HSA Commercial Enters Florida With Spec Project

The developer expects to wrap up work on the facility by the end of 2023.

Rendering of Highland Commerce Center of Fort Myers

Rendering of Highland Commerce Center of Fort Myers. Image courtesy of HSA Commercial Real Estate

HSA Commercial Real Estate has commenced construction on Highland Commerce Center of Fort Myers, a 481,933-square-foot speculative industrial development in Fort Myers, Fla. The project represents the largest cross-dock warehouse in Southwest Florida, while also marking the developer’s entry in the Southeast region. Lee & Associates will provide leasing services.

Partners in Design Architects is also part of the project, while the general contractor is PREMIER Design + Build Group. Civil engineering will be supervised by Atwell Group. The groundbreaking event took place earlier this week and the project is expected to be delivered in this year’s fourth quarter.

Expanding in Florida

The company’s first project in the state is located at 16500 Oriole Road and will have 36-foot clear heights, four drive-in doors, 96 dock doors, 138 trailer parking spots and 181 vehicle parking spots. The 33-acre lot was purchased earlier in 2022, for $11.6 million, according to CommercialEdge.

Highland Commerce Center is situated close to Interstate 75, allowing access to Miami, 5 miles from Southwest Florida International Airport and Lee County Port Authority, 12 miles from Cape Coral, Fla., and within 15 miles of downtown Fort Myers. The development site is in an area where names such as Coca-Cola, Linder, Amazon or PGTI Innovations have warehouses.

Lee & Associates Senior Vice President Derek Bornhorst, Vice President Adam Bornhorst and Senior Transaction Coordinator Frank Martone are the appointed leasing brokers.


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The development will accommodate prospective tenants’ need for multi-purpose space since the property could be used for distribution or storage, added HSA Commercial Real Estate CEO Robert Smietana in prepared remarks. Executive Vice President & Managing Director of Industrial Brokerage Tim Thompson also noted that the company is searching for other development sites in Southwest Florida, looking to expand its industrial footprint.

Earlier in 2022, another company marked its entry in the state: Venture One Real Estate announced plans to develop a 220,871-square-foot Class A industrial building on 16 acres in Orlando, Fla. Construction is anticipated to start in the third quarter of 2023 and Cushman & Wakefield was tapped as exclusive leasing agent.

In September 2022, Glenstar and Columnar Holdings received $97.5 million in construction financing for a 819,000-square-foot industrial campus in Fort Myers. The Tri County 75 Industrial Campus will be composed of three rear-loading buildings and is expected to be delivered in late 2023.