Ridge Property Trust Starts Construction of State-of-the-Art Distribution Center...

Ridge Property Trust Starts Construction of State-of-the-Art Distribution Center for FAMSA

Fast-Moving REIT Allows Publicly-Traded Mexican Firm to Quickly
Support Expanded Operations in United States
SAN ANTONIO--(Business Wire)--Ridge Property Trust, a Chicago-based REIT specializing in
industrial property development, investment, and management, announces
that FAMSA (the publicly traded Mexican retail firm) has selected
Ridge to create a 198,000 square foot build-to-suit in San Antonio.
Construction has started with occupancy slated for June of 2008.

The state-of-the-art distribution center is to be located at
Fischer Road and Interstate 35 (I-35), and will serve as Class A
industrial space to support FAMSA's retail expansion into the United
States. FAMSA, Mexico's largest furniture, appliance and electronics
retailer, is moving into the United States under FAMSA's National
Furniture brand. National Furniture currently has 25 stores in the
United States (with eight in Texas). The company plans to reach a
total of 300 U.S. stores in the coming years.

"Over the last six months we've established a strong working
relationship with FAMSA, understanding their specific requirements and
designing a distribution center with 40' clear ceilings that will
support their expansion needs moving forward over the next decade,"
said James Martell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ridge
Property Trust. "Our work with FAMSA provides us with a unique
opportunity to leverage our strengths in the build to suit market to
create a top tier distribution facility, and at the same time has
opened the door for continuing development activities between the two
organizations, allowing Ridge to expand its presence in South Texas
and move beyond the Mexican border to include land from Monterrey to
Tijuana."

Since 2003, Ridge Property Trust has rapidly expanded its
activities to create and support cross-border facilities in Northern
Mexico that serve MSA zones in Texas and California. The company
already has over 1.5 million square feet of master-planned, Class A
industrial park facilities in Reynosa, Mexico.

MYCON General Contractors, based in Dallas, Texas, has been
awarded the construction contract. The project has a planned
construction completion date of May 2008.

About Grupo FAMSA

FAMSA is one of the leading consumer finance retailers in Mexico,
with more than 300 stores in Mexico and the United States. Grupo FAMSA
has presence in 71 cities in Mexico and four states in the United
States, offering its customers a wide range of products and services,
including small and home appliances, furniture, clothing, automotive
and financial services. Grupo FAMSA has also been recently authorized
by the Mexican ministry of finance to establish and operate a
commercial bank.

About Ridge Property Trust

Ridge Property Trust, a privately-held real estate investment
trust (REIT) with ongoing industrial developments in the United States
and Mexico, is a leading provider of commercial real estate
development services. Combining immediate access to key local decision
makers with a highly responsive and streamlined organization, Ridge
provides a competitive advantage that makes acquisition and
development cost-efficient, customized, and customer-focused.

Backed by Prudential Real Estate Investors, Ridge Property Trust
delivers senior executives armed with exceptional local knowledge,
worldwide institutional power, discipline, and access to capital -
ensuring the best value for brokers, sellers and end users alike.
Ridge Property Trust is based in Chicago and has regional offices
throughout the United States and Mexico. For more information, visit
www.rptrust.com or call (972) 550-6100.

Fleishman Hillard
Jim Hughes, 213-489-8221
jim.hughes@fleishman.com
or
Grace Kim, 213-489-8255
grace.kim@fleishman.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008