Trammell Crow Company (TCC) has begun work on a distribution and packaging center totaling 1.6 million square feet at ChicagoWest Business Center in DeKalb, Illinois. Ferrara Candy Company committed to 106 acres in the center of the ChicagoWest Business Park and will occupy the two recently completed buildings, a 1.2-million-square-foot distribution center and a 466,000-square-foot packaging center, located at 801 E. Gurler Road and 1001 E. Gurler Road respectively, for its operations.
“We are excited to begin construction on this project, which will deliver high-end distribution space for one of the most well-known candy companies in the U.S.,” said Grady Hamilton, a managing director with TCC. “The Ferrara team had the challenge of developing a facility plan that would meet the evolving needs of the its growing business and we’re grateful that they picked Trammell Crow Company and ChicagoWest Business Center to do so.”
Ferrara’s new distribution complex is expected to be fully operational in Q2 2021 and will bring approximately 500 jobs to the city. The 110-year-old confectioner, maker of Lemonheads, Nerds and other treats, recently made a splash in Chicago, as the first tenant to move into the Old Post Office, taking 118,000 square feet in the refurbished, iconic building.
Krusinski Construction Company has been named the general contractor on the project. Harris Architects, Inc. is the project’s architect of record and Jacob & Hefner Associates, Inc. is the civil engineer. Joe Grimes, a vice president with TCC, will oversee the design and construction of the project. Matt Mulvihill and Kevin Segerson of CBRE represented Ferrara in the transactions.
“While our focus is on executing this project for Ferrara and our partners, we are excited about the prospects that this development may bring for additional interest in ChicagoWest Business Center. The labor story, the Enterprise Zone incentives, the great community of DeKalb, and the convenient location and high-visibility that come from being situated on I-88 all support the regional distribution center that this site could provide for companies,” said Johnny Carlson, a principal with TCC. “With this project, along with the neighbors Ferrara will join in DeKalb—like Target, 3M and Nestle—we hope to soon work with other companies that wish to capitalize on the strengths of the location.”
