Stockbridge Acquires 540,478 SF Inland Empire Industrial Portfolio for $142MM

San Francisco based Stockbridge acquires 100% leased assets in premier IE West location

Cushman & Wakefield’s EDSF also sources acquisition financing for transaction

Cushman & Wakefield announced the firm has arranged the sale of a core industrial portfolio totaling 540,478 square feet in Southern California’s premier Inland Empire West (IEW) submarket. The portfolio consists of two freestanding Class A buildings located a few miles apart at 3351 E Philadelphia St and 4450 E Lowell St in the city of Ontario. The buildings are 100% leased to prominent tenants in the distribution and retail industries.

San Francisco based Stockbridge acquired the two-property portfolio from Principal Asset Management^SM a global financial and investment management firm. The portfolio sold for $142.25 million.

Jeff Chiate, Jeffrey Cole, Rick Ellison, and Matt Leupold of Cushman & Wakefield’s National Industrial Advisory Group—West represented the seller in the transaction. The firm’s Phil Lombardo, Chuck Belden and Andrew Starnes also provided leasing advisory.

Additionally, a Cushman & Wakefield Equity, Debt & Structured Finance (EDSF) team of Rob Rubano, Brian Share, Joseph Lieske, Max Schafer, and Becca Tse collaborated in sourcing acquisition financing for the transaction.

“Stockbridge has acquired an institutional-quality industrial portfolio with a phenomenal infill location combined with strong tenancy and premium distribution features and functionality. Both properties have maintained a historical occupancy of 100% for nearly a decade speaking to the tenant demand for industrial buildings of this quality and location,” said Jeff Chiate, Executive Vice Chair. “Additionally, with current rents below market rate, the buyer has a compelling mark-to market opportunity along with existing durable cash flow, providing a variety of value-add strategies.”

The properties offer convenient access to Southern California’s robust freeway network and other vital nodes of transit such as Ontario International Airport, the Los Angeles & Long Beach Ports, and LAX International Airport (60 miles). Access to a deep labor pool and robust consumer population also makes the region a superior industrial location.

According to Cushman & Wakefield’s latest industrial market report, the Inland Empire West submarket had a vacancy rate of 5.4% in Q1 2024, representing the tightest submarket in the broader Inland Empire market. Additionally, IEW achieved nearly 1 million square feet of positive net absorption (occupancy growth) in the first quarter of 2024.