Arco Breaks Ground on First Projects of RealCold’s Modern Cold Chain Network Expansion

ARCO National Construction is partnering with RealCold, an affiliate of the New York-based, multi-strategy real estate private equity manager Related Fund Management (RFM), on a national expansion of its cold storage logistics business. ARCO National Construction was selected to construct the first two new builds of RealCold’s domestic network. The cold chain company already has five existing facilities and plans to be in four additional major markets in the next three years. A nationwide leader in the construction of cold storage facilities, ARCO is providing design-build services for the 386,000 and 310,000 square foot facilities located in Lakeland, Florida, and Lockhart, Texas, respectively.

“ARCO is thrilled to work with RealCold to design and construct the first two facilities in its plan to bring cold storage space to multiple markets across the U.S.,” says Brian Westre, Vice President and Cold Storage Industry Leader for ARCO National Construction. “The RealCold team is clearly poised to launch a highly successful strategy unit for RFM, and we are grateful to be a part of that.”

Keith Goldsmith, CEO of RealCold, notes, “With ARCO’s partnership, RealCold is on a journey to provide state-of-the art facilities to the nation’s aging cold chain infrastructure.  We are selecting consumption-driven markets, like Lakeland and Lockhart, which can service millions of consumers, whether through e-commerce fulfillment or via their favorite retailers and grocers.  We are thrilled that these hubs will support our goal of ushering in a new era of cold chain excellence.”

The facilities will each include state-of-the-art convertible freezer space capable of accommodating temperatures -20°F to 50°F. The projects’ strategic locations each off next-day delivery to more than six million people in a 100-mile radius. Both facilities are estimated to be completed in Q1 2025.

Lakeland, Florida Project Details:

386,000 SF Cold Storage Facility

-20°F – 50°F Convertible Freezers Totaling 287,629 SF

63,024 SF 36°F Cold Dock

Two (2) 2-Story Offices Totaling 29,300 SF

13,750 SF Mezzanine

8,557 SF Dry Warehouse

Insulated Metal Panel (IMP) Construction

8″ Steel Fiber Reinforced Floor Slab for Freezer

7″ Steel Fiber Reinforced Floor Slab for Cold Dock & Dry Storage

50′ Clear Height

44 Dock Positions

One (1) Drive-In Ramp

4,000 Amp & 3,500 Amp Electrical Services

Central Ammonia Refrigeration System with Rooftop Penthouse Units

Photo: Arco National Construction

View RealCold Cold Storage Auburndale >>