Opus Starts 314,684-SF Spec Industrial Project In Joliet

• 2210 Patterson Road, Joliet, IL: Opus has started construction on a 314,684-square-foot speculative industrial building on 39 acres directly across from Union Pacific's Global IV intermodal terminal.
• The $100+ million-scale Joliet industrial market continues to attract large logistics users, with 5.8 million square feet of Chicago-area net absorption in Q2 2026.
• The Class A building will feature a 36-foot clear height, 31 dock doors, 209 trailer stalls and 214 vehicle spaces.
• Opus is the developer and design-builder, Ware Malcomb is the architect, and Colliers is handling leasing. Delivery is targeted for June 2027.

What Opus Is Building In Joliet

Opus is underway on Opus Intermodal at Joliet, a 314,684-square-foot speculative industrial building positioned directly across from Union Pacific's Global IV intermodal terminal. The 39-acre property sits at the northeast corner of Patterson Road and West Laraway Road, placing the project within one of the Chicago region's major logistics corridors. The location also provides access to I-80 and I-55 and sits near both Union Pacific and BNSF intermodal infrastructure.

Mike Robinson, vice president of real estate development at Opus, said the project is “a prime example of developing the right building in the right location.”

 

 

What The 314,684-SF Building Offers

The rear-load facility is designed to accommodate up to two users, giving Opus flexibility as it leases the property. The building will feature a 36-foot clear height, 31 dock doors, two drive-in doors, 209 trailer parking stalls and 214 car parking spaces. The project will also include clerestory windows and LED lighting. Colliers is marketing the full building for lease, with Matthew Stauber and Steve Ostrowski leading the assignment. The property's power capacity is listed at 4,000 amps and 480 volts, supporting the requirements of modern industrial and distribution users.

What Joliet's Industrial Market Is Showing

The timing puts Opus into an active Joliet market. Lee & Associates reported 2.8 million square feet of net absorption in the I-80/Joliet area during Q1 2026, while vacancy fell to 6.6%. Average asking rents reached $5.72 per square foot. JLL's Q2 Chicago industrial report showed continued concentration of big-box demand along the I-80 Corridor. Two major Joliet transactions included a 1.2 million-square-foot lease by KeHE Distributors and a 906,500-square-foot manufacturing lease by Hyundai Translead. The demand is particularly relevant for new Class A projects. Matthews reported that Chicago tenants are increasingly favoring modern facilities larger than 200,000 square feet with higher clear heights, greater dock capacity and additional trailer parking.

What Opus Says About The Joliet Strategy

Opus has previous experience in the submarket, having developed the 1.22 million-square-foot Rock Creek Logistics Center in Joliet, completed in 2018. Robinson said Opus “continued to see the long-term value of the Joliet market” and waited for the right opportunity to return with a building designed around current industrial-user requirements. For landlords and industrial investors, the project is another bet on Joliet's combination of intermodal access, highway connectivity and large-format logistics demand. Construction is underway, with completion scheduled for June 2027.