Charleston Trade Center in Summerville to deliver fully leased

Charleston, S.C., (October 18, 2021) – The Keith Corporation (TKC), Singerman Real Estate (SRE) and JLL today announced that Charleston Trade Center, a three-million-square-foot, Class-A industrial campus in Summerville, South Carolina, is 100% leased. Twin Star Home and Sagebrook Home are the latest tenants to lease space at the project, occupying one million square feet and 430,920 square feet, respectively. JLL Managing Director Lee Allen and Executive Vice President Kevin Coats handle marketing and leasing efforts for the campus on behalf of the developer, a joint venture between The Keith Corporation and Singerman Real Estate. Featuring the largest speculative industrial building ever developed in Charleston's history, the latest phase of construction at Charleston Trade Center is expected to be completed by December 2021.

Twin Star Home, a leading omnichannel, consumer-driven designer and manufacturer of indoor and outdoor living products, has signed a long-term lease for the 1,019,200-square-foot building at Charleston Trade Center. Delivering next month, the facility represents the largest speculative industrial building ever developed in the Charleston area. It will be equipped with 40’ ceiling heights, 474 auto parking spaces, 275 trailer parking spaces and 120 dock doors. The deal is a massive expansion for Twin Star Home, giving the company the space needed to triple its warehouse capacity in Charleston.

Sagebrook Home, a California-based home decor company, will occupy the 430,920-square-foot building at Charleston Trade Center, also delivering December 2021. Adding an east coast distribution center has always been part of Sagebrook Home’s growth plan. The company was drawn to the geographic advantages offered at Charleston Trade Center, such as direct connectivity to the Southeast region and unparalleled Port access.

“We are thrilled to welcome two impressive furniture companies, Sagebrook Home and Twin Star Home, to SC Ports and the Charleston Trade Center,” says South Carolina Ports President and CEO Jim Newsome. “These furniture distribution centers build on Charleston’s centrality to the furniture and home goods segment. The Keith Corporation’s successful development of the Charleston Trade Center, combined with JLL swiftly filling the industrial park with tenants, is symbolic of the sustained growth in the Charleston market. These projects highlight the success of SC Ports providing much-needed capacity to the furniture and home goods’ supply chains.”

TKC and SRE initially broke ground on Charleston Trade Center in 2016 and have since invested $205 million in buildings and infrastructure and creating over 1,000 jobs. Since 2016, JLL has attracted high-profile industrial users to the campus, including IFA, a German-based, automotive supplier; RPM Warehouse, one of the market’s leading warehouse operators; and Curtiss-Wright, a global product manufacturer and service provider.

“Charleston Trade Center is a microcosm of the city’s booming industrial economy for Port-related products,” says JLL’s Allen. “We have been successful in securing a mix of high-growth, large-scale manufacturing and distribution users that are representative of Charleston’s diverse economy and business landscape. The success of Charleston Trade Center can be attributed to Singerman and TKC’s confidence in the stability and future growth of the market and to SC Ports’ innovative, mutually beneficial approach for advancing business and activity in Charleston.”  

Charleston’s explosive growth has been driven by a favorable business landscape, innovative companies and a strong labor pool. According to JLL research, there is nearly 4.5 million square feet of industrial space currently under construction in Charleston as the demand for warehouse space across the city surpasses projections. With only 5.9% availability, JLL predicts this demand will continue to fuel port cargo growth and commensurate warehouse and distribution real estate needs throughout Charleston.

“Five years ago, we saw an incredible opportunity to develop a state-of-the-art industrial campus that would capitalize on the market’s rapid growth and SC Ports’ robust activity,” says Alan Lewis, managing industrial partner at TKC. “Today, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to bring Charleston Trade Center to life during such a transformative era for e-commerce and logistics. We’re looking forward to experiencing continued growth and success in Charleston.”