The catalyst to start work was a long-term lease from ValeoCompressor North America, a division of Paris-based Valeo Group.Scott Krikorian, managing director for TCC in Dallas, says Valeoneeded to expand its footprint at Dallas/Fort Worth InternationalAirport, but was unable to do so at its existing location, 1100 N.28th Ave. The deal was in the market five months, with mostairport-land developers in pursuit. "I think they definitely lookedall over the airport," he says.

TCC has pulled 16 acres from its land bank for Trade Center IV,which will be visible from Texas 114 at the airport's northernentrance. Seattle-based Kennedy Associates Real Estate Counsel LPand TCC started the Trade Center project in 2006 with nearly 64acres and have been adding steadily since then. TCC still has a25-acre site to develop before it exhausts its in-hand airportoptions. Krikorian says one-million sf of the 1.7-million sf hasbeen filled to date.

Krikorian tells GlobeSt.com that it made more sense tojump-start the spec than to split a 550,000-sf shell, particularlygiven the deals in the market. "Activity's been really prettygood," he says, "and we have good activity on all our spaces." Healso explains that other openings in the park weren't quite largeenough.