The tenant began occupying space this month in the 580,000-sfbuilding on the site, Stieve says. The building was completed on aspeculative basis in the first quarter of this year and wasdeveloped by the Washington DC-based Multi-Employer Property Trust,which owns the building, and Trammel Crow Co. The building will beexpanded to nearly 1.2 million sf, he tells GlobeSt.com. Theexpansion is expected to be complete by the end of the year, hesays.

P&G has had two large soap manufacturing plants in St. Louissince the early 1900's, Stieve says. The company chose the locationin Edwardsville, IL because it is only about eight miles from themanufacturing plants. Additionally, the tenant will receive a realestate tax abatement for the building, which makes the taxesaffectively five cents per sf, as opposed to the approximate $1 to$1.75 per sf that the company would pay in St. Louis, Stieve tellsGlobeSt.com.

The company leases a total of approximately 2.1 million sf inthe area, he says. St. Louis is, "not only in the center of theUnited States," but also has a good labor pool, he says. Thecompany had been leasing space in three different locations in St.Louis on a short-term basis before moving into the space at 3101Westway Dr. and an adjacent 480,000-sf building. The company willrelocate from the 480,000-sf building into the expanded 3101Westway Dr., which will serve as a warehouse and distributioncenter for home care products, Stieve says. However, the company isalso currently looking for an additional 400,000 sf, he says. It isquite possible that the company will decide to continue to leasethe 480,000-sf building, he tells GlobeSt.com. "Proctor &Gamble is looking at another expansion in St. Louis," he says."They are pricing it now."