INVESTORS

CHICAGO, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: FR), the nation's largest provider of diversified industrial real estate, today announced that it has entered into a sale-leaseback transaction with Rockwell Automation, Inc. In the transaction, First Industrial will acquire and lease back to Rockwell approximately 24 properties in 17 states. The transaction is expected to close in fourth quarter 2005.

"This sale-leaseback transaction with Rockwell Automation is an excellent example of First Industrial's competitive strength as a business partner to Corporate America," said Johannson L. Yap, chief investment officer. "Our national platform, expertise in five industrial facility types, and local market knowledge give First Industrial a unique capability to create solutions for customers with real estate needs covering multiple markets and property types."

First Industrial expects to purchase the properties from Rockwell Automation for approximately $150 million. The lease terms for the properties range from five to fifteen years.

First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc., the nation's largest provider of diversified industrial real estate, serves every aspect of Corporate America's industrial real estate needs, including customized supply chain solutions, through its unique I-N-D-L operating platform, which utilizes a pure Industrial focus and National scope to provide Diverse facility types, while offering Local, full-service management and expertise. Building, buying, selling, leasing and managing industrial property in major markets nationwide, First Industrial develops long-term relationships with corporate real estate directors, tenants and brokers to better serve customers with creative, flexible industrial real estate solutions.

This press release contains forward-looking information about the Company. A number of factors could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including changes in: economic conditions generally and the real estate market specifically, legislative/regulatory changes (including changes to laws governing the taxation of real estate investment trusts), availability of financing, interest rate levels, competition, supply and demand for industrial properties in the Company's current and proposed market areas, potential environmental liabilities, slippage in development or lease-up schedules, tenant credit risks, higher- than-expected costs and changes in general accounting principles, policies and guidelines applicable to real estate investment trusts. For further information on these and other factors that could impact the Company and the statements contained herein, reference should be made to the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc.

CONTACT: Sean P. O'Neill, SVP, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, +1-312-344-4401, or Art Harmon, Sr. Manager, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, +1-312-344-4320, both of First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc.