Written by: Molly McShane, Chief Investment Officer
Conor Commercial Real Estate has spent the last three decades pursuing perfect sites for build-to-suit development across the country. In a time of rising land costs, an increasingly competitive labor market, and greater emphasis on efficiency, it’s more important than ever to know what to look for. Here are just some of our top suggestions:
Transportation
Easy highway access can be critical to business operations, cost savings, and in creating an attractive destination for employees and customers. It’s even more important to distribution businesses who rely on transporting goods. Evaluate the proximity your build-to-suit should be from transportation corridors to be most successful. If distribution is a top concern, ensure that accessibility both on and off major interstates and highways is relatively easy.
Design
When evaluating a site, determine if it can accommodate the design and functionality of your building and if optimal truck parking and/or future expansion options are available. Research the site’s zoning and specific features such as available utilities, required building setbacks and protected environmental areas to decide if your intended building design can be supported.
Employee Satisfaction
Picking a site that best suits your current employee base makes for an easier transition. Consider where the majority of your employees are commuting from and focus on a location that offers a similar distance and access to highways and public transportation. Also, areas with nearby amenities are an added bonus for employee satisfaction.
The Right Team
Having the right team in place for the development and construction of your build-to-suit is just as important as finding the right site. For example, Conor Commercial completes months of research and vets the most desirable sites for maximum functionality for both build-to-suit and speculative end users. Finding a site owned by an experienced and financially strong developer offers numerous advantages including faster deliveries and greater pricing certainty. Conor Commercial also provides integrated construction services to complement a build-to-suit transaction. This full-service approach reduces costs, minimizes delays and provides a more seamless process from start to finish.
