Developer breaks ground on Phase 1 of 3.6M-square-foot industrial Park in Gaffney

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Glenstar Logistics and its capital partner, Creek Lane Capital, officially started construction this week on the first phase of the 3.6 million-square-foot Cherokee Commerce Center 85 near the intersection of Interstate 85 and Highway 105 in Gaffney.

Site work and mass grading for the 290-acre business park is already underway, and the development team expects the first speculative building to start going vertical in early 2024, Glenstar said in a news release.

Representatives from Chicago-based Glenstar Logistics and Creek Lane Capital joined elected local officials and project partners Oct. 18 at a ceremonial groundbreaking for the center’s first building, which is scheduled to deliver in late 2024.

The flexible warehouse under construction is a cross-docked 555,520-square-foot facility expandable to 1.3 million square feet with 40-foot clear heights, 56-foot-by-50-foot column spacing, 60-foot speed bays, up to 232 dock doors, four drive-in doors, 540 auto parking spots and 452 trailer spaces. John Montgomery, Garrett Scott, Brockton Hall and Dillon Swayngim of the Spartanburg office of Colliers are marketing the building for the owners.

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“Projects like Cherokee Commerce Center 85 meet an enormous need for high-quality industrial facilities along fast-growing logistics corridors,” Brian Netzky, principal of Glenstar Logistics, said in the news release. “The rapid increase in the number of electric vehicle, battery and semiconductor factories in the Southeast makes it critical for warehouse and logistics businesses to expand and expedite delivery capabilities to quickly ship parts and materials to these manufacturers. Modern facilities with high clear heights, abundant dock doors and trailer parking are essential for these factories to be successful in fulfilling their contracts.”

In addition to the first building, the project slated to include four additional warehouses measuring to meet demand for modern industrial space along Interstate 85 between Greenville and Charlotte, Glenstar said in the release. According to Netzky, possible uses for the mid- to bulk-size space at Cherokee Commerce Center 85 include distribution and warehousing, food processing, flex/light industrial, light manufacturing, logistics or refrigeration/cold storage.

“Working with pro-business Cherokee County officials, we have a long history of helping tenants and owner/occupiers secure economic incentives to maximize ROI,” John Montgomery, managing director of Colliers, said in the release. “We also fast-track occupancy so future tenants of CCC-85 can start shipping their products within a week of lease signing.”

The Conlan Company is serving as general contractor, while Ware Malcomb is responsible for the project design and SeamonWhiteside is managing civil engineering. CrossHarbor Capital Partners supplied $32.8 million in construction financing.