The Chicago office of Duke Realty Corporation, a leading nationwide REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) specializing in the ownership, management and development of bulk industrial facilities, as well as medical and suburban office buildings, is developing a 757,120-square-foot, build-to-suit bulk industrial building for Weber-Stephen Products, LLC (Weber), a manufacturer of charcoal, gas and electric grills and grilling accessories.
Weber’s new facility is being constructed on 73 acres adjacent to its manufacturing facility in Huntley, Illinois, in the I-90/Elgin submarket. Weber will consolidate its existing U.S. warehouse operations into its new national distribution center which will serve customers in North America, Asia Pacific, South America, Europe and Africa.
“We are pleased to be selected by Weber-Stephen Products as the developer for its new, consolidated national distribution center,” said Steve Schnur, Senior Vice President of Duke Realty’s Midwest Region. “Our experience in constructing large, modern bulk warehouses will serve us well as we deliver a state-of-the-art building designed specifically for Weber’s inventory and pick and ship operations.”
“Duke Realty offered the expertise we needed to not only construct our new distribution center, but also to complete due diligence on the land and negotiate its annexation with the Village of Huntley,” said Dean Duffy, Executive Vice President, Global Supply Chain, with Weber. “All preliminary work has been successfully completed, and we are ready to begin construction.”
Weber’s build-to-suit distribution center will include 32′ clear heights, except in the perimeter bays, 52′ x 50′ bay spacing and a 7,000-square-foot office. Three drive-in doors and 149, 6′ x 8′ dock doors with 35,000 lb. hydraulic levelers will be incorporated into the structural precast panel building. Spaces for 157 cars and 193 trailer spaces will be on-site, as well as two truck courts on the east and west sides of the building. The building and remaining land can accommodate Weber’s future growth through a 405,600-square-foot expansion which would bring the building’s total size to 1,162,720 square feet.
“Weber’s national distribution center will provide them with the space they need today, as well as the flexibility to grow their operations in the future,” said Ryan O’Leary, Vice President of Leasing and Development for Duke Realty. “It has been a pleasure to partner with Weber on a custom warehouse designed to enhance their distribution operations.”
Noel Liston with Darwin Realty represented Weber in the transaction while Duke Realty was represented by Ryan O’Leary.