How a Warehouse Became a Vertical Farm

In this episode of The Business of Real Estate, Lucas and Luna explore the conversion of a 150,000-square-foot former Amazon fulfillment center in Newark, New Jersey into an indoor vertical farm operated by AeroFarms. They break down the economics: the $40 million retrofit cost, the 80% water savings versus traditional agriculture, and the 2.5 million pounds of leafy greens produced annually. The hosts discuss why industrial real estate is uniquely suited for ag-tech, the challenges of energy costs, and how this model could reshape food supply chains in dense urban areas. Lucas explains the lease structure—a hybrid of industrial and agricultural—and why institutional investors are starting to take notice. Luna questions whether the model can scale beyond niche greens, and they examine the role of subsidies in making these projects pencil out. A grounded look at one concrete building that points toward a much larger trend. #VerticalFarming #AeroFarms #IndustrialRealEstate #AgTech #FoodSupplyChain #Newark #WarehouseConversion #UrbanAgriculture #RealEstateTrends #Sustainability #IndoorFarming #CommercialRealEstate #BusinessPodcast #RealEstateInvesting #FoodTech #SupplyChainInnovation #FexingoBusiness #TheBusinessOfRealEstate Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo