CREW Greater Philadelphia Members Collaborate to Deliver $23 Million Distribution Center
Brookfield Properties hired KSS Architects to design a distribution center in Elizabeth, New Jersey that Brookfield had acquired in an off-market deal in the summer of 2021. When Andrea Lukens, (then) Vice President at Brookfield Properties, asked Rebecca Udell, (then) Executive Director of Market Strategies at KSS Architects, for a recommendation for a general contractor to construct the 180,000 square foot facility, Udell reached out to Kathy Fahy, Director of Business Development at Irwin and Leighton, and fellow CREW Greater Philadelphia member.
KSS Architects and Irwin & Leighton had worked on a project together in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania for another developer. After a successful project there, Udell and the team at KSS were looking for recommendations for a construction management firm to work with on the Brookfield Properties project they were already collaborating on.
This was an easy decision to make. Not only had Udell and Fahy’s companies worked together in the past, all three women have collaborated for years as highly involved members of CREW Greater Philadelphia. In fact, Fahy had served as Lukens’ co-chair of sponsorship for a year, and all three have served as chapter president.
It turned out that Irwin and Leighton was the right company for the job, as they were able to handle significant challenges during the construction process. The main hurdle was working with the local jurisdiction, which was reluctant to grant approval for the water connections that the 15-acre site required. This was a significant setback because without the connections, the building could not receive a certificate of occupancy. After a great deal of negotiating, the jurisdiction approved the water connections, although it delayed the occupancy of the building and cost the landlord more money than originally planned.
One lesson that was learned during this process was to be cognizant of the jurisdictions that are responsible for granting approvals and get to know them early to avoid losing time and money.
CREW members know how to get projects done. In the end, Irwin & Leighton and KSS delivered an attractive $23 million USD facility for Brookfield Properties that opened in October 2022 and houses multiple tenants.
CREW Greater Philadelphia members involved in this deal
Vionna Adams, Senior Project Manager, BW Design Group
Vionna is a Senior Project Manager with BW Design Group, specializing in industrial projects, including distribution centers and warehouse facilities. Based in Houston, she leads multi-disciplinary teams in the design and execution of complex projects. Vionna serves on BW Design Group's Central Region Client Development team and is the Houston office Project Management Team Leader. She is an active member of the CREW Network Industrial Council and CREW Houston.
Connect on CREWbiz