(New Amazon Distribution Facility being constructed on the northeast corner of SW 15th & Council)
Oklahoma City is in the middle of a very quiet building boom. This is taking place in the bulk warehouse market, which usually does not get the press that the redevelopment of the urban core enjoys. A lot of the new construction since the 1990’s has focused on build-to-suit projects, often with some extra speculative space in the same multi-tenant building. Now a new generation of modern bulk warehouse buildings are being designed and built primarily in the southwest Oklahoma City sub-market; the traditional heart of the warehouse market since the 1970’s.
Ranging from 60,000 to 300,000 square feet there is currently over 1.2 million total square feet spread among ten buildings at various stages of development from planning and permitting to the first generation lease up. Some of these are fully build-to-suit projects such as the 300,000 SF Amazon building at S.W. 15th & Council. Some are build-to-suit anchored projects such as the building underway for LKQ Corporation at 2000 S. Council. But by far, most of these projects are pure speculative construction. The Oklahoma City industrial market has not seen this much construction since the Trammell Crow Company developments of the 1970’s and 80’s.
Modern bulk warehouse buildings feature glass-front office areas, numerous dock doors, 28’ or more clear height, deep truck courts for today’s long over-the-road trucks, and ESFR (Early Suppression Fast Response) fire control sprinkler systems. Most of these buildings are constructed of tilt-up concrete with attractive architectural details molded into the structure. These buildings are preferred by image conscious companies who are who are equally concerned with employee retention through maintaining a quality workplace environment.
