Land for-sale: Centinela Industrial Park

Originally conceived as a science park, the investment thesis of this 1,000 acre industrial mega site was to sell improved land to high technology manufacturers. Few prospects were in the pipeline when Gabriel was asked to get involved by Clarion Partners in 2011.  The deal was structured as a JV and debt was used to finance the improvements. When the loan matured in 2012, Gabriel led the buy out of the beneficial interest in the trust from Lion Mexico Fund’s ("LMF") partner in lieu of a foreclosure. 

Post buy out, LMF implemented a new structure that allowed it to gain operating control with discretion to reposition and sell the asset.  Gabriel quarterbacked the team of service providers that supported marketing, development and operational efforts. This included collaborating with the brokerage and site selection teams from JLL on a comprehensive re-positioning strategy and in the preparation of both bulk sale and lot-sale proposals to manufacturing and logistics users.  Pitches were made to Toyota, Kia, and Tesla for auto plant sites, Hanes and U-Line for distribution, and a plant for Spectrum Aeronautics that included the installation of a runway. 

Gabriel retained a US development consultant to support capital projects that included grading and drainage works, the rehabilitation of the water treatment systems, and the remediation of the portion of the site containing recognizable environmental conditions. With the help of a legal consultant, federal and municipal permits, land use issues, and water rights were perfected. On the operating side, an institutional operator (JLL) and operating program was implemented. The project is in active negotiations with a major anchor user for its first sale.

Mexicali, Baja, CA

The site features access to two power generating plants, frontage on a federal highway and is adjacent to the US Mexico border. 

INTERIOR ROADWAYS

The site features 2 miles of concrete roadways suitable for truck traffic.

WATER TREATMENT PLANT

The site has water rights and a water treatment facility that is the best of its kind.