Small-Bay Industrial Project Planned For West Palm

A Fort Lauderdale entity is pursuing approvals to replace older industrial buildings and outdoor storage in West Palm Beach with a new small-bay warehouse project.

16th ST WPB LLC has filed plans for a 2.77-acre site at 528–544 16th Street, where the existing property includes about 18,740 square feet of aging industrial space. The ownership group assembled the site through two acquisitions.

The development entity is managed by Mark Meiser, a developer based in Englewood, Colorado; Sean O’Nan; and Spencer Cashan, an attorney in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The proposed project would total 41,282 square feet and rise to 35 feet, with 80 parking spaces. Claren Architecture + Design of Boca Raton is listed as the project architect.

Meiser said the building is planned with 16 bays, each averaging roughly 2,500 square feet. The spaces would include warehouse areas, roll-up doors and small office components, making them suitable for contractors, tradespeople and similar users.

The project’s backers see West Palm Beach’s development activity as a driver of demand. With residential, hotel and retail projects moving through the market, the warehouse could serve companies supporting that growth, including vendors and construction-related businesses.

The proposal was reviewed by the city’s Plans & Plats Review Committee on April 23, but it has not yet received final approval. One issue still being worked through is the buffer between the planned warehouse and nearby residential properties. Cashan said the development team will continue coordinating with city officials before returning for future consideration.

The proposal comes as Palm Beach County’s industrial market continues to see rent growth despite a modest rise in vacancy. Colliers reported a first-quarter countywide industrial vacancy rate of 7.2%, compared with 6.7% a year earlier. Average asking rents increased to $19.40 per square foot, up from $18.39. While 735,861 square feet of industrial space was under construction across the county, only 90,998 square feet was underway in the Central Palm Beach submarket, which includes West Palm Beach.