Brockway Commerce Center Recognized with NAIOP Best Speculative Industrial Award

The award celebrates excellence in commercial real estate development across the Pittsburgh region and recognizes projects that demonstrate leadership in planning, partnership, and execution.

For Elmhurst, the recognition represents more than a successful building. It reflects the collaboration, patience, and disciplined project management required to transform a complex brownfield site into a new economic driver for Washington County.

An Industry Recognition with Deep Roots

NAIOP — the Commercial Real Estate Development Association — is the leading organization representing developers, investors, and owners of office, industrial, retail, and mixed-use real estate across North America. With more than 20,000 members, NAIOP plays a critical role in advancing the commercial real estate industry through advocacy, research, and professional collaboration.

Each year, NAIOP chapters recognize projects that demonstrate excellence in development and meaningful contributions to their regional economies. Within the Pittsburgh region, these awards highlight projects that combine strong vision with complex execution.

Elmhurst has long valued its relationship with the NAIOP community and the role it plays in fostering dialogue among developers, capital partners, and civic leaders working together to strengthen regional economies.

Recognition from NAIOP is particularly meaningful because it comes from peers across the development industry who understand the complexity and discipline required to bring transformative projects to life.

A Site with Deep Industrial History

The Brockway Commerce Center sits on the former site of the historic Brockway Glass plant in Canton Township, Washington County.

For decades, the Brockway facility was a significant employer in the region and a cornerstone of the local industrial economy. After the plant closed in the 1980s, however, the property remained largely dormant, leaving behind a legacy industrial site that required significant remediation before it could return to productive use.

Recognized by the Redevelopment Authority of Washington County as a brownfield redevelopment opportunity, the property eventually became the focus of a long-term effort to bring new industrial investment back to the corridor.

Crossgates first identified the development opportunity and later partnered with Elmhurst to help bring the project to completion. Together, the partnership recognized the strategic potential of the site: more than twenty acres with excellent visibility from Interstate 70 and immediate access to the critical interchange of I-70 and I-79.

The location offered the scale and accessibility necessary for modern industrial use — but transforming the site required years of preparation and coordination.

A Decade in the Making

Redevelopment projects of this nature rarely happen quickly.

The Brockway site was acquired in 2015, followed by several years of planning, environmental remediation, and coordination with local and state partners to prepare the property for redevelopment.

Demolition and environmental remediation began in August 2019 and continued through January 2021, clearing the way for the next phase of development.

At the time development moved forward, the surrounding submarket had seen little new Class A industrial construction for many years. Moving ahead with a speculative industrial project required confidence in both the site and the long-term economic fundamentals of the region.

Construction ultimately delivered a 165,000 square foot Class A industrial facility developed in two phases.

Phase I delivered 100,000 square feet in September 2025, followed by Phase II delivering an additional 65,000 square feet in February 2026.

Today, the facility is fully leased to Lighthouse Electric, which operates fabrication and kitting production for electrical components that are shipped to construction projects across the United States.

What was once a dormant industrial property has now become an active component of the national construction supply chain.

A Project Built Through Partnership

Projects like Brockway Commerce Center are made possible through collaboration among many organizations working toward a shared goal.

The redevelopment required close coordination between development partners, public agencies, capital providers, and construction teams.

The development team worked in coordination with the Redevelopment Authority of Washington County and state partners to assemble a public-private capital structure that included funding from the RACP program, Business in Our Sites, and Local Share Account grants. These programs supported the environmental remediation and infrastructure improvements necessary to return the site to productive use.

The success of the project reflects the combined efforts of development partners, public agencies, consultants, contractors, and local stakeholders who worked together over many years to bring the project to completion.

Reflecting Elmhurst’s Development Philosophy

At Elmhurst, development is rarely about a single building. It is about long-term investment in places and the partnerships required to transform complex opportunities into lasting economic assets.

The Brockway Commerce Center reflects several principles that guide Elmhurst’s work.

Partnership

Complex redevelopment projects require collaboration across developers, municipalities, capital partners, and community stakeholders. Brockway was made possible through sustained cooperation among Crossgates, Elmhurst, PenTrust, the Redevelopment Authority of Washington County, and numerous consultants and contractors.

Patience and Discipline

Redeveloping legacy industrial land often requires years of preparation before construction can begin. The Brockway project demonstrates the persistence required to move from site acquisition through remediation and ultimately to construction and operation.

Long-Term Economic Impact

By transforming a dormant brownfield into a modern industrial facility, the project supports regional employment while enabling Lighthouse Electric to supply electrical infrastructure components to projects across the country.

Looking Ahead

The NAIOP award recognizes the success of the Brockway Commerce Center project, but it also reflects the collaboration and persistence required to bring complex developments to life.

Elmhurst is grateful for the opportunity to partner with Crossgates and the broader project team in delivering Brockway Commerce Center, and proud to see the site once again contributing to the economic vitality of Washington County.

As the building begins its next chapter supporting national construction supply chains, the project stands as a reminder that thoughtful development can transform legacy industrial sites into productive assets for future generations.

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