RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA—The launch of GoodmanBirtcher's 1.6-million-square-foot industrialdevelopment, reported last week on GlobeSt.com, is only thebeginning. The firm is planning five developments in the SouthernCalifornia market, totaling 6.3 million square feet and 15 millionsquare feet of industrial developments nationwide, an estimatedcost of $1.4 billion for work in progress. The North Americansubsidy of the Australian-based Goodman Group,Goodman Birtcher CEO Brandon Birtcher sat downwith GlobeSt.com to talk about the firm's plans for the SouthernCalifornia market, its choice to launch the company's SoCal rolloutin Rancho Cucamonga and how it is funding this stream of class-Aindustrial developments. Here is what he has to say:

GlobeSt.com: Why did you choose Rancho Cucamonga,CA, as one of your development locations?

Birtcher: The Inland Empire has twomarkets, the east and the west, and I think if logistics could findthe appropriate location, most would want to be located in the westbecause they could get twice the turns out of the Port of L.A. Thatis significant. If you are in the ecommerce industry, it is alsoimportant because it is central to fulfillment centers. So, thewest has been a really important part of our strategy. Although theeast has some great opportunities and wonderful sites, if I had thechoice to kick off our Southern California portfolio, it would bein the Inland Empire west. The site was attractive to us because itis 75 acres, which is difficult to find in the west, and because ithas remarkably convenient access to the 10 and 15 freeways. Thoseare very important arteries to the Inland Empire. We liked thecommunity. Rancho Cucamonga has a very business friendly,forward-thinking set of leadership, and it brought the best out inboth of us. They were very excited about what we were proposing sothat they could compete for some of these fulfillment and ecommerceusers to move into the city and generate additional sale tax.