PDS Transportation Fills I-88/Fox Valley Building

1070 Swanson Dr. in Batavia, IL

CHICAGO—Logistics firms have been getting extremely active in the Fox Valley towns near the I-88 Expressway.  PDS Transportation Services was just the latest provider to make a move when it recently leased the entire 107,800-square-foot distribution center at 1070 Swanson Dr. in suburban Batavia. PDS, a full-service transportation and logistics provider, says it will consolidate its existing locations into the new headquarters in May. The firm was represented by Transwestern principal Michael Marconi , who along with director Joe Karmin also represented the building’s owner, Liberty Property Trust . “Due to our familiarity with this property, we knew it would be an attractive option for PDS in terms of size, layout and location, with convenient access to I-88 other nearby thoroughfares,” says Marconi. “By leveraging our existing relationships with both owner and occupier, we were able to execute a mutually beneficial deal that allowed Liberty Property Trust to secure a long-term, full-building lease with a creditworthy tenant.” In 2015, the total leasing volume for industrial properties in the submarket hit 3.1 million square feet, the most since 2011, according to Colliers International , and roughly 40% more than leased in 2014. Many of the year’s top leases were signed by logistics firms such as Midwest Warehouse Distribution System Inc. , which took more than 600,000 square feet at 1200 Orchard Gateway in Aurora. In 2016, Colliers expects user demand “to remain strongly positive, especially due to continued tightening in the nearby I-55 Corridor pushing users to the popular Fox Valley market.” Built in 1999, 1070 Swanson Dr. is located in the Batavia Industrial Center, about 5 miles north of the Farnsworth Ave./I-88 interchange. The property features 30′ ceilings, 10 exterior docks and one drive-in door, as well as parking for 69 vehicles and 17 trailers. Liberty Property Trust plans to more than double the building’s existing office space to accommodate PDS’ operations. In moving to this location, PDS will consolidate its existing headquarters in St. Charles and another facility in Batavia. The logistics firm, which services the continental US, Canada and Mexico, also has operations in Knoxville, TN.