Minneapolis-based United Business Mail (UBM) has signed a 203,000-square-foot full facility lease at 801 Bryn Mawr Avenue in Itasca, Illinois—more than a 148 percent increase in space for the largest independent provider of standard commingle services in the United States. Colliers International I Chicago’s Steve Kohn represented the company in the transaction.
For UBM, the lease is just the latest in a series of moves in the past five years precipitated by rapid growth. In 2013 the mail sorting company moved into 42,000 square feet in Northlake, Illinois. Three years later UBM purchased an 82,000-square-foot building at 1001 Foster in Bensenville, Illinois. Today, that property is under contract to an undisclosed buyer.
The new Itasca property will serve as UBM’s Midwest hub. It features 24-foot ceiling height, 15 exterior docks, one drive-in door and 6,100 square feet of office space. The main draw for UBM was the building’s power. At 2,500 amps, the building has more than five times the power typically found in these types of properties today. UBM will use the increased capacity to run dozens of mail sorting machines and air conditioning systems.
“UBM’s business is very unique—one of a kind really—and demand for its service is growing exponentially throughout the U.S.,” said Kohn. “With this lease it’s not only better positioned for additional growth, but also able to better serve its core customer base.”
