SOUTH BEND, IN—Like many towns in the upper Midwest, South Bend has taken some big economic hits in the past few years. But perhaps the worst blow was in February 2011 when A.J. Wright left its 539,137-square-foot distribution center on the west side, throwing hundreds of people out of work.
But Lippert Components, Inc., a subsidiary of Drew Industries Inc., has decided to lease the entire facility at 1902 W. Sample St., giving a huge boost to the local economy. The building, now called the I-80 Commerce Center, was purchased in 2012 by a joint venture partnership of Holladay Properties and Garrison Investment Group.
"We bought it at less than reproduction costs, which allows us to be quite aggressive on the leasing side," John Phair, president and chief executive officer of Holladay in South Bend, told the South Bend Tribune in 2012.
Lippert supplies components for recreational vehicles, manufactured homes and other industries, and plans to centralize its warehousing and distribution operations in the center, bringing in up to 200 jobs by 2019.
The company was represented in the transaction by Dan Skodras and Brad Toothaker of the Bradley Company, and the owners were represented by Matt Dickerson, Scott Duerkop, and Steve Schwegman of JLL.
“This is another sign of South Bend's comeback,” says deputy mayor Mark Neal. “To have a company like LCI choose to expand here speaks to the economic opportunity the city offers.”
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Brian J. Rogal
Brian J. Rogal is a Chicago-based freelance writer with years of experience as an investigative reporter and editor, most notably at The Chicago Reporter, where he concentrated on housing issues. He also has written extensively on alternative energy and the payments card industry for national trade publications.
