HOUSTON — International Airport Centers, an Illinois-based firm expanding into Houston, is developing the Airtex Distribution Center, a 225,360-sf warehouse property located at 300 West Airtex Boulevard in North Houston, near Interstate 45.
Tom Lynch and John Fenoglio with CBRE Houston arranged the financing for the project, which is on a 14-acre site.
The Airtex Distribution Center is scheduled for completion later this summer. The Class A cross-dock building will feature 32-foot clear heights, high truck door and loading dock ratios, ample trailer parking, wide column spacing and modern mechanical features including T-5 lighting and ESFR sprinklers.
“Institutional capital has favored Houston due to the market’s sustained growth and excellent opportunities for business development,” said Lynch. “This project is an indication of Houston’s continued demand for Class A warehouse and distribution facilities, particularly those with high clear heights.”
IAC owns and manages a portfolio of industrial buildings in eight key markets throughout the U.S. “We are focused on expansion through continued acquisition of existing facilities as well as the development of new, high-quality facilities,” said Larry Krasner, President and Chief Information Officer of IAC. “Houston’s continued growth throughout the past few years has made the city one of our top target markets, and the Airtex Distribution Center is a significant step in our advancement within the area.”
According to Alan Feinsilver, President of Pontikes Development, LLC, “The I-45 corridor in north Houston has many of the attributes that industrial tenants desire, and IAC quickly saw the opportunity that the site offered. We look forward to working with them on this and other projects as they expand their Houston presence in the near future.”
The Airtex Distribution Center is being designed by Powers Brown Architecture and constructed by Satterfield & Pontikes and Pontikes Development. Ed Frantz and Faron Wiley of CBRE have been hired to lease the project.
Another developer, the Avera Cos. recently announced another distribution facility off of Airtex Drive. Avera has acquired 8.2 acres located at 350 Century Plaza Drive for the fourth phase of the industrial park. Avera is making the site available for a build-to-suit project. Preliminary plans include a 126,340-sf front-load building with outside storage.
Avera’s 25-acre Century Plaza Distribution Center is located east of Interstate 45, between Airtex Drive and Richey Road. The earlier phases of Century Plaza include a 150,000-sf spec cross-dock building, which is under construction; a 92,000-sf building that was occupied by ABC Supply last year and a new150,000-sf building occupied by Prime Source Building Products.