Robinson Weeks Partners, a leading developer of master-planned industrial parks across the Southeast, announced today it has broken ground on Gillem 1100 and Gillem 1200, a pair of Class A speculative distribution centers totaling nearly 1.3 million square feet at Gillem Logistics Center (GLC) in Forest Park, Georgia near Atlanta. The two projects mark Robinson Weeks’ seventh industrial development at GLC over the last six years, with more than 4.6 million square feet of new product added to the park during that time. Construction on Gillem 1100 is scheduled to finish in Q1 2022, while Gillem 1200 is slated for completion in Q2 2022.

Designed to appeal to a broad range of industrial users and logistics providers, Gillem 1100 (909,509 SF) will feature a 40’ clear height, 300 auto parking spaces, 171 dock high doors and 318 trailer storage spaces. The Class A cross-dock facility will provide a secured environment with dedicated circulation for one or multiple tenants. Gillem 1200 (377,520 SF) will have a 32’ clear height, 267 auto parking spaces, 70 dock high doors and 86 trailer storage spaces.

Located approximately 12 miles south of Downtown Atlanta, GLC is a 1,168-acre master-planned industrial development featuring more than 8 million square feet of industrial space and 500,000 square feet of mixed-use facilities. With close proximity to major transportation arteries and Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, GLC is attractive for its relative ease of access and opportunities for expansion, and provides an ideal central location for e-commerce operators, manufacturers and 3PL providers seeking to serve Metro Atlanta’s large population base.

Robinson Weeks was selected to be the master developer for the project in 2007 and began construction on the first project at Gillem Logistics Center in 2015. The firm has selected Cushman & Wakefield to oversee leasing and marketing operations for the newest phase of development.

“We’re thrilled to put shovels in the ground and embark on our latest project that will meet the burgeoning market demand while also serving as a catalyst for healthy economic growth,” said David Welch, President and CEO at Robinson Weeks Partners. “As Robinson Weeks begins to lay the foundation for the next phase at Gillem Logistics Center, we are reminded of the success and long-term viability of our master plan and look forward to building upon the momentum that has attracted some of the leading global e-commerce and logistics providers to the park.”

“Cushman & Wakefield is pleased to represent Robinson Weeks on this project, which is one of the premier logistics developments in Metro Atlanta,” said Pat Murphy, Senior Managing Director at 

Cushman & Wakefield. “We believe our expertise and broad base of experience in the local industrial market will add value for ownership and are already seeing signs of healthy interest from a variety of users.”

With the e-commerce boom continuing to bolster industrial operations, speculative development is on the rise in key logistics hubs such as Atlanta. Metro Atlanta recorded nearly 19 million square feet of net absorption in the first half of 2021, a 79% increase from the same timeframe one year earlier. The market is poised to see strong rent growth through the remainder of the year. Metro Atlanta’s overall vacancy rate fell to a record low of 4.3% as developers continued cranking out new product to keep up with demand.

Gillem Logistics Center is home to Kroger (NYSE: KR), Cummins (NYSE: CMI), HD Supply (NASDAQ: HDS), XPO (NYSE: XPO), Kuehne + Nagel (KHNGY) and Kalera among other top distributors and e-commerce companies.