A warehousing and distribution company has signed a lease for 1,443,600 square feet of industrial space at the Space Center, an underground complex built into Missouri limestone at 1550 S. Geospace Drive in Independence. The deal is the largest industrial lease signed in the Kansas City metro area so far in 2026.
The LoopNet material lists Allen Distribution as a transportation and warehousing tenant. The Space Center itself is an underground industrial complex, and its landlord, Link Logistics Real Estate, ranks among North America's largest industrial landlords. It remains unclear whether the space will serve e-commerce fulfillment, food distribution, or supplier networks tied to other major regional projects, an open question for future reporting.
Why Tenants Are Going Underground in Independence
The appeal of the Space Center goes beyond square footage. The facility spans more than 160 acres and features 15-foot clear heights, with the surrounding limestone maintaining a natural year-round temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit and low humidity, according to a LoopNet listing for the property. The listing also describes the facility's energy efficiency and operational stability.
The site also draws on a deep local workforce, with nearly 32,000 warehousing and logistics workers living within a 10-mile radius, the same listing notes. The site's underground limestone setting is another defining feature of the property.
A Regional Industrial Network Built Into the Rock
Kansas City's underground industrial network as a whole spans between 20 million and 25 million square feet of converted former limestone mines, representing roughly 7% to 10% of the metro's total industrial inventory. Hoodline has previously covered plans involving underground business space, including a Lee's Summit mine slated for redevelopment near I-470.
Landlord's National Reach and Recent Deals
Link Logistics, established by Blackstone in 2019, ranks among North America's largest industrial landlords. The firm remains a major participant in the industrial real estate market. Hoodline has also reported on the landlord's South Florida warehouse buy earlier this year.
How the Lease Fits a Hot Kansas City Market
The Independence deal concerns Kansas City's industrial sector. Recent reports from CBRE and Newmark Zimmer track the market's performance, asking rents and construction pipeline.
The lease follows other activity in Kansas City's industrial market. Hoodline has covered projects in the area, including a 1.4 million-square-foot expansion in Olathe. No connection between the Independence tenant and those projects has been identified.
