The 162-acre industrial hub is scheduled to deliver nearly 450,000 square feet in Q3 2025.

Raleigh, NC – Avison Young, together with Barrister Commercial Group and Terra Equity I, LLC, today announced the construction commencement of the Research Triangle Logistics Park (RTLP), a 162-acre Class A industrial development in Hillsborough, North Carolina.

RTLP is Orange County’s newest and largest logistics park, located at the southwest corner of Interstate 40 and Highway Old NC 86, along newly named Diversity Drive. The five-building park will provide up to 2.4 million square feet (msf) of premier industrial space in phased construction. Currently underway, Phase One will feature over 1,350,000 square feet (sf) in three buildings comprising 163,000 (sf), 275,000 (sf) with both scheduled to deliver in Q3 2025 and a pad-ready site for an additional 915,000 (sf).

Jack Graham, Principal and Bill Aucoin, Vice President both based in Avison Young’s Chapel Hill, North Carolina office are providing leasing and consulting services for the logistics park on behalf of their client Barrister Commercial Group.

According to the latest Avison Young industrial market report, the Raleigh-Durham industrial market maintained stability in 2023, with robust demand fueling the construction of new industrial spaces. Despite nearly 4 (msf) of new space, the total vacancy at the end of Q4 2023 stood at a remarkably low 4.3%. This consistent demand, mirrored in steady leasing volumes comparable to previous years, underscores a positive market outlook for 2024.

“Our team is thrilled to work on a project of such magnitude. It’s been remarkable to witness the site development and to work alongside the ownership, Orange County Economic Development, and the Town of Hillsborough to make it a reality. There is a strong demand from industrial users, and we are looking forward to marketing and leasing the space,” said Aucoin.

As part of the new development due diligence, the ownership secured a new zoning designation, Master Planned Development - Conditional Zoning (MPD-CZ), in 2020, and acquired the land in 2023. The comprehensive rezoning effort involved multiple public meetings, gathering insights from local residents, Orange County personnel and commissioners, Hillsborough town officials and staff, as well as a developer consulting team.

“This park represents our commitment to innovation and dedication towards advancing the central Piedmont Region. Far from being a mere addition, it is a modern, sophisticated hub for warehousing, distribution, manufacturing, and assembly that anticipates and exceeds our customers' needs," said Frank A. Csapo, founder and CEO, Barrister Commercial Group.

Strategically located just west of the Research Triangle, the industrial site is within 200 miles of three major shipping ports and located on an I-40 interchange that is 3 miles away from the intersection of I-40 and I-85. Anticipated to draw businesses that serve an extensive market, from Clayton in the east to the Triad in the west, the area reaches nearly 4 million consumers within a 45-minute drive. Modern in design, RTLP is expected to house operations in light industrial, clean energy, assembly, warehousing, distribution, data center, cold storage, and research and development.

“Barrister Commercial’s new Research Triangle Logistics Park in Orange County is set to become one of the largest business parks in the Raleigh-Durham and Research Triangle market. The park will now enable commercial land development within the County’s economic development district, located south of I-40 and Hillsborough, with newly established water and sewer utilities, consequently creating new jobs and opportunities for both our county and the broader region, and we are extremely excited about that,” added Steve Brantley, Economic Development Director, Orange County, North Carolina.

RTLP is located within an Economic Development District (EDD) established decades ago by Orange County to foster commercial growth. The development is anticipated to generate significant employment opportunities and bolster the commercial property tax base.