Construction and development of new industrial space in the U.S. remains robust, with all signs pointing to another big year in this market segment.
Â
According to a report by CommmercialEdge, 592.5 million square feet of industrial space was under construction nationwide by the end of February, amounting to 3.5% of existing stock. Over the past six months, the amount of industrial space grew by more than 90 million sf.
Â
About 626 million sf of new development was in the planning stages, CommmercialEdge reported. Rising rents have supported this action. The national average for in-place industrial rents across the top 30 U.S. markets reached $6.45 per sf in February, marking a 4.4% year-over-year increase.
Â
The rest of 2022 continues to look strong in the industrial space. Nationally, transactions totaled nearly $9.1 billion in the first two months of the year. “This strong start is a clear indication that investor interest in industrial properties is anything but abating, given that the first quarter of a year is typically the slowest for commercial real estate transactions,” CommmercialEdge says.
