A rendering of a new 1.17 million-square-foot industrial building at 40 Sigle Lane in South Brunswick — Courtesy: Heller Industrial Parks
By Joshua Burd
Heller Industrial Parks has preleased a nearly 1.2 million-square-foot industrial project in South Brunswick, landing a full-building commitment from home goods retailer Williams‐Sonoma.
The developer said Williams‐Sonoma Direct Inc. will occupy roughly 1.17 million square feet at 40 Sigle Lane, part of its Heller Park North property near the New Jersey Turnpike. The deal comes as part of an expansion for the retailer, which makes 70 percent of its sales online, fueling the growth of its warehouse needs beyond its two existing facilities at Exit 8A.
Brian Knowles of Lee & Associates of Eastern Pennsylvania represented Williams‐Sonoma in the deal, while Heller’s Frederick Kurtz represented the developer in-house.
“As internet fulfillment and logistics businesses continue to grow, we have seen robust leasing activity in our strategic submarkets like Exit 8A,” said Jason Grebin, Heller’s president. “We are thrilled to have secured a tenant of Williams‐Sonoma’s caliber for the whole building six months prior to completion. The Williams‐Sonoma team was great to work with and we look forward to a long and successful partnership.”
In a news release, Heller said the new facility will have 40-foot clear ceiling heights and is slated for completion in October. The firm noted that its precast structural walls are standing and that structural steel is being installed, following the start of construction last summer.
It is Heller’s second speculative modern warehouse to be leased in the submarket, the news release said, adding that the firm banked 202 acres around Exit 8A in the 1970s. It also plans to build two additional warehouses on the same site with the potential to add another 1.06 million square feet.
“The building design, including 40-foot top‐of‐product storage heights, 196 doors and parking for 395 trailers, was a key to attracting Williams‐Sonoma to this project,” said Kurtz, Heller’s vice president of leasing.
