Brad Larson, senior associate with Dallas-based Partners National, tells GlobeSt.com that the search began in mid-August and was quickly narrowed to Granite Properties' RiverPark Building B at 15124 Grand River Rd. The deal was signed shortly before the 355,328-square-foot cross-dock delivered, putting Acme into the limelight as the spec's first tenant.

Granite initially was up against two other building owners in the Upper Great Southwest Industrial District. "After we toured, they really zeroed in on this building," says Larson, who teamed with Partners National CEO Kane Dossett to find Acme's new distribution site. "It seemed to be a right fit from the location and image standpoint." He says the cross-dock's new construction and room to expand also weighed on the decision, which produced a lease with two bumps over the term.

Jeff Jackson, industrial leasing manager for Dallas-based Granite, confides that some free rent went on the table. "But that's kind of the nature of the market. We felt like it was a good deal given the economic times," he explains. The industrial space is being marketed for $3.50 per square foot, triple net, and $3 per square foot tenant improvement.