504,000 square feet of industrial space planned just off I-94.
November 1, 2023
BATTLE CREEK, MICH – Battle Creek Unlimited (BCU) has sold 34 acres of land to Industrial Partners USA (IPUSA) for the construction of a new spec building. The property is located on Watkins Road along Interstate 94, just off exit 92. This will be the developer’s second spec building in Battle Creek. IPUSA began work on the project the last week of October.
The new building will have 502,000 square feet of industrial space and will be built in two phases. The first half of the building is expected to be ready in autumn 2024. The building will feature 32’ ceilings with columns spaced at 50’ x 50’. Plans call for the building to have 34 dock doors, with additional knockouts for future development. IPUSA expects to invest approximately $20 million for the entire 504,000 square feet complex.
The 34-acre parcel was owned by the Battle Creek Tax Increment Finance Authority (BCTIFA), which is managed by BCU. BCTIFA acquired the property in 1997 and has since leased it for farmland.
This new investment is the next phase of a project that began in July 2020, when BCU sold 55 acres to IPUSA. The developer built a 270,000 square foot spec building on the site, which has since been completely leased. The developer also sold 5 acres to Consumers Energy, which will be used for a future substation.
IPUSA is a joint venture between Clark Logic and Great Lakes Capital. Clark Logic is based in Portage, Michigan and provides warehousing, real estate management, and transportation & logistics services. The company was established in 1969 and owns more than 45 properties in Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and St. Joseph counties, totaling more than 2 million square feet of space. Great Lakes Capital is a private equity firm established in 2005 in South Bend, Indiana. The company invests in office, industrial, retail, medical office, multifamily and mixed-use space. Its portfolio includes seven industrial spec buildings in northern Indiana, home to companies like Amazon, AM General, and Borg Warner.
Jeff Smoke, Managing Director & Principal at Great Lakes Capital, said, “We are excited to continue the momentum of our 270,000 SF Phase 1 building in Battle Creek. BCU has been a great partner as we seek to add modern, cross-docked industrial space to the Fort Custer Industrial Park. This 252,000 square-foot building, which can be expanded to 504,000 square feet, will be completed in September of 2024. We are ready seeing significant tenant interest for Q3 2024 delivery.”
