Development partners Bradbury Properties and Confluent Development, have started construction on three buildings in metro Denver’s 100-acre industrial hub, Highfield Business Park. Upon completion, the three projects will mark the industrial hub’s near build-out, spanning about 10 years and totaling 1.25 million square feet of industrial space, with only 12 acres on the park’s north end remaining undeveloped.
Located southeast of Centennial Airport, Highfield Business Park is situated near the intersection of E-470 and Peoria Street with convenient access to I-25 and E-470 as well as Southeast Light Rail.
The three new projects support the significant demand for industrial space in metro Denver, particularly outside of the downtown core, with current leasing activity outperforming the historical average. As growing businesses and national brands expand from downtown into surrounding markets, southeast Denver has seen strong demand for top-quality industrial developments. Douglas County’s highly educated workforce and robust population growth make it attractive to employers, fueling this demand.
Since launching its first industrial project in 2010, Highfield Business Park has celebrated notable success with 750,000 square feet developed over the past nine years. With the current industrial developments fully leased, the partnership will deliver nearly 500,000 square feet of additional class A industrial space with the park’s three properties that are currently under construction, all showcasing state-of-the-art features.
CBRE serves as the leasing broker for the three new projects, most recently securing a national transportation company as a tenant in a 202,000-square-foot building on the eastern side of the business park. The single-story building is planned for completion in the second quarter of 2020. Brinkman Construction serves as the general contractor for the new project, with Ware Malcomb as the architect.
“More than 10 years ago Bradbury Properties had the vision for a high-quality industrial park in growing Douglas County. They anticipated early the impressive growth coming to Denver’s industrial sector. Now today, in partnership with Confluent Development, they can stand back and proudly say that they have created southeast Denver’s preeminent business park environment, home to a range of tenants who represent the top of their industries,” said Jim Bolt, executive vice president with CBRE.
The project team recently broke ground on two additional speculative buildings on the adjacent lot. Anticipated for completion in the first quarter of 2020, these two developments will span 160,000 square feet and 130,000 square feet, and both will feature front-park, rear-load design with shared truck courts. Intergroup Architects is the architect for both properties with Murray & Stafford performing the construction.
“The success of Highfield Business Park is a testament to the continued growth and strength of Colorado’s industrial market,” said John Bauknight, development director at Confluent Development. “This business park has grown into a destination for retail and distribution leaders from across the country, and we look forward to seeing how it benefits Denver’s industrial scene for years to come.”
Originally one of the Bradbury’s wheat farmland parcels, Highfield Business Park represents the latest transition of the Bradbury Properties’ family land. Over the past three generations, Bradbury Properties has transitioned the family’s significant holdings into some of Douglas County’s most-recognized developments including Lincoln Station and Meridian.
“Nearing completion on Highfield Business Park is a rewarding milestone for my family’s company,” said Tom Bradbury, president at Bradbury Properties. “The 100-acre industrial park is the latest success in the evolution of my family’s land holdings, and we’re honored to continue providing high-quality developments to southeast Denver. As companies that are equally committed to serving the Denver community, we are proud to deliver this impressive project alongside Confluent Development.”
The Confluent Development/Bradbury Properties partnership began in 2016 with the groundbreaking of Highfield Building 5, marking the business park’s fifth total development. The partnership continued as it developed the 52 remaining acres. Upon completion of this phase of development, the partnership will have delivered six projects totaling 800,000 square feet of space in the business park.
Highfield Building 5, a 101,000-square-foot facility, was completed in 2017 and houses leading telecom company Charter Communications as well as Gateway Classic Cars’ first Colorado location. Recognized for its unique and efficient construction, the development received the Tilt-Up Concrete Association’s Achievement Award in 2017.
Last year the partnership delivered a 115,500-square-foot, build-to-suit project for growing data center provider EdgeConneX (which also occupies industrial space in an adjacent building) as well as a 92,000-square-foot property housing home delivery provider Linn Star Transfer and Denver-based military and defense manufacturer Liteye Systems.
Photo courtesy of Confluent Development
