Rendering of Clay’s new spec project underway in North Houston – the Kennedy Greens Distribution Center I.
HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – Clay Development & Construction Inc. has broken ground on the 525,000-SF Kennedy Greens Distribution Center I in north Houston near Beltway 8 and Bush Airport.
Clay, a Houston firm led by Robert Clay, now has four spec projects, totaling 1.8 million SF, underway in Houston.
The l Kennedy Greens project is on JFK Blvd. at Lauder Road. CBRE’s Joseph Smith, Billy Gold and Faron Wiley will handle leasing with Charlie Christ of the Clay organization.
Kennedy Greens is Clay’s fourth new spec distribution building since last July, one each in the Port of Houston, west, northeast and, now, north industrial areas. It’s a total of 1.8 million SF.
“We are building spec distribution centers in every major industrial market in the city. Our current projects typically have 10+-acre interiors. In total, they could house 30 football fields. Such massive distribution centers are in demand for e-commerce retailers, logistics and oil field services companies,” says Robert Clay, president of Clay Development & Construction. “With road, rail and air access, the north submarket is particularly attractive for its proximity to supply chains as well as to end users. 60 percent of Houston’s largest industrial buildings are under construction in the airport/north corridor.”
According to a national CBRE report, or every $1 billion increase in e-commerce sales, an estimated 1.25 million SF of distribution space is needed. On a national basis, e-commerce-generated warehouse demand could grow by an additional 191.2 million SF from 2018 to 2020. Currently, there’s more than 15 million SF of warehouse space under development in Houston, according to Avison Young.
The new Kennedy Greens Distribution Center I sits on 29.2 acres in the 145-acre Kennedy Greens South Business Park, located south of North Sam Houston Parkway East and west of the Eastex Freeway. Clay acquired the acreage in 2013.
Kennedy Greens Distribution Center I is a cross-dock distribution facility with 36-foot clear-height ceilings, 60-foot speed bays, 107 nine-by-ten-foot dock-high doors and four drive-in ramps with 14-foot by 16-foot overhead doors. The project will have 130-foot truck courts, up to 300 employee parking spots and the option of 130 trailer parking spots. Construction financing is by Trustmark Bank.
Clay has a separate business park nearby – the Kennedy Greens Business Park North. Begun in 2008, Kennedy Greens North Business Park, a 186-acre Clay development immediately north of Kennedy Greens South on JFK Boulevard, is 95 percent complete. Earlier this year, Clay began construction on a 20,000-SF design/build project for Texas Installs in Kennedy Greens North.
