Bartow McDonald IV, Managing Director at SVN Florida, has joined the team that will market leasing for one of the largest speculative warehouse developments in Florida history. McDonald brokered the initial 64-acre industrial land deal with Jared Bonshire from Cushman & Wakefield’s Orlando office.
Transwestern Development Co. and joint venture partner QuadReal Property Group will build the immense warehouse containing more than 940,000 square feet. Trailhead Logistics Park will rest on a parcel off exit 341 of I-75 in Ocala, Fla.
Situated 15 miles south of downtown Ocala, the Trailhead Logistics Park provides visibility on I-75 and quick access to the Florida Turnpike.
“The location is ideal, right in the middle of everything,” said McDonald. “It’s within a short driving distance of Orlando, and only a few hours from the Tampa and Jacksonville markets. The area’s robust workforce and ability to reach 34 million consumers within a day’s drive make Ocala a strategic location for supply chains between Atlanta and Miami.”
Construction on the warehouse is set to begin in November and wrap up in the fourth quarter of 2022. The structure will have 40-foot-tall ceilings, trailer storage, and a large parking area.
“This will provide a big-box user with a tremendous amount of industrial space,” said McDonald. “We anticipate a lot of demand from companies interested in this facility. It’s one of the biggest speculative developments of its kind ever undertaken in this state.”
A speculative development is one in which there is no commitment from a user before construction. In such cases, the developers move ahead, confident that the finished product will attract businesses that wish to lease it.
The new development will add its space to more than 260 million existing square feet in Central Florida, used by such companies as Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot, Dollar Tree and Publix.
