Originally published on March 10, 2023, by Kathryn Hamilton, CAE for NAIOP.
As industrial spaces move deeper into urban areas, the need to build up instead of out will increase. Vertical industrial – whether used for fulfillment, maker spaces, labs or light manufacturing – requires a new approach, different requirements and a whole lot of explaining.
Russell Hazzard, AIA, president of MG2, led a panel of experienced vertical industrial developers and architects at this week’s I.CON West in Long Beach, California, that explored the advantages and challenges that accompany these types of projects.
It’s important to consider three main elements of multistory industrial that differ from traditional single-story industrial before getting started, said Ken Sun, senior vice president, regional head of development – West region, Prologis. First is the target customer and their use, whether traditional warehouse, third-party logistics company, fleet management or another purpose.