Conor Commercial Real Estate will develop a new 347,400-square-foot build-to-suit for lease on behalf of Orbus Exhibit and Display Group at the Union Pointe Business Park in south suburban Woodridge. The facility represents the largest build-to-suit within the metropolitan Chicago area in 2013.
Orbus is a privately owned group of companies that specialize in the manufacture and trade-only supply of portable modular and custom modular exhibit and display products, graphics and solutions. Orbus was established in April 2001 in a modest facility on South Michigan Avenue. It launched with a staff of three and two primary products. Since then, the company has experienced rapid growth and will be consolidating its Bolingbrook and Niles facilities and relocating to the new property in Woodridge upon its completion in the second quarter of 2014. With this build-to-suit, Orbus will be nearly tripling its leased space from 128,000 square feet to 347,400 square feet and will house approximately 300 employees in the new location.
“It was important for us to spend the time crafting a real estate solution that could address our unique business needs,” said Giles Douglas, president and CEO of Orbus Exhibit and Display Group. “While the building needed to be flexible enough to meet our future growth, it was critically important for the space within the facility to create a comfortable, productive and unique work environment for our employees. The building also needed to project an image reflective of our culture and our clients. After extensive planning efforts, the design of the building accomplishes each of these goals.”
Union Pointe is a 100-acre industrial and office business park under development by the venture formed by Conor Commercial Real Estate, a member of The McShane Companies, and Gallagher and Henry that is strategically located at the northeast quadrant of I-355 and I-55 in Woodridge.
“Orbus considered many different existing and build-to-suit options throughout the entire metropolitan Chicago area,” said Frederick L. Regnery, senior vice president with Colliers International | Chicago’s Industrial Advisory Group. “Ultimately, the decision was made to construct a new facility within Union Pointe due to the percentage of Orbus employees working in the area and the need for an unusually high concentration of quality office space.”
The new 347,400-square-foot warehouse facility will be constructed by the design/build team of McShane Construction Co. and Ware Malcomb Architects and will feature 55,000 square feet of two-story corporate headquarters-quality office space. Additional features include 32-foot clear ceiling height, 20 dock doors and a 20,000-square-foot production room. The building can be expanded by 82,000 square feet while the 350-car parking can be expanded to 450 parking spaces.
Brian Carroll and Jim Cummings of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank represented Conor Commercial Real Estate in the transaction. Jack H. Rosenberg, principal with Colliers International Chicago’s Industrial Advisory Group, and Regnery represented Orbus.
