Trammell Crow Kicks Off 1.7 MSF Project in Illinois

Ferrara Distribution Center. Image courtesy of Trammell Crow Co.

Trammell Crow Co. has begun construction on a 1.2 million-square-foot distribution center and a 466,000-square-foot packing center that will be built to suit to Ferrara Candy Co. The facilities are expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2021 and will see the creation of approximately 500 jobs to the city of DeKalb, Ill.

The distribution center, located at 801 E. Gurler Road, and the packaging center, located at 1001 E. Gurler Road, will total 106 acres in the center of the ChicagoWest Business Center in DeKalb.

Krusinski Construction Co., which broke ground on the ChicagoWest Business Center as general contractors in September, is also the general contractor for Ferrara’s two facilities. Harris Architects is the architect of record, Jacob & Hefner Associates is the project’s civil engineer and Joe Grimes, a vice president at Trammell Crow, will oversee the design and construction of the project. CBRE’s Matt Mulvihill and Kevin Segerson represented Ferrara.

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Trammell Crow is also looking to work with other companies in filling in an additional 2.5 million square feet of industrial space in the business park. Johnny Carlson, a principal at Trammell Crow, said in prepared remarks that this project with Ferrara may bring additional interest to ChicagoWest. Carlson also noted that Ferrara would be joining other companies that have moved into DeKalb, including Target, 3M and Nestle.

Ferrara’s parent group, the Ferrero Group, has been opening up more facilities throughout the U.S. recently. Earlier this month, the global candy company announced plans to open a new distribution center in Goodyear, Ariz. by March that will bring 50 jobs to the local area. In November, Ferrero opened another distribution center in Jonestown, Pa., that will bring a total of 225 local jobs.