The Association of Industrial Real Estate Brokers will go on a virtual tour of the 1.3 billion square feet of industrial space in the Chicago market from 2 to 6 p.m. on April 11 at the Rivers Casino, 3000 S. River Road in Des Plaines.
The theme for this year’s tour is being called “Out of Thin AIRE,” to pay homage to 50 years of James Bond. The video production, featuring its own Bond-like logo, will tour 26 properties from across the Chicago metropolitan area. Interspersed among the fast-pace, action-oriented tours, reminiscent of the James Bond movies, will be other clips that pay tribute to the 26 Bond movies and the five actors who have taken on the role.
Ensuring that the tour is informative, too, commentary on the market will be provided by AIRE’s Immediate Past President John Gledhill, CB Richard Ellis; Dan Leahy, NAI Hiffman; David Bercu, Colliers International; and Carter Andrus, ProLogis.
Brendan Green, Colliers International, and Mike Magliano, Cushman & Wakefield, are the co-chairs for this event.
To register for the virtual tour, complete the form on the association’s website at www.aire-brokers.org or register at the door. Registration begins at 2 p.m.; the virtual tour will kick off at 3 p.m. and a cocktail reception will follow until 6 p.m. The cost of the event is $25 for members and $35 for non-members and includes food, beverages and many different sponsor-related items. Attendees are urged to register early.
Every year since 1995, AIRE has hosted a tour of the Chicago metropolitan industrial marketplace. For the first 14 years it was a traditional bus tour, where AIRE members were driven by bus and given guided tours of various facilities and markets in the metro area. With today’s advances in technology, AIRE utilizes the “virtual” market tour providing added market information; add comfort, convenience and time savings to the attendees.
Some of the major sponsors of the 2013 Virtual Tour include Active Roofing Avison Young CenterPoint Properties Clarius Partners DCT Industrial Dermody Properties DSI Duke Realty Corporation Harris Architects Heitman, LLC, HSA Commercial, I-57 Logistics, Koppco, Liberty Property Trust, Majestic Realty Co., McShane, Meridian Design Build, ML Realty Partners, Molto Properties, MTI Construction Services, Northern Builders, Nicholas & Associates, Principle, Prologis, Sitex Group, TA Associates, Tobin Development , Venture One Real Estate, and Zilber Property Group.
The goal of the tour — whether via bus or technology — always has been to increase the depth of market information. Using the current virtual format, attendees see the market through the eyes and advantages of technology. Utilizing Google Earth as well as traditional marketing pieces and zooming in from literally 30,000 feet in the air, members and guests will get multiple views of the various markets followed by a close-up look at various business parks, properties and market hot spots.
