STAG Industrial, Inc. Signs New Lease For 427,000 Square Feet In Wisconsin (MarketWatch.com)

STAG Industrial, Inc., a company focused on the acquisition, ownership, and management of single-tenant industrial properties throughout the United States, announced it has signed a 427,000 square foot lease of a warehouse and distribution property located in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.  This building was previously occupied by Famous Footwear until 2011.  The new tenant has not been disclosed at this time, but has been described as a "major domestic catalog merchandising company" and the lease has a term of over ten years.

Blogger's Note: From our conversations with both brokers in this deal, I am confident that this user will be a great fit for the community.  We are looking forward having the one of the largest warehousing spaces in Wisconsin occupied again.   Its a great reminder to national companies and site selectors how great a location Sun Prairie is for distribution facilities.

2011 - A Year in Review: An Economic Development Top Ten for Sun Prairie, Wisconsin (City of Sun Prairie Office of Economic Development)

• Closing of Wisconsin Cheeseman
• Announcement of Closing of Famous Footwear
• New Perspective Senior Living Breaks Ground on South Bristol Street/WEDC Grants Sun Prairie $350,000 Brownfield Grant
• Main Street Interchange Project Completed
• Woodman's Begins Construction
• Costco Announces Sun Prairie Site
• Governor Announces Special Legislative Session at Thermal Spray Technologies
• Thermo Fisher Scientific Buys TREK Diagnostic
• Frontier Communications Expands in Sun Prairie
• Walmart Announces Plans to Expand on its Current Site

Blogger's Note: What else should be on this list?   What is the number one story for 2011?

Stechschulte Responds to Media Inquiries on Famous Footwear Closing (City of Sun Prairie Office of Econoimc Development)

City Economic Development Director Neil Stechschulte issued the following statement in response to several media inquiries regarding the announcement from Brown Shoe Company that they will be closing the Sun Prairie Famous Footwear Distribution Center by April 2012:

"The City of Sun Prairie has been formally notified Brown Shoe’s intention to close their Sun Prairie Distribution Center by April 2012, affecting 144 positions.

Despite the reduced corporate presence in the Madison area the past couple years, Famous Footwear operations team here in Sun Prairie had indicated to the City that there were no known plans to relocate or close the Sun Prairie distribution center at that time.  As recently as two months ago, the City visited with the Operations Manager at the facility, and all indicators  seemed to point towards a continuing presence here including a growing role for their shoes.com operation.  The announcement appears to have been a surprise to employees as well as the City as a whole.

We have requested additional information from officials at Brown Shoe as to why they have chosen to close this facility and whether or not there is anything that can be done to persuade them to continue and grow their operations here.  However, this decision is most likely final and we must be ready to move decisively to find a new user for that space in the event they truly have decided to cease operations here.

The City of Sun Prairie is grateful to Brown Shoe and Famous Footwear for their past investment in our community.  Our focus is now ensuring that displaced employees have all the necessary tools at their disposal, and we  are beginning work immediately to find a new business for that space."

Company Spotlight: SHOES.com (City of Sun Prairie Office of Economic Development)

Did you know that all orders made at SHOES.com are processed and shipped from the Famous Footwear Distribution Center in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin?

In addition to serving as the primary distribution center for SHOES.com, this distribution center supplies Famous Footwear stores throughout the upper midwest, and also handles all returns for all of Famous Footwear.

Blogger's Note: Pretty amazing that we have this online retail giant quietly operating out in the Sun Prairie Business Park. Nice to see the investment in this location since the Famous Footwear offices in Madison closed. Sure seems like they are planning on being here for a long time to come.

Famous Footwear Announcement Has No Impact on Sun Prairie Distribution Center (Sun Prairie Star Online)

Brown Shoe Company spoke with both the City of Sun Prairie and the Sun Prairie Star and confirmed that their integration of their Madison office operations into their St. Louis headquarters will not affect Sun Prairie's Famous Footwear Distribution Center.

Famous Footwear President Joe Wood spoke with Chris Mertes at the Star earlier this afternoon. In addition to not being included in the intergration of offices, Wood indicated that there was opportunity for growth at the Sun Prairie facility.

Channel3000.com had initially reported that this announcement could affect the Sun Prairie facility. Once informed of this, Brown Shoe immediately contacted WISC-TV and directed them to post a correction.

Special thanks to Chris Mertes and the Star for making sure they had current and accurate information prior to running their story, and for their communication with the City during the confusion caused by the initial Channel3000.com story.

Click here for the full article on the Sun Prairie Star's new website.