Deal marks full lease-up of CRG’s first industrial development in the O’Hare submarket, underscoring strong demand in Chicago’s premier logistics hub

CRG, the national real estate development and investment firm, today announced Worldwide Flight Services (WFS), a global air cargo logistics leader and ground handling partner, has signed a full-building lease for The Cubes at ORD in Franklin Park, Ill. The 66,552-square-foot deal brings the industrial warehouse to 100% occupancy.

The Cubes at ORD is located immediately southeast of O’Hare International Airport at the intersection of Irving Park Road and Seymour Avenue. With direct access to Interstate 294 and only 1 mile to the South Cargo Area at O’Hare, the site offers unparalleled connectivity in one of Chicago’s most supply-constrained industrial submarkets. The recently completed facility features modern amenities including ESFR sprinkler systems, LED lighting, 20 exterior dock doors, two drive-in doors, 11 trailer storage spaces and parking for 70 vehicles.

“We knew The Cubes at ORD was a strategic infill development given its proximity to O’Hare, and reaching full occupancy is a testament to the strong demand for well-located, modern logistics facilities,” said Susan Bergdoll, senior vice president and partner, Midwest Region, at CRG. “This lease caps off a strong run of activity across our Chicago portfolio and showcases our commitment to delivering best-in-class industrial space where our users need it most.”

The announcement builds on CRG’s momentum in Chicago, where the firm recently broke ground on The Cubes at Cicero, an 85,680-square-foot infill warehouse in west suburban Cicero, just 6 miles from Midway International Airport. It and The Cubes at ORD follow the successful delivery and full-building lease of The Cubes at Country Club Hills to Dart Container/SOLO Cup, reinforcing CRG’s position as a leading industrial developer in the region and nationally.

“We are excited about the new, state-of-the-art facility that will support one of our strongest customers,” said Frank Clemente, senior vice president of cargo and express at WFS. “The proximity to ORD is extremely important to servicing customers’ air freight operations.”

Avison Young Principals Brian Colson and Brian Pomorski represented CRG in the lease transaction. The tenant, WFS, was represented by Matt Mulvihill of CBRE. The Cubes at ORG was designed by CRG integrated partner Lamar Johnson Collaborative, while its parent company, Clayco, served as general contractor.

“WFS is a very important client to our team, and CRG made it easy to finalize terms and to immediately start working on the improvements,” said Mulvihill, vice chairman at CBRE.

About CRG:
CRG is a privately owned North American real estate development and investment firm founded in 1993 with deep expertise in delivering and owning industrial, office, multifamily, student housing and mixed-use assets. The firm serves clients and investors from seven regional offices, benefiting from local expertise in Chicago, St. Louis, Seattle, Southern California, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Atlanta. CRG has developed more than 12,500 acres of land and delivered over 220 million square feet of assets exceeding $14 billion in value. For more information, visit CRG’s website at www.realcrg.com.

About The Cubes:
The Cubes is a North American industrial brand owned and developed by CRG. The Cubes represents CRG’s philosophy of developing for the future and anticipating the enhanced needs of tomorrow’s modern industrial users. The Cubes are designed with an emphasis on sustainability and implement state-of-the-art specifications, including maximum clear heights, dock doors and trailer storage, to keep pace with the shift to consumer-centric logistic strategies. The Cubes are located in strategic locations that take into consideration both logistics and labor supply, always with the end user in mind.

About Clayco:
Clayco is a full-service, turnkey real estate development, master planning, architecture, engineering, and construction firm that safely and sustainably delivers the highest quality solutions to clients across North America on time, on budget, and above and beyond expectations. With $7.6 billion in revenue for 2024, Clayco specializes in the “art and science of building,” providing fast track, efficient solutions for industrial, commercial, institutional and residential-related building projects. For more information, visit www.claycorp.com.

About Lamar Johnson Collaborative:

Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC) is a Chicago-based full-service design and architecture firm that provides integrated delivery and full turnkey solutions across multiple industries. LJC’s services include architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, planning and urban design, sustainability and technical/quality assurance. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Clayco, a full-service, real estate, architecture, engineering, design-build and construction firm. Though LJC works closely with companies in the Clayco family of brands, more than half of its business is with outside developers and general contractors.

About Avison Young:

Avison Young creates real economic, social and environmental value as a global real estate advisor, powered by people. As a private company, our clients collaborate with an empowered partner who is invested in their success. Our integrated talent realizes the full potential of real estate by using global intelligence platforms that provide clients with insights and advantage. Together, we can create healthy, productive workplaces for employees, cities that are centers for prosperity for their citizens, and built spaces and places that create a net benefit to the economy, the environment and the community. Avison Young is a 2023 winner of the Canada’s Best Managed Companies Platinum Club designation, having retained its Best Managed designation for 12 consecutive years.