Paul DiGiacobbe of ARCO National Construction’s Cleveland division recently spoke at the REJournals Cleveland Commercial & Industrial Summit, joining a panel of industry leaders to discuss current industry trends and today’s evolving development landscape.
As the industrial landscape evolves in response to economic uncertainty and shifting priorities, developers and end-users are rethinking their long-term strategies. In Cleveland, these changes are shaping not only how facilities are built and used, but also how the region positions itself for future growth.
Planning for Uncertainty
The industrial real estate market is experiencing a period of transition, driven by economic fluctuations, evolving supply chains, and shifting consumer expectations. As uncertainty continues into the second half of 2025, developers and end-users alike are rethinking their approaches to new construction and long-term operations. Across the country, owners are placing greater emphasis on flexibility and resilience. Multi-year development strategies are being shaped by a competitive subcontractor landscape, the need for early procurement of critical materials, and a renewed focus on domestic manufacturing, including reshoring and onshoring initiatives.
End-Users Are Driving Demand
In Cleveland’s industrial sector, demand is increasingly being led by end-users focused on streamlining operations and maximizing existing assets. With limited available land and growing pressure to improve operational efficiency, companies are placing more value on retrofitting existing industrial assets rather than building new. This shift is driving innovation in facility design, with an emphasis on flexibility, automation, and sustainability to attract a wide range of tenants and end-users.
Young Talent is Cleveland's Future
Looking beyond the immediate market conditions, Cleveland’s long-term commercial and industrial success is closely tied to talent retention. One of the region’s greatest opportunities lies in its ability to attract and keep young professionals - a challenge that civic and business leaders are addressing head-on. Efforts to revitalize Cleveland’s lakefront, expand public amenities, and invest in housing and transit are all part of a broader strategy to create a more vibrant, connected city. These improvements not only enhance quality of life but also position Cleveland as a competitive hub for business and innovation.
The ARCO Advantage
As a design-builder and leading industrial contractor, ARCO National Construction helps clients navigate early-stage decisions to develop the best overall solution for their facilities. ARCO’s design-build approach allows clients to make decisions in a project’s earliest stages with full knowledge of their impact. Because we work directly with the architect, design can be developed with budget in mind. Throughout the design process, the ARCO team is simultaneously estimating construction costs and can accurately conceptualize the completed project before significant dollars are spent. ARCO’s industry knowledge and expertise result in solutions and alternatives that save valuable development dollars while still making a space suitable for future tenants across a range of industries.
ABOUT ARCO NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION | CLEVELAND
ARCO National Construction | Cleveland is a premier, full-service design-build general contractor with more than 30 years of experience providing clients with complete project delivery throughout the United States. Our professional, qualified team of engineers, project managers, superintendents, and architects is capable of designing and building the most demanding construction projects anywhere in the country. We pride ourselves in offering the best, most cost-effective, single-source, turnkey solutions and adding value to every project.
