The Shekia Group

The Shekia Group
481 Weston Canal Road
Franklin Township NJ

Assignment

NAI DiLeo-Bram & Co. (NAIDB) was retained by The Shekia Group, a kitchen cabinet manufacturer seeking to relocate the bulk of its operations from Edison, New Jersey to an alternate location in Central New Jersey. The company previously worked with NAIDB’s Eric Bram Johnston, Principal, and Christopher Galiano, Executive Vice President, to arrange several lease agreements on its behalf throughout the Northern Middlesex County corridor.

Among The Shekia Group’s requirements: the opportunity to grow its business in a corporate-park setting. Other must-haves included ease-of-access to the New Jersey Turnpike and major roadway networks, with connectivity to ports and the ability to transport product throughout the Northeast. 

Solution

The NAIDB team identified a number of properties within Central New Jersey, one of the state’s primary commercial and transportation hubs, before zeroing in on Somerset County. In addition to superior proximity to two interstates – 78 and 287 – the county also offers connectivity to U.S. Routes 22, 202 and 206. Other major regional thoroughfares include NJ 27 and 28.

One property that stood out was a new Class A industrial park located in the municipality of Somerset, home to corporations like SHI International, Catalent and PIM Brands, one of world’s largest makers of fruit snacks and chocolate and non-chocolate confections.

Developed by Bridge Development Partners, the three-building industrial center included a stand-alone asset ideally suited to meet The Shekia Group’s warehouse and distribution needs.

Appealing site features ranged from 36-foot clear ceiling heights and 78 trailer stalls to 50 loading docks and two electric drive-in doors. Conveniently located directly off I-287 at Exit 12, the property is minutes to the NJ Turnpike / Exit 10.

Result

The NAIDB team arranged a 308,550-SF long-term lease on behalf of The Shekia Group at Bridge Point Somerset. The company became the sole occupant of 481 Weston Canal Road and the flagship tenant at the newly constructed 1.7MSF warehouse campus.