The new facility, which is within the initial phase of Northeast Business Park, is expected to be completed within the next nine months, according to Alexander B. Taylor, chief operating officer of Matrix. The warehouse/distribution facility will include a 239,000-sf future expansion component, according to Taylor, as well as a total of 30,000 sf built out as office space.

Jon Tesser and Mike Markey of Colliers Houston represented W. W. Grainger in the transaction. KSS of Princeton, NJ is the architect, and construction is being done by Matrix Construction Services LLC.

The Lake Forest, IL-based W. W. Grainger distributes a wide range of products related to industrial maintenance, including everything from adhesives and electrical equipment, to fasteners and hardware. The $4.8-billion-a-year aftermarket company's product lines also include hydraulics and pneumatics, lighting, motors, office and lab equipment, tools and testing instruments, among other things.

"We are extremely happy to announced this major build-to-suit transaction," says Taylor. "We are very pleased to be maintaining our position in the industrial market, and gratified that a company like W. W. Grainger will be investing in New Jersey's local economy."

Situated with frontage on both the New Jersey Turnpike and I-95 in south central New Jersey, the 800-acre Northeast Business Park has to date seen the construction of more than three million sf of space to date by Matrix. Grainger's facility will be the park's ninth; among the other major users are Seaman's Furniture, Amway Corp. and Bohrens/United Van Lines, all of which operate sizable warehouse/distribution operations.

Matrix is also set to launch phase two of the park, focusing on 435 recently-acquired acres adjacent to the existing site. General development plan approval for the new acreage calls for an additional build-out of 5.5 million sf of space.