AMB Property Corp. completed construction of the first buildingin Savannah's AMB Morgan Business Center, which ultimately willhave more than three million sf of distribution space. Crewswrapped work on a 347,000-sf building that is the first specindustrial project in the Southeast built to standards for LEEDsilver certification. "There has been a significant gain incontainerized cargo through Savannah, especially from Asia," saysAMB chairman and CEO Hamid Moghadam. "the Port of Savannahexperienced a 20% increase in containers handled in calendar year2007."

The development marks the San Francisco-based REIT's entry intothe Savannah market, but it's part of a broader strategy to thattargets major metropolitan areas close to airports and seaports."Our customers are looking for logistics and distribution realestate that is synergistic with their own sustainabilityinitiatives that maximize operational efficiencies," explainsMoghadam. "We are developing that for them here at the fastestgrowing seaport in the United States."

Meanwhile, Indianapolis-based Duke increased its local holdingsto nearly six million sf with the $30 million purchase of a285,000-sf building in Crossroads Business Park nearSavannah/Hilton Head International Airport and a 504,000-sf fullyoccupied distribution center in the 270-acre port officials plan toinvest $111 million to prepare for future growthInterstate Centre,an industrial park about 30 miles west of Savannah. The companyentered the market two years ago with the $194.6 millionacquisition of an 18-building portfolio totaling 5.1 millionsf.