Transwestern Nabs 2.5 MSF Industrial Portfolio

By Keith Loria, Contributing Editor

1430 S. Third St. in St. Louis

Transwestern Investment Group has acquired a nine-building industrial portfolio in St. Louis and Indianapolis, totaling more than 2.5 million square feet, expanding its Midwestern portfolio to more than 10 million square feet.

Jay Borzi, Steve Silk and Josh McArtor of Eastdil Secured brokered the transaction on behalf of the seller. 

All the properties are situated along the Interstate 70 transportation corridor that bisects the country.

“We were attracted to this portfolio because of its strong in-place cash flow with tenant and market diversity, staggered rollover and limited near-term capital expenditures,” John Higgins, TIG’s director of acquisitions, said in a prepared release. “We believe tenant demand and vacancy in St. Louis and Indianapolis are favorable for industrial landlords, and e-commerce will further drive demand in Midwest cities with well-developed transportation networks, access to skilled labor and proximity to the majority of the nation’s population.”

The portfolio consists of seven St. Louis-based properties: The 500,000-square-foot 28 W. Gateway Commerce; the 494,333-square-foot 4702 Park 370 Blvd.; the 319,184-square-foot 1600—4774 Park 370 Place; the 248,635-square-foot 1010 Turner Road; the 248,635-square-foot 1602—1620 Park; the 215,935-square-foot 370 Court; the 155,700-square-foot 22 W. Gateway Commerce; and the 125,712-square-foot 1430 S. Third St.

Two properties are in Indianapolis—the 274,530-square-foot 6030 Gateway Drive and the 193,055-square-foot 5345 Decatur Blvd.

Attributes of the buildings in the portfolio include modern bulk designs with low office finishes, ample truck courts and clear heights ranging from 22 to 39 feet.

Growing Markets

The portfolio was 92 percent leased at the time of sale.

According to Colliers’ most recent Indianapolis Industrial Report, the city’s vacancy rate stands at 5.2 percent, an increase of 0.3 percent from the last quarter. The report noted that new construction, heavily weighted towards speculative projects, is growing the inventory base.

Colliers’ 2017 Q3 St Louis Industrial Market Report noted that year-to-date, speculative construction and absorption has been strong, though it projects the St. Louis industrial market to experience significantly lower leasing activity in the large user category—those requiring 200,000+ square feet.

Earlier this week, Transwestern expanded its portfolio with the acquisition of two industrial buildings in Sanford, Fla.

Image courtesy of Transwestern Investment Group