The former United Natural Foods distribution center at 6100 McIntosh Road in Sarasota is now available for lease. The 766,579-square-foot space, representing approximately 82% of the 929,856-square-foot Gulf Coast Gateway building, includes 202,857 square feet of cold storage, believed to be the largest block of its kind that is available in the state.
Nick DeVito II, SIOR, and Brie Tulp, RPA, SIOR, of Ian Black Real Estate, and Lisa Ross, SIOR, and Trey Carswell, SIOR of Cushman & Wakefield are the listing agents on the property. The landlord is Agellan, a Toronto-based commercial real estate investment firm that owns and manages more than 6.4 million square feet of industrial property across 47 assets in core U.S. markets.
"Cold storage and refrigerated distribution demand continues to outpace supply along the I-75 corridor, as population growth throughout Southwest Florida drives increased demand for grocery, food-service and last-mile cold-chain logistics," said DeVito, partner at Ian Black Real Estate. "Given that this is one of the last large-scale cold storage facilities of its kind in the Sarasota-Manatee area, we expect to see a great deal of activity from users who are looking to secure a state-wide or last-mile distribution facility in the market."
Gulf Coast Gateway sits on 43 acres with an additional 13.65 acres of adjacent Industrial Outside Storage (IOS) land available. Situated minutes from I-75, the facility allows tenants to efficiently serve markets extending north toward Tampa and south toward Fort Myers and Naples, while minimizing local roadway travel before reaching the interstate.
Originally constructed by Winn-Dixie in 1981 for grocery distribution, the property has a long history as a major food logistics facility. Following Winn-Dixie's departure in 2004, a regional developer acquired the facility and, secured multiple tenants. The property was acquired by Agellan in 2016.
The facility includes substantial mechanical infrastructure designed to support cold and refrigerated distribution operations.
"This type of facility is extremely difficult and expensive to replicate, given the specialized mechanical requirements, high construction costs and the limited availability of appropriately located land," said Tulp, sales associate at Ian Black Real Estate. "These factors have put second-generation cold storage facilities in high demand, increasing the value of these properties for the appropriate user."
Another value-add of the property is the adjacent IOS land, which is in short supply in the Sarasota market. The space offers tenants additional space for truck, trailer, equipment or other outdoor storage. The primary facility offers secure gated access and the ability to have a guard present at the gate, providing an added level of security and convenience for tenants that need to park trucks and trailers on-site overnight.
"This is a rare opportunity to bring a facility of this scale, functionality and strategic location to market," said Lisa Ross, SIOR, of Cushman & Wakefield. "The combination of significant cold storage capacity, dry warehouse space, existing specialized infrastructure and adjacent IOS creates a highly flexible solution for a wide range of users. We expect strong interest from companies across food and beverage, grocery distribution, third-party logistics and other temperature-controlled supply chain sectors looking to establish or expand a major presence along Florida's Gulf Coast."
For leasing information, contact Nick DeVito II, SIOR, or Brie Tulp, RPA, SIOR, at Ian Black Real Estate, or Lisa Ross, SIOR or Trey Carswell, SIOR at Cushman & Wakefield.
About Ian Black Real Estate
Ian Black Real Estate (IBRE) is a boutique commercial real estate brokerage firm located in Sarasota, Fla. The firm is one of the largest commercial brokerage firms in Southwest Florida and boasts a deep knowledge of the commercial real estate market in Sarasota and Manatee counties and the surrounding area. For more information, visit ian-black.com.
About Cushman & Wakefield
Cushman & Wakefield is a full-service global commercial real estate company with over 100 years of experience with approximately 53,000 employees in over 350 offices worldwide. For more information, visit cushmanwakefield.com.
About SIOR
SIOR is the leading global professional office and industrial real estate organization that certifies commercial real estate service providers with the exclusive SIOR designation, based on achievement, knowledge, accountability and ethical standards. Only the industry's top professionals qualify for SIOR. Today, there are more than 3,200 members in 685 cities and 36 countries. For more information, visit www.sior.com
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