Small contractors need a roll-up door, three-phase power, a bathroom and a place to park a truck, and they need all of it at a price that fits a small business. Plumbers, electricians, HVAC firms, fabricators, landscape companies and e-commerce sellers do not need a big warehouse. They need a bay they can own or lease, close enough to their customers that they are not burning an hour each way.
Contractor condos and small-bay buildings meet that need. A single building is divided into units of perhaps a thousand to several thousand square feet, each with its own overhead door, a man door, power, and sometimes a mezzanine office. Units can be sold as condominiums, leased individually or held by a developer. We build the buildings and the site, and we help owners set up the unit mix that sells.
The model works when the buildings are cheap to build, simple to maintain and well placed on a highway. Dona Ana County has the highway frontage and the small-business base, and few suppliers of this product.
Interstate 10 connects the county's communities along the Mesilla Valley. Anthony sits on I-10 at the state line, 24 miles south of Las Cruces, with a 2020 census population of 8,693. Mesquite is reached from Exit 151, about 13 miles southeast of Las Cruces, and Vado from Exit 155. These communities have homes, farms and shops that need trades, and the trades need yards and storage near the interstate.
Las Cruces has the largest demand. The city's Innovation and Industrial Park at the junction of I-10 and I-25 lists 400+ acres shovel ready. Small-bay buildings fit at the edges of parks like that, and in smaller parcels along frontage roads. We look at traffic, visibility and the competition before recommending a site, and we point developers toward Anthony and Mesquite when the numbers fit.
Cost per unit depends on how many doors share a roof and a wall. Repeating units lower the cost, because the structure, the utilities and the foundations repeat. A long, narrow building with a rear drive aisle is usually the most efficient. We study frame spacing so that unit widths follow the bay module, and we choose a roof and wall system that is simple and durable. Pre-engineered framing, which we cover under pre-engineered metal buildings, is a common choice.
Utilities can be the hidden cost. Each unit needs its own electrical meter and service, water and sewer connections for restrooms, and fire protection that satisfies the code. Site work, including paving, drainage and access, is often a third of the total. We prepare early budgets that include these items, and we show owners where reducing unit size or the number of restrooms changes the result.
We build the site and shell: grading, drainage, paving, utilities, foundation, slab, structure, insulated roof and walls, overhead and man doors, lighting, electrical service for each unit and a rough restroom. We offer finish packages that add insulation, an office with HVAC, a mezzanine, upgraded lighting and compressed air stub-ups. Yard space behind or beside each unit is available on some sites.
The slab is built for forklifts, trucks and heavy tools, with a thickness and reinforcing that suit the likely uses. Doors are tall enough for service trucks and trailers. Some buyers store vehicles inside, so the clear height and door height matter. Our self-storage facility and flex light industrial pages describe related forms with different unit sizes.
A small-bay project can be phased. Build the first building, sell or lease the units, then build the next with the proceeds and the lessons learned. We lay out the site so that later buildings can be added without disturbing the first, with utilities and drainage sized for the whole site and extended as needed.
Individual buildings go up fast. Foundation and slab work, followed by erection of a metal frame and panels, can be completed in a matter of weeks for each building, after the site work and permits are in place. We schedule utility connections, fire inspections and meter installation early, because those can hold up occupancy. If you plan to sell units as condominiums, add time for the legal documents and lender requirements.
Unit mix matters most. Very small units, under a thousand square feet, serve tradespeople who store materials. Medium units suit small shops with an office. Larger ones suit light fabricators and distributors. We recommend a mix of sizes, with some units combinable by removing a demising wall.
Zoning and access come next. Contractor condos are industrial or commercial uses that may be restricted near houses. Noise, truck traffic and hours matter. Fire separation between units is a code requirement, and condominium ownership adds covenants about outdoor storage, signage and parking. We coordinate with the owner's attorney and the planning office so that the site plan matches what can be sold.
Many buyers do not stop at the shell. They hire us to finish the interior, add a mezzanine or build out an office, which is the work described under industrial tenant improvements. Larger buyers move up to a bigger building, like the ones described in light manufacturing and flex industrial.
For small manufacturers and fabricators in advanced manufacturing, a small bay can serve as a first production space with room to grow nearby. For developers, we offer a range from pre-development pricing to turnkey construction, and we help assess whether the market supports a project before land is bought.
Send the parcel, the unit sizes you are considering and your target buyers. We will return a site layout, a cost per unit and a phasing plan.
Units commonly range from about a thousand to a few thousand square feet, though we can build to the demand you see. Many projects include a mix, with some units that can be combined. We recommend studying local listings and inquiries before settling on sizes.
Yes, if the utility allows it and the design provides for it. Separate meters make units easier to sell and lease. We confirm the utility's rules early and plan the service and the plumbing accordingly.
After site work and permits, a building can be completed in a matter of months. Sitework and utilities usually take longer than the building itself. We show the sequence so you can plan marketing and closings.
Yes, the building code requires fire separation between tenants in most cases. The rating depends on the building design, sprinklers and occupancy. We design the walls and the roof tie-ins to meet the requirement.
Near the interstate exits and in established industrial areas, with good truck access and visibility. We study each parcel before giving advice, including zoning, utilities and nearby competition.