McWhinney Breaks Ground on Spec Industrial Property at Iron Horse in Johnstown

January 27, 2021 Posted In

McWhinney, a Colorado-based real estate investor and developer with expertise in commercial, multifamily, hospitality, residential and mixed-use assets, has broken ground on a 68,600-square-foot spec industrial building within the developer’s Iron Horse Industrial Park in Johnstown, Colo. Marking a new product type for McWhinney, the Class-A industrial project will offer column-free warehouse space with an outside yard area for companies requiring anywhere from 7,500 square feet to 68,600 square feet. Completion is anticipated by late summer 2021.

Situated within the epicenter of northern Colorado, the new spec property is intentionally designed to accommodate a segment of unmet demand among regional midsize businesses in need of light manufacturing, assembly and warehousing space. The project caters to the flexible needs of this market segment, offering industrial space for lease or for sale, along with outdoor yard area, providing an economical alternative for additional storage needs.

“This spec property at Iron Horse represents a new product type for our industrial portfolio, one that allows business owners the ability to choose the perfect function for their needs,” said Clyde Wood, vice president of commercial development for McWhinney. “This product type is rare to find in this region on a speculative basis. The option for users to purchase the space also provides the unique opportunity to take advantage of historically low interest rates and SBA financing. Together with our larger distribution buildings at Centerra Industrial, this project is part of our holistic strategy to offer a range of building products that can accommodate nearly every type of industrial user seeking space in the region.”

The new Iron Horse project will include a landscaped outdoor plaza with a communal firepit and seating, featuring an artistic stone bench to be fabricated by a local artisan, all of which plans to foster a place for employees to commune, relax, take meetings or lunch breaks.

The project joins neighboring businesses within the industrial park, including a regional FedEx distribution center, Canyon Bakehouse, Carrier West and Atlas Storage, which is currently under construction.

“Iron Horse features 165 acres for industrial and commercial properties on both a speculative and a build-to-suit basis,” said David Crowder, vice president of community development at McWhinney. “The industrial park’s features and location at the crossroads of the region establish Iron Horse as a focal point for northern Colorado’s business communities for operations and logistical needs. Iron Horse is conveniently situated between the Union Pacific Railroad and Great Western Railway and adjacent to US34 and the I-25 corridor, offering centralized truck access to the Northern Colorado region, neighboring states and easy access to the Northern Colorado Regional and Denver International airports.”

Located at 3607 Ronald Reagan Boulevard, the spec industrial project will exhibit many distinctive, market-leading features, including 24-foot clear height, modern front-of-house office space with extensive glazing, and column-free warehouse area in the rear with drive-in roll-up doors providing direct access to the outdoor yard space. With sustainable development practices top-of-mind, the project will also feature structural enhancements for future solar panel loads, recycled asphalt in the yard areas, upgraded wall and roof insulation, low-E glass, 100% LED stumble lighting, occupancy sensors and clerestory windows in warehouse areas for natural light.

Brokers Mike Eyer of CBRE and Kyle Lundy of C3 Real Estate Solutions manage lease transactions for the Iron Horse Industrial Park on behalf of McWhinney.