High-end furniture distributor Four Hands secured a full-building lease at Airport Logistics Center Building 2 in Southeast Austin, Texas.

At 570,000 square feet, the lease is the largest industrial deal in the Austin market this year.

Chad Marsh, Managing Principal at Endeavor, represented Four Hands in the deal. JLL Senior Managing Director Ace Schlameus and Senior Vice President Kyle McCulloch handle leasing onsite on behalf of the landlord, Dalfen Industrial. 

CBRE has arranged a first lease for the Utah-based pickleball concept The Picklr in Austin, Texas. The indoor pickleball franchise will occupy 39,642 square feet at The Preserve at 620.

Will Majors and Carson Hawley with CBRE in Austin represented The Picklr while Sean Couey and Jason Steinberg with ECR represented the landlord, Vegas Sun, LLC. The lease was signed in May and the new location is expected to open in Fall 2024.

Located at 8201 N. FM 620 in Northwest Austin, The Preserve at 620 was a former Walmart Super Center that has been redeveloped into approximately 225,000 sq. ft. of mixed-use space. The project includes two floors of creative office, two courtyards, a fitness center with lockers, a putting green, a basketball court, and a dog park.

The Picklr’s first location in Austin is one of 38 new clubs that have opened across the U.S., with 52 additional leases in final negotiations for openings in 2024 and 2025. Karen and David Hoisington are the franchisees behind The Picklr’s first Austin location. They are both Austin natives and plan to open several locations in Austin eventually.

In February 2024, former NFL quarterback Drew Brees was named Brand Ambassador, along with being an investor and a franchisee of 20 Picklr locations. Aside from its newest location in Austin, Picklr also operates four locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex as well as locations in 13 other states.

The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is accelerating, with forecasts predicting rapid adoption over the next decade. This shift brings immense potential to reduce emissions and increase access to sustainable transportation. But simply having more EVs on the road is not enough. We must also ensure that crucial EV charging infrastructure extends beyond city centers and into underserved areas. Though complex, achieving this goal is possible through thoughtful policies, strategic incentives and funding initiatives grounded in community partnerships.

The Multifamily Charging Challenge

Roughly 31% of US households live in multifamily housing like apartments, condos, and townhouses. Yet less than 5% of home EV charging happens in multifamily buildings. This poses a challenge as we transition to electric transportation. Multifamily residents face unique barriers to installing charging stations.

Many multifamily properties don’t have dedicated parking, limiting on-site charging options. Lower-income areas often become “charging deserts” with minimal public or private charging stations available nearby. Local permitting and parking policies can also restrict curbside charger installation. And even when public chargers exist, they may get used up quickly in dense multifamily areas.  

Additionally, apartment building owners and managers have little incentive to install EV chargers which are costly and provide minimal revenue. Upgrading electrical systems is often needed too, further deterring charger investment. The onus falls on willing property owners or local governments to facilitate charging access. But this requires time, money, and initiative that is often lacking.

Funding programs and partnerships can improve access to EV charging

Financial incentives and structured funding programs are instrumental in spurring charger installation in traditionally underserved areas. The landmark National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program made billions in funding available to states earlier this year, with the goal of creating a national EV charging network. In fact, the Illinois Department of Transportation provided up to $50 million for the construction of 46 charging stations across the state this spring in its first round of Illinois National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program funding. The goal of the Illinois NEVI program is to accelerate EV adoption by providing reliable access to charging on Illinois interstates.

However, well-intentioned requirements sometimes hamper creative uses of these funds. For instance, NEVI requires all chargers to be available 24/7 to the general public. While access is important, this precludes installing chargers for equally valuable non-public purposes like overnight fleet vehicle charging. Municipal bus depots and airport hangars come to mind as missed opportunities. Creative grant policies that maintain reasonable public access while enabling some non-public charging capabilities can offer better use of these substantial federal funds. Program incentives can also be intentionally structured to encourage installing chargers in lower-income neighborhoods where market forces alone rarely suffice.

Creative Solutions to Expand Equitable EV Access 

As electric vehicles become more mainstream, ensuring equal access to charging infrastructure is crucial, especially for multifamily housing residents. Installing chargers in apartments or condos faces barriers like high costs and electrical capacity limits.

But new, innovative strategies like universal EV payment cards allow low-income residents without credit cards to pay at public stations. Smart panels and outlets enable converting existing outlets to metered, shareable EV charging ports. Battery-enabled fast chargers provide quick charging without large infrastructure upgrades. Mobile stations bring charging to the user. And curbside innovations like chargers on streetlights and peer-to-peer charging reduce installation costs. 

Shared mobility hubs with public transit, bike and scooter share, EV carshare, and charging stations also promote equitable access. 

