Archer Aviation Inc., an air taxi manufacturer based in San Jose, has committed to a major expansion of its industrial footprint by leasing a 501,000-square-foot complex in Morgan Hill. According to reporting by the Silicon Valley Business Journal, the company will occupy all five buildings at Trammell Crow Company's Cochrane Technology Center as it prepares to launch its first passenger flights later this year.
The Cochrane Technology Center totals about 30 acres and was completed in 2024 by Trammell Crow Company. The project was developed after the firm observed significant commuting patterns, with workers traveling from Morgan Hill to manufacturing jobs farther north in the Bay Area. By securing Archer as a single user for the entire campus, the property transitions from speculative development to a fully leased advanced manufacturing hub.
Adam Voelker, Northern California market leader for Trammell Crow Company, told the Silicon Valley Business Journal that the lease serves as a strong endorsement of both the project's design and Morgan Hill's emerging role as a destination for advanced manufacturing and innovation. Archer's commitment underscores growing demand from technology and aviation users for large-format industrial and production space within commuting range of the broader Bay Area employment base.
The Morgan Hill lease follows earlier commitments by Archer for both office and industrial facilities as the company moves from a testing phase for its electric aircraft into commercial-scale production. The Silicon Valley Business Journal reported that the manufacturer initially plans to produce about 50 aircraft per year, positioning the Cochrane Technology Center as a key node in its early manufacturing footprint. Concentrating both R&D and production activity in the region may support deeper clustering of aerospace and advanced manufacturing users over time.
Separately, Connect CRE is promoting an upcoming industrial real estate event featuring West Coast executives, investors, and developers on August 20. The program is expected to address shifting capital flows, debt trends, changing occupier demand, and evolving development strategies in today's industrial market. Additional details are available at www.connectindustrialwest2026.com.
