Western Realco Starts $40M Spec Industrial Project

CITY OF COMMERCE, CA-Developer Western Realco of Newport Beach, CA has started construction of a 400,000-square-foot speculative industrial project here,citing the submarket’s low vacancy and strong demand as reasons to launch despite the uncertain economic conditions. The project, called Randolph Business Center, is under way on a 16-acre site at 5959 Randolph St., with Oltmans Construction Co. of Whittier, CA as the general contractor.

Gary Edwards, a principal of Western Realco, says that the firm anticipates a successful project despite the economy. He cites a 2.6% industrial vacancy rate in Commerce, pointing out that vacancy rates have historically remained low in the submarket and rents have held up while other Southland submarkets have suffered.

Edwards also cites the project’s location just south of the Santa Ana (5) Freeway near the Eastern Avenue exit of the Long Beach Freeway (710). He says the location is convenient for users seeking accessibility from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. In addition, Edwards adds that the type of building Western Realco is developing, with 30-foot clearance and other modern features, “is unique in the Commerce submarket.”