Glenstar leases 1.3M-square-foot Gaffney space to major employer

 

Glenstar Logistics leased 1.3 million square feet to First Solar at its 290-acre Cherokee Commerce Center 85 industrial park in Gaffney.

Developed by Glenstar and capital partner Creek Lane Capital, CCC-85 will house First Solar’s new $330 million, 3.7 gigawatt manufacturing plant, which is expected to create more than 600 jobs and begin operations in the second half of 2026.

CCC-85’s Building 2, a cross-docked 550,520-square-foot speculative building at 121 Logistics Drive, will be expanded to 1.3 million square feet to accommodate final assembly of First Solar’s Series 6 solar modules, which are large-format, thin-film solar panels known for strong performance in high temperatures. The facility will transform thin-film solar cells produced by First Solar’s international fleet into fully assembled modules.

“This tenant is the largest American solar manufacturer, and this facility will allow them to scale up their domestic supply chain and help meet today’s massive demand for reliable and affordable energy,” Michael Klein, co-founder and managing principal of Glenstar, said in a news release. “First Solar’s selection of CCC-85 validates the decision we made three years ago to develop this world-class industrial park along Interstate 85, one of the country’s most critical supply chain corridors.”

Due to its location in South Carolina‘s Interstate 85 industrial corridor, CCC-85 benefits from the region’s skilled workforce and Tier 4 job tax credit, which provides $25,000 per new job, according to Glenstar.

According to First Solar, jobs at the new plant will have an average salary of $74,000 per year, approximately twice the per-capita income in Cherokee County.

Glenstar Managing Principal Brian Netzky had firms like First Solar top of mind when he identified the CCC-85 site, spearheaded the industrial park’s layout and helped design the spec building from a tenant’s point of view, the company said. The industrial park’s first building broke ground in 2023.

“The Southeast continues to see explosive population growth, and major public companies like First Solar are looking for big-box industrial facilities that can be quickly adapted to suit tenant needs in real time,” Netzky said in the release. “With this new lease, we’re helping deliver an operation that will play a significant role in supporting the nation’s growing AI-driven energy demands.”

First Solar already operates a distribution center in Duncan, and maintains a longstanding partnership with Inland Port Greer, located 25 minutes from CCC-85. The publicly traded company claims the largest solar technology manufacturing and R&D footprint in the Western Hemisphere, including five U.S. facilities.

Upon full build-out, CCC-85 will total at least five buildings and encompass 3.6 million square feet at the intersection of Hyatt Street/S.C. Highway 105 and Interstate 85.

Michael White of Savills and Nate Zoucha of CBRE represented First Solar in the lease transaction. John Montgomery, Garrett Scott, Dillon Swayngim and Brockton Hall of Colliers’ Spartanburg office represented ownership. Evans General Contractors has been selected as the general contractor for the expansion, with Ware Malcomb serving as the architect and SeamonWhiteside as the civil engineer.

Glenstar is a Chicago-based national commercial real estate firm specializing in industrial development, reimagined office and multifamily properties.

The post Glenstar leases 1.3M-square-foot Gaffney space to major employer appeared first on SC Biz News.