Howell's Motor Freight has cashed out of a long-running north Charlotte outpost, selling its distribution center at 10028 Metromont Industrial Boulevard for $13.2 million and wrapping up a more-than-40-year run on the site. The roughly 80,000-square-foot warehouse, which has handled the carrier's refrigerated and dry-freight operations since 1988, sits inside a busy maze of warehouses and trucking routes just north of I-85. With this deal, an actively used industrial workhorse shifts into investor hands, adding another headline trade to Charlotte's tight infill logistics market.
Who Bought the Building
As reported by the Charlotte Business Journal, Charlotte-based WestPark Properties shelled out $13.2 million for the Metromont site. The outlet notes Howell's has controlled the address since 1988 and that any ongoing operating agreement was not disclosed. The sale moves a locally occupied facility into the hands of an owner that specializes in industrial holdings across the Southeast, a familiar storyline in Charlotte's investment circles.
The Building and the Listing
The property's listing describes the Henderson Circle Industrial building as about 79,860 square feet on roughly 12.15 acres, with a 23-foot clear height and five drive-in bays, and records a 1988 build year. The LoopNet listing went live May 1 and identifies Simpson Commercial as the leasing contact, a strong hint that the new owner may push the space to the broader pool of industrial tenants. With its specs and cold-capable history, the site lines up neatly with food-distribution or cold-storage users that already know the Howell's playbook.
Why Investors Still Chase Charlotte Industrial
WestPark Properties presents itself as a Charlotte-based industrial investor and manager with a portfolio of Southeast assets, a profile that fits recent buyer patterns around town. According to the firm, WestPark focuses on truck- and rail-served properties across multiple states and has been active scooping up infill industrial stock. Market data support that appetite. A Cushman & Wakefield Charlotte industrial report points to tight fundamentals and continued investor interest through 2025, which helps explain why even modest but well-located warehouses keep drawing checks.
What Is Next for Howell's and the Neighborhood
The Charlotte Business Journal reports it was unclear whether Howell's will continue to operate from the Metromont address after the sale. If the carrier moves on, the property's cold-capable layout and dock configuration should make it a tempting target for other food-distribution operators or last-mile logistics users. If Howell's stays put, WestPark picks up an in-place tenant with existing freight activity and a long history on the block. Either outcome could subtly reshape loading patterns and the tenant mix along Reames Road and nearby industrial corridors.
The building is currently listed for lease on LoopNet, which means WestPark could pursue leasing, a sale-leaseback or a tenant-stabilization strategy while it weighs next steps. No detailed redevelopment plans have been made public, so owners, tenants and neighbors will be reading the tea leaves through leasing chatter and any future permit filings.
