An Insider Look at Richmond’s Industrial Boom

While industrial real estate development continues to surge throughout the country, developers and owners are flocking to Richmond, VA, in particular, for new warehouse, distribution, and data center facilities.

As a Richmond native, I’ve built my professional career within central Virginia’s commercial land development industry. In leading my team in planning and designing several warehouse and distribution developments in Henrico, Hanover, and Chesterfield counties, I’ve experienced the recent surge in industrial growth firsthand.

As an RVA land development consultant working on behalf of both developers and industrial tenants, here are four of the biggest factors I see driving the City’s growth as a rising industrial development hub:

1. Ideal Location

Centrally located within Virginia and along the James River, Richmond has convenient access to key transportation hubs, including the Chesapeake Bay, an international airport, and the major highway networks of I-95 and I-64. This may make Richmond an ideal location for warehouse and distribution centers to facilitate the transport of goods.

2. Available Land With Existing Infrastructure

Large tracts of undeveloped, open land offer desirable sites for developing ground-up warehouse, distribution, or data center complexes. These sites are located in an area where major infrastructure already exists; often, development doesn’t require significant upgrades to add utilities or roads. These locations are typically also already served by regional power and data main lines—a key point for data center developments.

3. Fast-Track Incentive Programs

Many distribution and data center projects have benefitted from fast-track programs offered by counties throughout the Greater Richmond Area, to expedite plan review. The benefits a project receives are largely determined by the economic benefit they bring to the county or its location within a targeted development zone.

4. Cooperative Jurisdictions Willing to Work With Developers

Despite stringent environmentally responsible stormwater management regulations, counties are willing to work with developers to identify mutually beneficial and cost-effective solutions. This often allows projects to move forward without placing an unreasonable cost burden on the developer.

The Power of Connection

Bohler is committed to helping developers leverage these opportunities that the Richmond area has to offer. We provide real estate consulting services, drawing from our relationships throughout the central Virginia region and with national tenants to connect developers, tenants, and sites, and assist these parties in reaching a deal. At the same time, our team has the capability and local knowledge of county design standards to commit to fast-track program guidelines and keep the process moving forward. We also offer creative solutions, where applicable, to handle intense regulations.

How Can We Help?

Engage Bohler’s experienced consultant team to help you capitalize on Richmond’s industrial opportunities.