Industrial Realty Group, LLC (IRG), one of the largest industrial real estate developers in the nation, announced it will begin construction on two sites near The Port of Virginia®, part of a collective build-to-suit project for 3PL tenant, UNIS, LLC.
The project will include a 910,000-square-foot, high-volume, cross dock terminal in Suffolk and a 72,000-square foot transload facility in Portsmouth. Both sites will include significant trailer parking areas.
“We’ve worked alongside incredible partners to develop a creative plan, unifying the two properties into what will be a highly efficient project for UNIS,” said Justin Lichter, Senior Vice President of IRG. “It’s the right tenant, in the right market, with the right conditions. The Port’s support has been invaluable. It has created a development-friendly atmosphere that fosters growth.”
With both sites well-positioned near the port, location was a major factor along with customizable building plans. UNIS, based in Walnut, CA, operates over 14 million feet of fulfillment space in 28 warehouses in 16 major markets across the U.S.
“The strategic move to operate in The Port of Virginia will allow our current and future clients more flexibility to operate their businesses in another great port city. The addition of The Port of Virginia now has UNIS operating in all the Top 10 U.S. ports. We look forward to working with The Port and with our future clients. We continue with our mantra that if we build it, our clients will come,” said Scott Simanek, Chief Commercial officer of UNIS, LLC and Unis Transportation.
The Port of Virginia is the fastest-growing port in the United States, having processed more than 3.5 million twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs) in 2021, which is an increase of more than 25 percent vs 2020. In addition, the port is one of the most technically-advanced and efficient ports in North America and companies are looking to capitalize on these attributes, said Stephen A. Edwards, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority.
“The arrival of a 3PL like UNIS in our market sends a very strong signal about how the industry views The Port of Virginia’s future,” Edwards said. “This is a premiere port that is helping to drive a very dynamic market and we had a great opportunity to demonstrate this to the UNIS team. We’ve watched distribution companies manage challenging space constraints throughout the country and were able to collaborate with IRG to develop creative solutions to support UNIS as it expands.”
Construction is anticipated to begin this spring with the project’s completion in 2023.
Charles L. Dickinson, SIOR, of Harvey Lindsay Commercial Real Estate represented the Landlord in this transaction. Jessica Chen of Kander Pacific represented UNIS, LLC.
About IRG
IRG is a nationwide real estate development and investment firm specializing in the acquisition, development and management of commercial and industrial real estate throughout the United States. IRG, through its affiliated partnerships and limited liability companies, operates a portfolio containing over 150 properties in 31 states with over 100 million square feet of rentable space. IRG is nationally recognized as a leading force behind the adaptive reuse of commercial and industrial real estate, solving some of America’s most difficult real estate challenges. Learn more at www.industrialrealtygroup.com.
