MIAMI-DHL Global Forwarding Americas is relocating its operations on the south side of Miami International Airport (MIA), where it currently has 164,000 square feet in the Blue Lagoon Business Park, to a building in the Miami International Commerce Center, also near MIA, where it will have 201,399 square feet.

The lease is the largest new lease done in the last two or three years in the Airport West/Doral submarket, says Walter Byrd, managing director at Transwestern in Miami, who represented the landlord, DCT Industrial, a REIT, in the deal, although he notes that the new space represents only a small expansion for DHL (Doral is an incorporated city).  DCT was also represented by managing director Ben Eisenberg and senior vice president, Thomas Kresse of Transwestern.

DHL Global  is slated to occupy the new building by the end of the year. The extra space will allow the company to consolidate its South Florida operations with 220 employees into one facility. The company currently has 15,000 square feet of office space in Plantation, FL, near Fort Lauderdale, FL. The lease, which was signed in June, is for 10 years.

The new space has a lot of advantages over the old space, says Byrd. The fact that it has room for staging trailers and comes with 38,000 square feet of office space help drive efficiency, he says. Also, the company is consolidating its operations, which makes it more efficient, he says.  “DHL will be able to handle more material than it can in the building where it is currently located,” says Byrd.

The building that will serve as the headquarters for DHL Global is LEED-certified for its design, construction and operation and is consistent with DHL’s program to reduce carbon emissions, according to DCT.

“We worked on the deal for nearly two years and while the recession slowed the process, we were confident  that this was the best building in the best location for DHL,” says Todd Carter, vice president with DCT Industrial.  The company’s lease for its current facility expires in the first quarter of next year.

DHL Global Forwarding was represented by CB Richard Ellis’ first vice presidents, Michael Silver and Ned Burns in the deal, as well as Robert Inglis, director of real estate for DHL Global Business Services.