CBRE is marketing Mid-Rail Industrial Park, a 55-acre property in Commerce City that offers rail-served sites for new industrial construction.

Intsel Steel West, the Colorado operation of Houston-based Triple-S Steel Holdings, will occupy 22 acres of the site. Mid-Rail Real Estate LLC is owned by Triple-S CEO Gary Stein and his family. The site is adjacent to the BNSF railway in the Interstate 76 corridor.

“Rail sites typically sit on the outskirts of metro areas, so the fact that Mid-Rail Industrial Park is coming to north central Denver presents a real differentiator for companies,” said CBRE Industrial & Logistics First Vice President Todd Witty, who, with Jim Bolt and Mike Camp, is marketing the property on behalf of Mid-Rail. “Not only can industrial users be closer to the population they serve, but they can also take advantage of the significant cost savings of rail transit and the chance to build from the ground up to their specific needs.”

Transportation costs account for about half of an industrial operation’s total costs, according to CBRE research. More companies have turned to rail service in recent years as a way to mitigate that spend. The rail industry has experienced a surge in volume since mid-2017, but is only operating at 80% of peak volume levels, so there is still room for growth, according to Logistics Management magazine.

“The beauty of rail service is that it can run all day and all night with minimal staffing,” Camp said. “Also, it’s not impeded by the road traffic and construction congestion we see in high-growth markets like Denver.”

As part of the development, more than 6,000 feet of siding has been built from which lead track will be pulled to provide direct rail access into the park. The remaining acreage available for sale for build-to-suits or lease is divided into two portions: 17 acres on the north side of 84th Avenue and 15.5 acres on the south.

Triple-S Steel (formerly R&S Steel) relocated its Denver operations to the Mid-Rail Industrial Park during the first quarter. CBRE’s Bolt, Camp and Witty have been enlisted to market the R&S Steel properties. The site at 3811 Joliet St. includes a 124,290 SF crane-served building and outside storage on 10 acres. The building’s clear heights range from 26 to 40 feet. The property also includes 15K of office space, 16 oversized drive-in doors and four wash bays.

In Commerce City, the former R&S Steel warehouse and office space at 6300 Clermont St. is available for sublease. It includes 64,944 SF of crane-served warehouse space, 7,800 SF of office and 1.64 acres of outdoor storage space.