Real Estate and Industrial
Newmark Zimmer's Q2 2026 report records 242,003 square feet of industrial net absorption and 4.7% vacancy. Of the 7.5 million square feet under construction, 57% was build-to-suit. These are quarterly benchmarks, not September leasing results. Our reading: distinguish committed occupancy from speculative competition when assessing a building's next tenant.
The same report places office vacancy at 14.2%. That contrast argues for asset-specific assumptions rather than applying the industrial growth narrative across every property type. [1]
Transportation and Infrastructure
MARC dates its current 2026–2030 Transportation Improvement Program project listing September 8. Its amendment table records August 25 board approval and August 28 FHWA-Missouri approval for Special Amendment 3; the fourth-quarter amendment approval fields remain blank as reviewed September 14. [2]
Our implication: refresh access and construction dependencies against the current program, then verify the relevant project's funding, approvals, and delivery schedule. Inclusion in a regional program alone does not establish a road's opening date.
Energy and Mission-Critical Infrastructure
Evergy's May 12 construction announcement schedules the 710-megawatt Chisholm Trail Energy Center for 2029. This is a regional generation milestone, not evidence of immediate capacity at an individual Kansas City site. [3]
Missouri PSC's current large-load summary identifies approved Evergy and Ameren tariffs with long service commitments, collateral, minimum bills, and exit charges. [4] For mission-critical projects, our view is to evaluate power delivery and customer obligations together: the demand ramp should support the contractual payments even if occupancy grows more slowly than planned.
Nazir Ventures View
Favor opportunities where tenant demand, public works, and utility delivery can be reconciled into one credible schedule. Before committing capital, confirm:
- Tenant depth and competing space within the actual submarket.
- Approved infrastructure scope, funding, and remaining delivery dependencies.
- Written utility capacity, service timing, and costs under a slower demand ramp.
Sources
Public sources reviewed September 14, 2026; reporting periods and announcement dates are identified above.