As we move into the second quarter of 2026, the transactional conversations we are having feel more purposeful than they did this time last year. Companies that spent 2025 in evaluation mode appear to be making decisions now. The questions being asked are more intentional around strategy and execution. Executives want to know about workforce statistics, utility capacity, and whether their landlord will still be a real partner in year nine. Those are the right questions, and they are ones we have spent 40 years answering.
Cookeville and Grenada
In Cookeville, Tennessee, two single-tenant buildings (152K/SF and 227K/SF) are available now at Highlands Business Park, drawing steady interest from companies that value direct I-40 access, a cost structure built for long-term operations, and a workforce backed by a steady pipeline of Tennessee Tech graduates trained in engineering and advanced manufacturing. In Grenada, Mississippi, the first two buildings at our SouthPoint Mississippi Business Park are near completion and ready for lease up. These are well-positioned on I-55 between Memphis and Jackson.
Aiken, South Carolina
But, the market we want to highlight most this quarter is Aiken, South Carolina. Our two new single-tenant industrial buildings at our new SouthPoint South Carolina Business Park are on track for delivery this summer (203K/SF and 127K/SF), and we believe this is one of the most underappreciated industrial markets in the Southeast right now.
Aiken sits on I-20, positioned between Columbia and Augusta, with a labor draw of 300,000 workers within 50 miles. Aiken Technical College leads manufacturing and advanced manufacturing training in the state, and USC Aiken operates an Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative backed by the Department of Energy. The talent pipeline here starts early and runs deep. When our project was approved, Will Williams, president and CEO of the Western SC Economic Development Partnership, put it plainly: Aiken is a market rich in developable land but short on existing buildings ready for immediate occupancy, and Hollingsworth is exactly the kind of long-term developer this market needs. Companies that want to move quickly need buildings that are already there. That is what we are building.
What Is Happening Around the Region
What is happening around the region reinforces it. Scout Motors is building a $2 billion EV production center in nearby Blythewood, with an additional $300 million Supplier Park expected to support roughly 1,000 supplier jobs. That kind of anchor investment pulls a supply chain. Kimberly-Clark is expanding its Beech Island campus, already its largest U.S. manufacturing site, with a 1.2 million-square-foot automated distribution center. These are experienced companies making long-term bets on a region they already know.
Looking Ahead
We have been building in the Southeast long enough to recognize when a market is at an inflection point. Aiken is there. Both buildings will be ready this summer. For companies with a Q2 or early Q3 occupancy need, the timing lines up well. If Aiken belongs in a conversation you are having, we would welcome the chance to be part of it.
About The Hollingsworth Companies
The Hollingsworth Companies develops and owns Class A single-tenant industrial buildings across the Southeast, helping manufacturers and distributors secure strategic space for long-term growth. Since 1972, we have delivered industrial real estate solutions through high-quality buildings, flexible development approaches, and a long-term commitment to the businesses and communities we serve.
