JLL Income Property Trust, an institutionally managed daily NAV REIT with $6.3 billion in portfolio assets, announced the acquisition of Northeast Atlanta Distribution Center, a 458,000-square-foot, Class A industrial property strategically located in the Northeast Atlanta industrial submarket, one of the Atlanta metro’s top submarkets for industrial properties. The recently constructed, long-term leased, single-tenant warehouse was acquired for approximately $54 million.
“Northeast Atlanta Distribution Center is an excellent fit within our geographically diversified industrial portfolio given its location near irreplaceable transportation infrastructure, Class A construction and the positive dynamics of Atlanta’s industrial market,” said Allan Swaringen, JLL Income Property Trust President and CEO in a statement. “The Northeast Atlanta industrial submarket has seen exceptional rent growth, leading the way for all of Atlanta’s submarkets. Atlanta overall has proven to be a strong industrial market and is ranked fifth nationally by LaSalle Research & Strategy due in part to its business-friendly tax structure, easy access to major thoroughfares and large employment base. Industrial properties continue to be a target overweight for our portfolio given sustained strong tenant demand and a positive, long-term outlook for the sector that we believe will yield stable income for our stockholders.”
Atlanta is the fourth largest warehouse market in the US with nearly 800 million square feet of industrial space. With a well-developed transportation network consisting of interstate highways, the nation’s busiest airport, and rail infrastructure including direct links to the Port of Savannah, the fourth largest US container port for export, Atlanta is the primary distribution center for the southeast United States. It is also within a two-day drive from nearly 80 percent of the US population.
Northeast Atlanta Distribution Center is strategically located in the Northeast Atlanta submarket, Atlanta’s largest, and includes the metro area’s most diverse tenant base, attracting both large block distribution tenants and small to mid-size tenants across a broad spectrum of industries. The property location also benefits from its proximity to Interstate 85 providing accessibility to Atlanta, the Carolinas, Tennessee and Florida. According to LaSalle Research & Strategy’s Core Industrial Target Market Analysis, the Northeast Atlanta submarket is one of LaSalle’s “overweight” markets given its above average scores on overall total return combined with lower expected volatility. In 2021, this submarket experienced 11.3 percent industrial rent growth, and 39 percent rent growth over the past five years.
This Class A property was acquired off-market and benefits from a 7-year lease term with 3 percent annual rent escalations.
