Watson Land Buys 32 Acres in Inland Empire

Industrial developer Watson Land Co. said it has acquired a 32-acre parcel near the giant Kaiser Commerce Center in the Inland Empire for $7.3 million in what will be the company’s first real estate development outside its traditional base in the South Bay.

The San Bernardino County site with frontage along the 10 Freeway near Etiwanda Avenue can accommodate a combination of industrial, office, retail and hotel development. Officials with Carson-based Watson Land said the firm has already been approached by several retailers.

The company, which has developed more than 1,000 acres of industrial properties, said its expansion into the Inland Empire is based on long-term projections of demand for industrial space.

“We are actively seeking acquisitions in top Southern California industrial markets such as the Inland Empire,” said Jefferson Hill Jr., vice president of acquisitions for Watson Land.

Watson Land owns and manages about 12 million square feet of industrial space in Carson, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and other locations.