Bridging the divide for low-income communities

Charging deserts disproportionately impact lower-income residents who cannot afford newer EVs with longer ranges. The Biden Administration’s Justice40 initiative helps address this inequity by mandating 40% of certain federal sustainability spending flow to disadvantaged communities. States like Illinois have also launched “Just Transition” efforts focused in part on equitable charging infrastructure buildout. Such initiatives acknowledge that the shift to EVs, while extremely positive on the whole, still risks leaving marginalized groups behind. 

Financial incentives and strategic funding alone cannot address all charging gaps in underserved neighborhoods. Sustained public-private partnerships and community engagement are equally vital. For example, urban transit agencies must work closely with disadvantaged residents to site electric bus chargers and routes in ways that maximize local air quality benefits. Community stakeholders can help planners understand charging gaps that may hinder residents from purchasing EVs. Charging stations that go unused due to poor siting are wasted investments. Continued collaborations between municipalities, utilities, employers, community leaders and others will ensure EV infrastructure maps to current mobility needs while filling in charging deserts.

The transition to EVs and community EV charging involves complex coordination between diverse stakeholders. But maintaining an unwavering focus on equitable access as new infrastructure is planned and funded is absolutely key. Only by working hand-in-hand with communities themselves can we build a convenient, efficient charging network that leaves no one stranded. By bridging charging divides today, we can achieve this goal and realize the full promise of electrified mobility for all.

Elbert Waters III is the executive director of Powering Chicago.

Lee & Associates Dallas Fort Worth completed a new lease transaction for a 40,081-square-foot industrial space at 1314 Viceroy Drive in Dallas.

Stephen Williamson of Lee & Associates Dallas Fort Worth represented the landlord, Stonelake Capital Partners. Stonelake’s capital markets experience encompasses debt and equity investments in industrial, multifamily, office, and retail properties in major Texas markets.

Tod Zhang of Mohr Partners Inc represented the tenant, Yamato Transport U.S.A..

Developers are still building industrial properties in the Chicago market. But they’re not building nearly as many new warehouses, distribution centers and factories as they were during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when industrial construction here and across the country soared.

According to the mid-year industrial development report released this week by CommercialSearch, Chicago’s industrial pipeline as of the middle of the year totaled 10.3 million square feet of space.

That is down from the 13.2 million square feet of industrial space that was under construction as of January of 2024. The reason for the slowdown in new industrial construction can be largely attributed to higher interest rates. These higher rates make construction lending less affordable. High construction and labor costs have had an impact, too.

There were still some sizable industrial projects delivered in the Chicago market this year. CommercialSearch pointed to the Bridge Point Melrose Park – Building 1,2 and 3. This project delivered in the first half of 2024 in the Chicago suburb of Melrose Park and brought 1.6 million square feet of new industrial space to the local market.

What’s happening nationally? CommercialSearch reported that at the close of the first half of 2024, the United States had 375.7 million square feet of industrial space under construction. That’s a lot of space, but this figure has dropped by almost 19% compared to the start of the year, when the United States had 463 million square feet of industrial space under construction.

The amount of industrial space under construction in the United States has dropped by 45% when compared to January of 2023, according to CommercialSearch.

Topping the list of most new industrial supply nationally was Phoenix, with 39 million square feet of industrial space under construction as of the end of the first half of the year. The Savannah, Georgia, market is set to register the largest industrial expansion, with a projected increase of 18.8% of new industrial space compared to the current inventory once completed, according to CommercialSearch.

American Landmark Apartments acquired Prose Eastgate, a 366-unit apartment community to be renamed ‘The Jameson’ and located in the city of Fate, Texas, within the Dallas-Fort Worth MSA.

Built in 2023, the property is found within the Rockwall submarket of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

This acquisition marks American Landmark’s 46^th property in Texas and 20^th asset in the Dallas metroplex, signifying its continued confidence in the Lone Star State’s multifamily fundamentals.

Located at 255 Williamsburg Parkway, The Jameson offers an unparalleled living experience with spacious one- and two-bedroom floor plans. Each unit is designed with modern amenities such as stainless-steel appliances, spacious walk-in closets, and gourmet kitchens with granite countertops, ensuring residents enjoy the epitome of comfort and sophistication.

The Class ‘A’ community features an array of world-class amenities, including a resort-style pool with tanning deck, a covered poolside pavilion, large open courtyards with gas grilling stations, a clubhouse with resident lounge and entertaining kitchen, a 24-hour fitness center, and a convenient on-site dog park. The property also offers a business center, Wi-Fi throughout community spaces, and a 24-hour package receiving system, providing residents with an unparalleled lifestyle enriched with convenience and leisure.