Media Coverage

National tire distributor TireHub has signed a 404,725-square-foot lease in California’s Inland Empire in the latest sign that the warehouse market’s deep freeze is thawing.

The company takes over a modern industrial warehouse owned by Mapletree at 1089 E. Mill St. in San Bernardino, one of the region’s key logistics corridors. The deal ranks among the largest warehouse commitments in the submarket in the past year and reflects a pickup in tenant activity for big-box facilities.

“San Bernardino’s bulk distribution market appears to be rebounding,” said Jesse Gundersheim, CoStar senior director of market analytics for the Inland Empire.

At least four leases for buildings ranging from roughly 250,000 to 500,000 square feet have been signed in San Bernardino so far this year, compared with just two during all of 2025. Availability in that size band has already been cut roughly in half, underscoring how quickly demand is absorbing remaining supply, according to CoStar data.

The tenant for the latest deal, TireHub, was formed in 2018 as a joint venture between The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and Bridgestone Americas. The firm has been expanding its nationwide logistics footprint as it adds brands and dealer-support platforms. The San Bernardino facility strengthens its regional distribution network at a time when retailers are recalibrating inventory and delivery strategies.

The Inland Empire is showing early signs of stabilization heading into 2026, with tenant activity near record levels, absorption turning positive and vacancy increases beginning to moderate as new construction slows.

Nationally, the sector remains in a late-cycle cooling phase, but reduced development pipelines are expected to gradually rebalance supply and demand in the coming years, according to CoStar research.

Warehouse with logistics history
The San Bernardino building is no stranger to tire distribution, having previously housed Cooper Tire and Rubber, simplifying the tenant transition with existing infrastructure that aligns closely with the handling and storage requirements of bulk tire logistics.

TireHub plans to use the warehouse as a regional processing hub, receiving shipments moving inland from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach before distributing inventory to retailers and wholesalers across Southern California. The location allows the company to shorten delivery timelines while maintaining proximity to critical freight corridors.

“The property’s convenient access to three major interstate freeways, along with its efficiently designed warehouse space, makes it a natural fit for the company’s operations,” Mapletree U.S. Chief Executive Officer Richard Prokup told CoStar News.

Mapletree acquired the property in 2018 as part of a 17-million-square-foot, multi-state portfolio purchase from EQT Equity Real Estate, a deal that accelerated the Singapore-based firm’s U.S. logistics footprint. Since then, the company has continued to scale its American industrial holdings.

Today Mapletree owns and manages more than 66 million square feet of industrial assets nationwide, alongside investments in data centers, office, student housing and multifamily properties. Logistics facilities remain a cornerstone of its U.S. growth strategy, the company said.

As of March 31, 2025, the United States represented roughly a quarter of Mapletree’s global assets under management, totaling about $60.1 billion.

For the record
Kenneth Andersen and Rick John of Daum Commercial Real Estate Services represented Mapletree in the transaction, alongside asset manager Steve Provencio.

DAUM Commercial Real Estate Services has appointed Chris Migliori as president, succeeding Michael Nubel, who will remain chairman and CEO.

Migliori, who joined DAUM in 1987, most recently served as executive vice president and principal.

“Chris has the experience, leadership skills, and knowledge of our business,” said Nubel in a news release. “His appointment will benefit our clients and the industry.”

As president, Migliori will focus on leveraging AI and proprietary technologies to streamline operations, expand training programs and recruitment, and enhance branding and marketing for the firm’s 160 brokers and support staff.

“Every move we’re making is for our brokers and clients,” said Migliori. “My systems will eliminate red tape, streamline the deal process, and increase deal volume for each office.”

Migliori has closed over 1,250 industrial transactions and consistently ranks among the company’s top 10 producers, DAUM officials said.