ViaWest Group, a leading Phoenix-based developer, and Willmeng Construction, a renowned construction company, celebrated the official start of construction for The Base, Phase I. This groundbreaking ceremony marks the beginning of the development of a state-of-the-art, 144-acre industrial campus in Glendale, one of the next major commerce parks in the West Valley. The Base is extremely well-located southeast of Luke Air Force Base, just west of Litchfield Road at Bethany Home Road.
The Base will be developed in two phases by ViaWest Group. Phase 1 will encompass seven buildings spanning a total of 1,182,877 square feet. These buildings will range in size from 85,000 SF to 309,000 SF with divisibility down to approximately 20,000 SF. Phase 2 is proposed to include eight additional buildings, totaling 780,600 SF and ranging in size from 41,000 SF to 141,000 SF. DLR Group is the architect, Kimley-Horn is the civil engineer, and CBRE will be the leasing team on both phases.
Equity Financing was secured by Cushman & Wakefield’s National Industrial Advisory Group – Mountain West, Will Strong, Kirk Kuller and Molly Hunt, and Cushman & Wakefield’s Equity, Debt & Structured Finance team, John Alascio and TJ Sullivan. Phase 1 is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Prominently featuring modern architectural designs, The Base will offer a host of impressive features including heavy power, ESFR sprinkler systems, a combination of dock-high and grade-level loading, concrete truck courts, ample car parking, and R-38 insulation. With clear heights varying between 28 feet and 36 feet, the property is designed to meet tenant demand, both large and small, and the diverse needs of an array of industries.
Steven Schwarz, Founding Partner of ViaWest Group, commented, “We are excited about expanding our industrial presence in Glendale. This modern and strategically located industrial campus will meet the growing demands of businesses in the West Valley and Glendale and provide ample opportunities for economic growth and development in the region. The size of our buildings in a true industrial campus is a unique offering in the market.” Cushman’s Vice Chair, Will Strong, also commented, “The Base is a special opportunistic investment opportunity to capitalize on the growing demand for industrial in the West Valley, ViaWest is a leader in the market and has made a significant impact on the industrial landscape in Phoenix. We are excited to partner with them on this deal and support growth in the City of Glendale.”
“The Base is a major investment in our community, and I have absolute confidence it will bring incredible opportunities for job creation, economic growth, and prosperity for the City of Glendale,” said Glendale Mayor, Jerry P. Weiers. “This new industrial commercial site will attract businesses from various sectors, boosting our local economy and driving innovation. Their dedication to the safety of one of our major assets in Luke Air Force base, makes them the perfect partner for this project.”
“The reality is a lot of groups aren’t moving forward on projects like this because they lack the right team, the right details and the confidence to get it done, so my hat’s off to Steven and the ViaWest Group team,” said Willmeng CEO James Murphy. “I know we have all of the confidence in the world in this team and we’ve had great successes with them in this market through the years.”
Leading the marketing and leasing for The Base is the CBRE team of Mark Krison and Luke Krison. This same team facilitated the acquisition of the land for The Base in October of 2022 and January 2023. Luke Krison remarked, “THE BASE represents the coming together of all the right dynamics. Two factors that set THE BASE apart from other projects within the submarket is its proximity to robust retail amenities and the thoughtful site plan design. There is a major lack of supply and a tremendous amount of user demand for the size of buildings that Phase I at The Base will deliver. ViaWest is filling that void in the market and we are excited to be working with such a great developer.”
The site’s strategic location provides easy access to three major freeways, namely the Loop 101 freeway, Interstate 10, and the Loop 303 freeway. This advantageous positioning enables tenants to efficiently serve and reach a population of over 65 million people in California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah. The West Valley in Phoenix also offers an abundant labor pool, with approximately 860,000 workers within a 20-mile radius and a total workforce of 2.53 million workers in the greater Phoenix MSA, as reported by Esri.
The Base represents another successful collaboration between ViaWest Group and Willmeng. Recently, Willmeng completed construction on Converge, a 3-building, 510,000 SF industrial park along the I-10 in southeast Phoenix, and is currently wrapping up work on Sight Logistics, a two-building, 355,000 SF industrial park situated just 3 miles north of Converge on the east side of I-10 in Tempe. Additionally, Willmeng is currently engaged with ViaWest in the construction of a new facility for Subzero; a 600,000 SF build-to-suit project in Goodyear.
