New York-based developer Triangle Equities recently announced the $25.4 million acquisition of a development site located near John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens. The project site is to be developed as a state-of-the-art, approximately 300,000-square-foot, multi-level industrial building, which would make it the first multi-level, multi-tenant air cargo and distribution facility in New York City.

Triangle executed the land acquisition and development financing through a strategic partnership with a pension fund advised by L&B Realty Advisors, an acquisition loan from Citizens Bank and additional equity capital from Township Capital.

The three-story industrial and air cargo facility will feature first- and second-floor industrial space–both floors will have loading docks accessed via truck ramps, permitting full-sized trailers to dock, load and unload directly into their floors. The project is focused to deliver new-construction, Class A industrial space to the JFK market–currently underserved by such space–and will include market leading clear heights, heavy floor loads and large structural column spacing.

“With this site, we will be able to develop a unique product that has not yet been delivered to the New York City industrial sector,” says Lester Petracca, president of Triangle Equities. “By making this a vertical, multi-level facility, we are able to maximize use of the site, thereby increasing the potential impact this project will have on the growth of air cargo at JFK airport and the New York City economy.”

The development is slated to break ground in winter 2019 with tenant occupancy expected in summer 2020.

Port of Portland Remains No. 1 for Auto Exports on U.S. West Coast

After exporting more than 87,000 Ford vehicles in 2017, the Port of Portland continues to be the leader on the U.S. West Coast for auto exports, announced the port, which also posted strong auto totals for the year, with the combined number of imports and exports adding up to 314,000 vehicles.

The 2017 total auto figures, compiled in the port’s annual year-end report, represent a 7.8 percent increase from 2016. Auto exports surged a whopping 73 percent, according to the facility.

“Our export boom highlights the strong demand for American-made cars in Asia,” says Keith Leavitt, the port’s chief commercial officer. “This positive trend translates into more than 600 direct local jobs for dockworkers, processors and others working in our supply chain.”

Cars manufactured in the U.S. are shipped by rail from assembly plants to the port’s docks, where vehicles are driven on “ro-ro” ships bound for China and other parts of the Far East. The port also handles import models such as Hyundais, Toyotas, and Hondas that make their first stop in Portland before they are distributed to dealerships across the west.

Dupré Logistics’ Giddings Named to Women in Trucking Panel

Dupré Logistics’ Liz Giddings, manager of Dupré’s Jacksonville, Florida, branch, has been named to Women in Trucking Association’s Content Advisory Council.

“Transportation is part of who I am and how I manage my life,” says Giddings, who has worked in the trucking industry for more than 20 years. “I came back from the Women in Trucking November conference engaged and excited. I believe I have something to say regarding transportation, logistics, gender diversity and leading from a place of inclusion.”

Giddings, a veteran who served in the Air Force, is also an active volunteer in Northeast Florida Women’s Veterans non-profit organization. “I am grateful to have the opportunity to use my experience working in transportation combined with my experience as a veteran to help other veterans transition into civilian life with the tools they need,” she says.

In her new role with WIT’s Content Advisory Council, Giddings says she looks forward to working with other professionals in the industry to encourage mentoring and advance gender diversity in an industry forum that offers the opportunity to discuss challenges, share ideas, experiences and best practices. Giddings has been with Dupré Logistics’ Jacksonville branch since it opened in February 2017.

“We are happy that Liz is taking a leadership role in her profession and encourage that kind of passion in our employees,” says Mike Weindel, Dupré’s vice president of Strategic Capacity Services. “Leading from a place of inclusion and gender diversity are not only the right things to do, but they are also critical to growth in the logistics industry.”

Port Manatee Draws German Consul General’s Interest

Palmetto-based Port Manatee holds promise as a trade gateway for German companies, according to Germany’s Miami-based consul general, who visited the Florida Gulf Coast port on March 15.

“Port Manatee is an important part of Florida infrastructure,” said Annette Klein, Germany’s consul general for Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “As German companies look for a U.S. port to meet their needs, it is important for us to be aware of such ports and their capabilities and objectives.

After a presentation at the Manatee County Port Authority’s monthly board meeting and a visit to the International Trade Hub at Port Manatee, Klein remarked that “Port Manatee has impressed me with the potential it holds.”

German trade through Port Manatee has been limited, consisting primarily of imports of bulk materials used in the making of concrete at Florida operations, but Port Manatee officials are hopeful the commercial relationship will expand.

“By growing trade with Germany, Port Manatee can further build upon its impressive impacts upon our region’s economy,” said Vanessa Baugh, chairwoman of the Manatee County Port Authority. “We look forward to exploration of mutually beneficial opportunities.”