SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D. C. 20549

                            ------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                 Date of earliest event reported: April 24, 1998
                         Date of Report: April 27, 1998

                       First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Maryland                                1-13102             36-3935116
(State or other                     (Reporting File      (I.R.S. Employer
jurisdiction of organization)           Number)         Identification No.)

311 South Wacker Drive, Suite 4000
Chicago, Illinois                                              60606
(Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)

                                 (312) 344-4300

              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)




                                      -2-


Item 5. On April 24, 1998, First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. announced the
     sale of 1,112,644 shares of its common stock, par value $.01 per share, at
     a price of $30.9122 per share, to Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
     Incorporated, in a private placement.

     Attached hereto as Exhibit 99 is a copy of the press release announcing the
Offering.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits

     (c) Exhibits

     Exhibit
     Number   Exhibit

       99     First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. press release dated
              April 24, 1998.





                                      -3-


                                   SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                  FIRST INDUSTRIAL REALTY TRUST, INC.

                                  By:  /s/ Gary H. Heigl
                                       -----------------------------------
                                       Name:   Gary H. Heigl
                                       Title:  Senior Vice President,
                                                 Capital Markets


Date:    April 27, 1998






                                  Exhibit Index


Exhibit
Number            Exhibit

  99       First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. press release dated 
           April 24, 1998.




                                                                      Exhibit 99




[First Industrial Logo]



FIRST INDUSTRIAL REALTY TRUST, INC.    FOR INVESTOR INQUIRIES, CONTACT:
311 South Wacker Drive                 Cindy Thorson Klimstra
Suite 4000                             Vice President - Investor Relations
Chicago, Illinois  60606
312/344-4300                           FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES, CONTACT:
Fax 312/922-6320                       Joe Bronson - Media Relations Manager

MEDIA RELEASE                          For Immediate Release


                  FIRST INDUSTRIAL ANNOUNCES PRIVATE PLACEMENT



CHICAGO, April 24, 1998 - First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: FR)
announced today that it has priced a private placement of 1,112,644 shares of
its common stock at a price of $32.625 per share, less an underwriting discount
of 5.25 percent. It is anticipated that the shares will be deposited with a
registered unit investment trust.

The securities are being offered pursuant to an exemption from registration
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and contain certain registration
rights. The securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent
registration or an applicable exemption from registration under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended.

This announcement shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of
an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any State in
which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration
or qualification under the securities laws of any such State.

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