Huntsville Industrial Vacancy Falls Below 10%
Greenbrier's new manufacturing projects are driving the drop as the city's industrial market tightens.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Commercial
Live Poll
Do you think Huntsville's economy is getting better with new factory growth?
Huntsville's industrial vacancy rate fell to just below 10% in 2025 from 11.98% a year earlier, while Greenbrier's vacancy dropped to 15.07% from 20% as new manufacturing projects rose in the submarket.
Why it matters
Tighter industrial space signals sustained demand for manufacturing and defense-related production in the Huntsville area. Major projects from Eli Lilly, SPX Enterprises and Blue Origin are adding capacity that will shape the local commercial real estate market.
Greenbrier holds about 1.6 million square feet of new Class A warehouse space still available for lease. Pattillo's 262,880-square-foot Greenbrier Commerce Center and SPX's $118 million, 460,000-square-foot facility are among the projects underway.
The players
Eli Lilly
Eli Lilly is a major global pharmaceutical company whose planned $6 billion plant at Greenbrier South is expected to create 450 jobs.
SPX Enterprises
SPX Enterprises is an industrial technology company developing a $118 million, 460,000-square-foot facility in Greenbrier.
Blue Origin
Blue Origin is the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos that is investing $71.4 million to expand in Cummings Research Park and Jetplex.
Redwire
Redwire is a space infrastructure company adding a 164,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at Jetplex.
The details
Pattillo Industrial Real Estate is building the 262,880-square-foot Greenbrier Commerce Center on Coretta Drive. SPX Enterprises is developing a $118 million, 460,000-square-foot facility west of County Line Road, and Eli Lilly plans a $6 billion pharmaceutical plant at Greenbrier South.
Timeline
2024: Huntsville industrial vacancy stood at 11.98%.
2025: Huntsville industrial vacancy fell to just below 10%.
2026: Eli Lilly construction is slated to begin.
August 2027: Target opening for the Greenbrier Commerce Center.
2029: SPX incentive hiring and wage benchmarks end.
Market Landscape
The industrial tightening follows the defense and space sector growth anchored by Redstone Arsenal, where most forecasts point to about 5,000 new jobs from the Space Command move. Developers are responding with speculative construction at Jetplex and Greenbrier to meet that demand.
Businesses seeking industrial or warehouse space in Huntsville will face fewer available options as vacancy tightens. Tenants looking in Greenbrier still have about 1.6 million square feet of new Class A space to choose from.
The takeaway
Companies planning Huntsville facilities should move early, since tightening vacancy and new anchor projects are likely to narrow options and push up competition for space. Greenbrier's remaining Class A inventory still offers room to lease before the new builds fill.
What happens next
Construction on Eli Lilly's plant is slated to begin in 2026, and the Greenbrier Commerce Center is targeting an August 2027 opening.
Further reading
For more on how commercial space is changing across the region, explore Commercial coverage for Huntsville.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Huntsville Business Journal.
Live Poll
Do you think Huntsville's economy is getting better with new factory growth?
