AKRE Partners and Sunwest Real Estate aim to grow their Laredo industrial portfolio
A joint venture between AKRE Partners and Sunwest Real Estate Group has expanded its footprint in Texas with the acquisition of a small-bay warehouse close to the U.S.–Mexico border, marking another step in the partnership’s growing industrial investment strategy.
The off-market transaction comes just two months after the duo completed their first industrial deal together in the Dallas–Fort Worth metro, the nation’s fourth-largest urban area with a population of more than 8.3 million. While Sunwest has traditionally focused on office holdings, the company began shifting into industrial real estate earlier this year.
Their latest purchase is a 36,240-square-foot warehouse located at 13609 Archer Drive within Killam Industrial Park in Laredo, Texas. This marks the venture’s first acquisition in the border city. The property is strategically positioned with direct access to the World Trade Bridge — one of the busiest inland ports in the United States — and seamless connectivity to Interstate 35, a vital supply-chain artery linking Mexico’s major manufacturing hubs to U.S. logistics routes.
Financial details of the transaction weren’t disclosed, but officials said the deal stemmed from a preexisting relationship with the seller, Altair Group.
Marc Grossfeld, founder and managing principal of Sunwest Real Estate, told CoStar News that the partnership is eager to acquire additional assets in Laredo, citing its importance as a key gateway for U.S.–Mexico trade.
“This is our first building in Laredo, and we see industrial opportunities here as a major focus going forward,” Grossfeld said, noting the team’s strong confidence in the city’s growth and in the continued expansion of cross-border commerce.
Executives Nadav Kariv and Harry Ashforth of AKRE Partners echoed this sentiment, describing Laredo as “the nation’s most critical logistics and distribution hub.” They added that the partnership’s ongoing investments reflect a strategy centered on acquiring well-located industrial properties where targeted upgrades can quickly enhance value.
AKRE Partners also made an independent purchase in the city earlier this year with the acquisition of a nearly 17,000-square-foot warehouse at 310 Union Pacific Blvd.
According to Robert Clark, Sunwest’s director of finance and investments, Laredo’s strong fundamentals — fueled by nearshoring trends and record levels of cross-border trade — create a scalable, long-term opportunity for industrial investors. The venture plans to continue expanding in what it views as a “high-growth gateway market.”
For the Record
Juan Fraga of First Houston Properties is marketing the newly acquired warehouse for lease on behalf of the ownership group.
Source: Original reporting by Candace Carlisle, CoStar News.
