DuPont leases space to move distribution operation

Company takes space emptied last year by Oneida, marking one of the largest industrial leases this year

Email | Print By Richard Lawson

DuPont has leased a large block of space in Space Park North in Goodlettsville and is moving its local distribution space from Madison.

The lease totals 310,000 square feet, marking one of the largest such deals this year in industrial real estate in the Nashville area. Space Park North is five miles from DuPont's manufacturing plant in Old Hickory.

The lease fills space vacated last year by Oneida Ltd., a 126-year-old designer and seller of tableware, when the company decided to reduce operating costs and inventory levels. At one time, Oneida had been the largest tenant in the 715,000-square-foot industrial park. When it left, it opened more than 157,930 square feet.

The lease also takes other space vacated in the last year or so. Electrical distributor Anchor Industries had emptied more than 67,000 square feet in the park and Blackhawk Audio left 35,000 square feet in March. Other tenants were moved around to create another 50,000 square feet.

Don Kent, a broker with CB Richard Ellis who represented DuPont in the deal, said the new space increases the company's distribution flexibility. CB Richard Ellis agent Clinton Gilbreath assisted Kent in the deal.

DuPont said it had considered expanding at its current location and had looked at others around Nashville. "The Space Park North facility proved to address all our needs," said Kim Koch, warehouse and logistics coordinator for DuPont’s Old Hickory operation.

WexTrust Capital bought Space Park North, along with nearby industrial park Old Stone Bridge, four years ago for $23.5 million. WexTrust brought in Nashville Commercial Real Estate Service/Cushman & Wakefield a year ago to handle leasing and management of the parks.

Buster Weber and Buist Richardson, both brokers with Nashville Commercial, represented WexTrust in the transaction.