Small Bay Industrial - The Why

Over the course of my career as a real estate lawyer, I have been blessed to participate in deals of all shapes and sizes in all kinds of locations with people from all walks of life.  I cannot claim to have seen it all (who has?), but it has never been dull.  The field of real estate has not disappointed on its promise of variety, creativity, and up close and personal experience of the real joys of free market capitalism.

To the point I have come to in my life currently, nowhere do I appreciate this ethos more than dealing with industrial property owners, tenants, brokers, lenders, investors and advisors.  What was, until recently, an overlooked asset class.  But at closer glance, this is the part of the real estate world that forms the true backbone of the American economy.  Products are invented, tested, prototyped, manufactured, shipped, stored and delivered through the various parts of the industrial real estate ecosystem.  Upon further reflection, maybe it is something more akin to a central nervous system?

And I have found a special fondness for the small business owner who plies his or her trade day after day.  Through thick and thin.  Not everyone makes it.  And some wildly outgrow their humble roots.  But the starting point for many successful businesses was the proverbial "garage."

That is where small bay industrial buildings come in.  These buildings can serve as incubators.  As part of a much larger supply chain.  The artisan's workshop.  It is where small businesses of all shapes and sizes live.  Think of multifamily for businesses!

So I want to create a space devoted to this type of investment and building type on this forum.  To educate, share and inform.  We will look at market analysis from the national outlook on down to niche submarkets in key metros.  We will try to identify and keep an eye on what sponsors are active in this space, and what they are doing.  We will take deep dives into specific deals.  We will discuss the basics that beginners need to know before jumping in.  We will explore what types of businesses make good tenants and what they need from their landlords.  We will try to capture as much insight as we can from the brokerage community.  And of course, we will try to chart out the investment landscape and where it is heading.  

We also want this to be interactive.  So we want to hear from you, the reader, especially if you are new to the space and have specific questions.  So do not hesitate to reach out, and I will try to work you in as I am able.