JLL: The State of Industrial Real Estate
Q4 / Fall 2013
With 10 percent of total U.S. construction correlated to e-commerce use, the retail sector's needs are diverse, ranging from mega-million-square-foot fulfillment centers to tighter urban logistics centers.
In terms of geography, the Northeast is leading the country in active tenant requirements, where the volume of requirements increased 43 percent since the spring of 2013. The Midwest ranks second by square footage, with e-commerce retailers leading all other industries. Meanwhile, demand is relatively unchanged in the Southwest and flat in the Inland Empire.
Aaron Ahlburn, JLL’s research director, shares his take on the current state of U.S. industrial real estate and the driving force behind today's development boom.
While big-box space requirements and counts are up, so are mid-to-larger distributors looking for modern space. In fact, demand is filling out in multiple markets and size sectors. According to Ahlburn, developers are working to accommodate these various sectors' needs by offering a range of square footages and sector-specific solutions.
Recent Project Announcements
Google Plans Montgomery County, Missouri, Data Center Operations
05/22/2026
Eden Pharmacy Expands Albuquerque, New Mexico, Operations
05/22/2026
Barilla Expands Avon, New York, Production Operations
05/22/2026
Intermountain Electronics Expands Centralia, Illinois, Production Operations
05/21/2026
Slate Auto Expands Troy, Michigan, Headquarters Operations
05/21/2026
Italy-Based CEP USA Plans Little Rock, Arkansas, Manufacturing Operations
05/21/2026
Virginia Transformer Plans Colbert County, Alabama, Manufacturing Operations
05/20/2026
Quantum Space Plans Tulsa, Oklahoma, Manufacturing Operations
05/20/2026
Aries Plans Detroit, Michigan, Headquarters Operations
05/20/2026
Pratt Miller Engineering & Fabrication Expands New Hudson, Michigan, Operations
05/20/2026
Combe Incorporated Expands Rantoul, Illinois, Operations
05/20/2026
Innovative Refrigeration Systems Expands Augusta County, Virginia, Production Operations
05/20/2026
Magellan Financial Expands Topeka, Kansas, Operations
05/20/2026
Sandvik-Alpha Metallurgical Resources Plan Putnam County, West Virginia, Manufacturing Operations
05/19/2026
Most Read
-
Where Workforce Capacity Is Being Built — and Where It’s Being Deployed
Q1 2026
-
40th Annual Corporate and 22nd Annual Consultant Site Selection Survey Results
Q1 2026
-
Top States for Doing Business in 2024: A Continued Legacy of Excellence
Q3 2024
-
2025’s Top States for Business: How the Winners Are Outpacing the Rest
Q3 2025
-
The Workforce Bottleneck in America’s Manufacturing Revival
Q4 2025
-
Economic Developer Role Shifting from Deal-Making to Systems Stewardship
Q1 2026
-
What Does “Site Readiness” Really Mean?
Q1 2026