About

I grew up in Crystal Lake, Illinois about 45 minutes northwest of Chicago. Crystal Lake was, at the time, a small town on the border between farm country and heavy industry. Big buildings were and are part of the landscape of the Chicago area and the industrial North.

Summers while going to college were spent working in factories; big buildings and bastions of the economy. Remarkably, I somehow always seemed to end up in the “grinding” department of the factory, putting life and limb at risk. One machine I worked on had a vertical grinding element which occasionally would break and fly out of the machine like a bullet. I would hit the hard cement floor as if it were a Serta mattress so as to not meet an early demise. I think OSHA somehow overlooked that machine.

At the time, I did not appreciate the wonder of the manufacturing industry and the sprawling factories and warehouses that dotted the landscape off the Tri-state Tollway between Chicago and Gary, Indiana, and on into Michigan. As a Realtor who specializes in office and Industrial real estate, I have come to appreciate their appeal. It’s been said, “Do what you love and you won’t have to work a day in your life.” I love selling and leasing Big Buildings.

When selling or leasing an industrial building, there are many things that need to be taken into account. How high are the ceilings? If you’re storing large inventories, the cubic feet may be as important as the square feet. What kind of power capabilities? With most industrial users, the amperage, volts, and power phase are essential elements of the building. How many loading docks, what type of docks, levelers, and forklift ramps is the language of the industry. Door height, width, and number of grade and dock-level doors are part of an Industrial user’s equation. Though it’s not always known, the thickness of the floor can be a factor determining if a company can utilize the space. Having all this information in your marketing materials may mean the difference in a sale or lease being executed or not.

When I first contemplated putting together the Big Buildings Newsletter, I jokingly referred to it as Big Ugly Buildings. If one appreciates function over style, however, they are edifices of beauty. When we see how these properties affect the health of the local economies, they are even more appealing. Take a look at the Big Buildings in my listings. Then let me know if you’d like to take a tour of these big lovelies. For me, it will be like reliving my childhood.

Brent Riley

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