ORLANDO—JLL was just named the exclusive broker for one of the nation's top 10 Inland Ports. The Central Florida Intermodal Logistics Center is located smack dab in the middle of Florida's growing population.

The center sits next to CSX Winter Haven Intermodal. The 932-acre project is planned for 8 million square feet of industrial development, including the immediate availability of a class A, high-bay distribution facility totaling 407,400 square feet.

JLL senior vice presidents Joe Hills and Josh Lipoff and vice presidents Ryan Burrows and Steve Ostrowski will serve as the exclusive leasing team. Mark Levy, managing director and leader of JLL's Port, Airport and Global Infrastructure Practice, will join them.

“As we look at factors such as population growth, demand for faster access to goods and increasing e-commerce, the Central Florida Intermodal Logistics Center will play an integral role in the future of Central Florida as a major hub for getting goods to all major population centers in the state,” says Hills. “Target users include those seeking connectivity to neighboring ports, access to the region's customer base and build-to-suit space that can meet their long-term logistics needs.”

The planned intermodal logistics hub will span 8 million square feet of industrial and distribution space with build-to-suit space opportunities ranging from 200,000 square feet to 1.8 million square feet. A class A distribution facility totaling 407,400 square feet is already available for leasing.

“Maritime access, port connectivity and rail access are all critical factors for an intermodal logistics center at a time when half of all retail sales are happening online,” says Levy. “Companies are increasingly looking to enhance efficiencies related to distribution and being able to access multiple markets from a chief distribution point will be key as they plan ahead.”

Central Florida is poised to become the center point for distribution in the state over the next five to 10 years. Providing highway access via Interstate 4, US 27 and State Road 60, the Central Florida Intermodal Logistics Center will include 932 acres of state-of-the-art industrial development.

“This project has the potential to become a major economic driver for Central Florida in the years ahead,” says Michael Mullen, senior advisor of Winter Haven Industrial Investors. “We are investing in creating a central logistics hub for Florida that can serve the state's increasing population and its growing demand for goods and services.”

JLL is representing other major inland port projects, including Tradepoint Atlantic, a 3,100-acre project in Maryland that is considered the largest redevelopment of its type currently taking place in the nation, RidgePort Logistics Center in Illinois totaling 1,500 acres suitable for 18 million square feet of industrial space and Paramount Logistics Park, a 1,650-acre park totaling 26 million square feet of industrial space under development in California.

New industrial inventory is coming to market. There's movement one of the largest new speculative industrial projects along the Interstate 4 corridor in Lakeland. Avison Young was just picked to handle leasing for the class A 275,226 square foot building under construction at Bridgewater Commerce Center.

“Also much of the space that serves e-commerce is fundamentally different space then the standard industrial building and therefore requires new construction,” Lee Morris, managing director of industrial services for Colliers International, tells GlobeSt.com. “Therefore, we are starting to see a new category of buildings with special amenities that cater to the needs of e-commerce in addition to the more standard new industrial space that offers many amenities over older buildings such as ESFR fire sprinklers, higher clear heights, more loading doors and trailer storage. The gulf between these newer buildings and the older buildings that do not offer and many that cannot be updated has grown significantly in this cycle.”

Instant Insights /

JLL Now Leasing Florida's Largest Intermodal Logistics Center

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