Tishman Speyer, Mitsui Fudosan form US logistics joint venture

Tishman Speyer, Mitsui Fudosan America form US logistics joint venture

Tishman Speyer and Mitsui Fudosan America (MFA), the U.S. subsidiary of Japan’s largest real estate company Mitsui Fudosan Co., have formed a new programmatic joint venture dedicated to the acquisition, development, redevelopment and operation of industrial properties in leading U.S. cities.

The newly-created Tishman Speyer-Mitsui Fudosan America Logistics Venture will be seeded by an initial $500 million commitment from an affiliate of MFA along with co-investment capital from Tishman Speyer.

The funds will be used to pursue ground-up development projects and the major repositioning or redevelopment of existing value-add industrial acquisitions.

The joint venture will prioritize ESG investments that adhere to the standards and specifications set forth by market leading environmental certifications such as LEED and GRESB.

The partnership will focus primarily on major urban centers with dynamic workforces, growing populations and high barriers to entry such as Los Angeles, the New York Metro region, the Puget Sound region, San Francisco Bay Area, Austin, San Diego, Washington D.C., Boston and Chicago. Tishman Speyer will execute its industrial strategy through its long-established in-house teams within its target markets. 

Tishman Speyer will invest in a wide range of industrial assets that facilitate the movement and delivery of goods and services in those high barrier locations, including distribution, warehousing, research and development, small bay, transload and outdoor storage. 

“The evolving needs of today’s consumer have generated strong demand for well-located, functional industrial properties. This is especially true in the most supply-constrained urban centers. Through this new joint venture, we intend to create and operate facilities that bring companies closer to their customers,” said Tishman Speyer CEO Rob Speyer. “We are also excited to grow and diversify our strategic partnership with Mitsui Fudosan America – already a co-investor in a number of Tishman Speyer’s life sciences, residential and office developments.”

Said Sean McSweeney, Senior Vice President, Acquisitions, at Mitsui Fudosan America, “This is an exciting area for the growth and expansion of our portfolio. Our partnership with Tishman Speyer has already proven its success in finding opportunity and delivering value to a wide range of urban communities throughout the U.S. This initiative extends from the decade long commitment by Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd., to acquiring, developing and managing industrial facilities. In Asia, under the Mitsui Fudosan Logistics Park flagship brand, there are 53 projects being developed and managed.”

Tishman Speyer launched its industrial platform in December 2021 with the acquisition of two distribution centers in Pittsburgh and Colorado Springs. In 2022, the firm tapped industry veteran Andy Burke to serve as Managing Director and Head of Industrial. Burke previously held leadership roles at AMB Property Corporation (now Prologis) and most recently at Terreno Realty Corporation, where he was part of the management team that established its platform and took the company public in 2010. 

“Mitsui Fudosan America’s commitment to this new joint venture will accelerate our industrial platform’s expansion from core and core-plus assets to include value-add, development and redevelopment opportunities,” said Tishman Speyer Senior Managing Director Paul Galiano, who serves as Co-Head of U.S. Acquisitions and Global Capital Markets.

Added Burke, “The servicing requirements that come with an ever-expanding omnichannel experience are constantly creating dynamic demands on the supply chain. By positioning our investments in high density locations in the path of consumption, we will unlock significant value for our customers and our investment partners.”