and beverage, construction and logistics companies collectively sought more than 13 million square feet as of 2025’s fourth quarter, according to a recent CBRE report. The Greensboro-Winston Salem market’s vacancy hit 7.7 percent—a 40-basis-point drop quarter-over-quarter. Since the start of the year, vacancy for Class A space in the market decreased dramatically, by 19.7 percent, despite nationwide industrial real estate trends pointing to continued uncertainty around tariffs.
New construction starts totaled 643,852 square feet, with the largest property underway taking shape near Ahold Delhaize USA’s development. Crow Holdings broke ground on Rock Creek Center, a 423,852-square-foot facility in Whitsett, N.C. The project was first unveiled in late December, as part of the first joint venture between Crow Holdings and Buchanan Capital Partners, with completion scheduled for 2027.
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