Thad Hickman and Tyndall Yaap, both of Grubb & Ellis Co.'s Houston office, represented the seller, Management & Investment Services of Texas Inc. Warehouse Associates' president David R. David negotiated his side of the 12-acre initial land purchase. David tells GlobeSt.com that he holds options on the balance of the available 55 acres.

The property's proximity to the medical center was the primary draw in the site selection for the project which, David says, could bring as much as 900,000 sf. The project is anticipated to end up a mix of distribution and tech-flex space, targeting medical center tenants.

Now that the first tract's bought, David says he will start fencing, gating and adding a virtual security guard system as well as posting signs. The 220,000-sf cross-dock distribution center delivers in July. David says a national tenant already is committed to 91,300 sf of the distribution space.

The structure is designed with 30-foot, clear-height ceilings and a 45-foot by 50-foot column base span. It will boast 48 dock-high doors and eight grade-level dock doors. David says the design is such that an 18-wheeler will be able to drive through the building to unload cargo. The office area will feature glass exteriors.

Warehouse Associates has just completed a similar project called Corporate Center Kirby, also near the medical center, which is proving to be a niche market for the Houston developer. The Kirby Road project totals 108,000 sf of high-finish, tech-flex space in two buildings. It is 30% leased. "I expect the buildings to be full by March," David says. He contends the medical center submarket comes with a lot of pent-up demand for the product he is delivering.