American Furniture Warehouse under construction in 2013 /Tim Hacker:Tribune
By Parker Leavitt | The Arizona Republic
The $9.4 million sale of an industrial building in Chandler last month went unnoticed by many, but the seemingly mundane transaction signals a bigger shift in momentum for the East Valley’s post-recession industrial landscape.
Warehouses, distribution centers and factories in the East Valley have filled up faster than anywhere else across metro Phoenix this year, keeping vacancy rates down and bringing a diverse array of jobs to the region.
Nearly two-thirds of the Phoenix area’s industrial growth took place in Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa or Ahwatukee during the first half of 2015, according to data from real-estate broker Jones Lang LaSalle.