If you spend any time driving through the industrial corridors of Northwest Dallas, you know it's a gritty, high-stakes puzzle of logistics. It isn't exactly scenic. But for those in the know—the logistics managers, the real estate developers, and the city planners—the 10700 block of Finnell Street is basically a masterclass in why location still beats everything else in the digital age. This isn't just a stretch of asphalt in a dusty corner of the city. It’s a vital artery for the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex’s massive supply chain.
Honestly, people overlook these pockets of the city. They shouldn't.
We’re talking about an area situated right in the heart of the Walnut Hill and Brookhollow industrial submarkets. It's tight. It’s crowded. And yet, it remains some of the most sought-after real estate in North Texas. Why? Because you’ve got immediate access to Harry Hines Boulevard, I-35E, and Loop 12. If you are trying to move goods across a city that is growing by thousands of people every week, you need to be exactly where Finnell Street sits.
The logistics of the 10700 block of Finnell Street
Most people see a warehouse and think "storage." That's a mistake. In the 10700 block of Finnell Street, these buildings are less about sitting on inventory and more about moving it as fast as humanly possible. This is "last-mile" territory.
Think about the sheer physics of a city like Dallas. You have a massive population core. You have an airport (Love Field) just a stone's throw away. The buildings on this block, many of which date back to the mid-century industrial boom, weren't designed for the massive 18-wheelers of 2026, but they’ve been retrofitted and squeezed for every ounce of utility. You'll see dock-high loading, grade-level doors, and fenced yards that are worth their weight in gold because land is so scarce here.
Local zoning in this area is predominantly Industrial Research (IR). This means you aren't just seeing dusty storage units; you're seeing light manufacturing, wholesale distribution, and specialized trade shops. It’s the engine room of the city. When your HVAC breaks or a contractor needs specialized piping for a high-rise in Uptown, the parts likely came from a distributor located right here or in the immediate vicinity.
Why small-bay industrial is winning
There's a trend in real estate right now where everyone talks about "mega-warehouses." Those million-square-foot behemoths in South Dallas or Fort Worth are impressive, sure. But the 10700 block of Finnell Street thrives on the opposite: small-bay industrial.
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These are spaces ranging from 5,000 to 20,000 square feet. They are the "Swiss Army Knives" of real estate. A plumbing supply company can run their office, their showroom, and their warehouse all out of one unit. Because the inventory of these smaller buildings is limited and the demand is through the roof, rents in this specific pocket of Dallas have seen incredible resilience. While the shiny new office towers downtown struggle with occupancy, the gritty warehouses on Finnell Street are almost always at 100% capacity.
Infrastructure and the "Love Field Effect"
You can't talk about this area without mentioning Dallas Love Field. The 10700 block of Finnell Street sits just northwest of the airport. This proximity creates a specific kind of gravity for businesses.
If you're a company that services aircraft or handles time-sensitive freight that comes in via Southwest Airlines, you can't be an hour away in a suburb. You need to be within a ten-minute drive. This proximity creates a "sticky" tenant base. These companies don't move. They stay for decades because moving means losing their competitive edge: speed.
- Proximity to I-35E: Roughly 5 minutes.
- Proximity to Love Field: Roughly 8-10 minutes.
- Proximity to Downtown Dallas: Roughly 15 minutes.
The traffic on Harry Hines and Walnut Hill can be a nightmare—let's be real—but for a distributor, that's just the price of doing business in the center of the action. The alternative is moving to a "greenfield" site 40 miles away, but then you spend more on diesel and driver time than you save on rent. The math just doesn't work.
Realities of the Northwest Dallas submarket
It isn't all sunshine and high rents. The 10700 block of Finnell Street faces real challenges. The infrastructure is aging. You’ll see potholes that could swallow a subcompact car and power grids that feel a bit dated for the high-tech needs of modern automation.
But investors don't care. They see "infill" opportunities. In real estate lingo, "infill" means there is no more dirt left to build on. If you want a building here, you have to buy an old one and tear it down or renovate it. This lack of supply is a massive barrier to entry. It protects the value of the existing property owners.
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Understanding the tenant mix
Walk down Finnell Street and you'll see a wild mix. You’ve got marble and granite wholesalers. You’ve got auto body shops that specialize in high-end imports. You’ve got food distributors who are prepping the morning deliveries for the restaurants in the Design District and Trinity Groves.
It's a micro-economy. These businesses often trade with each other. The mechanic down the street gets his parts from the distributor two doors down. It’s an organic, messy, and highly efficient ecosystem that developed over sixty years. You can't manufacture this kind of business density in a new suburban office park. It only happens in places like the 10700 block of Finnell Street.
What the data says about Northwest Dallas industrial
According to recent market reports from firms like CBRE and JLL, the Northwest Dallas submarket maintains one of the lowest vacancy rates in the entire DFW region. While the broader market might see a slight softening as new construction hits the outskirts, the "infill" zones—like where Finnell is located—are a different story.
- Rental Growth: Expect 3-5% annual increases in this specific pocket.
- Occupancy: Consistently stays above 94%.
- Land Value: Increasing at a rate that makes "scrapping" old buildings for new ones financially viable for the first time in decades.
Investors are looking at these 1960s-era buildings and seeing a gold mine. They are stripping them to the bones, adding LED lighting, painting the exteriors charcoal grey (the universal color of "we're modern now"), and doubling the rent. It’s happening all over the 10700 block of Finnell Street.
What most people get wrong about this area
People think industrial areas are "dying" because of e-commerce. It's the exact opposite. E-commerce is what saved the 10700 block of Finnell Street.
When you order something online and it arrives the same day, it didn't come from a giant warehouse in the middle of nowhere. It came from a smaller "sorting center" or a "last-mile" hub near where you live. The Northwest Dallas corridor is the perfect staging ground for these operations. It allows delivery vans to hit the high-density neighborhoods of Preston Hollow, the Park Cities, and Lakewood in under twenty minutes.
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The grit is a feature, not a bug. The old-school nature of Finnell Street means the buildings are functional. They aren't trying to be pretty. They are trying to be profitable.
Actionable insights for business owners and investors
If you are looking at the 10700 block of Finnell Street as a potential location for your business or as an investment, there are a few things you absolutely have to do.
First, check the "clear height" of the buildings. Many older structures on Finnell have 12-to-14-foot ceilings. Modern logistics often requires 18-to-24 feet for racking. If you’re a tenant, make sure your shelving fits before you sign that lease. If you’re an investor, look for buildings with higher clearances—they are the "unicorns" of the block.
Second, pay attention to the "truck court." Can a 53-foot trailer actually turn around? Some of these lots were built when trucks were smaller. If a driver has to back out onto Finnell Street, you're looking at a liability and a massive headache for your operations.
Third, verify the power. If you’re planning on running heavy machinery or significant cold storage, the existing electrical service might not cut it. Upgrading power in Dallas can take months and cost a fortune. Do your due diligence on the transformers before you commit.
Finally, keep an eye on the City of Dallas "ForwardDallas" land use updates. There is constant pressure to rezone industrial land for residential or mixed-use. While that might mean a huge payday if you own the land, it could also mean your industrial neighbors get pushed out, changing the character—and the utility—of the block.
The 10700 block of Finnell Street is a microcosm of the "New Dallas." It’s an area where old-school blue-collar work meets the high-speed demands of a modern global economy. It’s not flashy, but it’s the reason the city works.