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                                                                EXHIBIT 10.53


                               SIXTH AMENDMENT TO
                          SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
                        LIMITED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT OF
                             FIRST INDUSTRIAL, L.P.


     The undersigned, being the sole general partner of First Industrial, L.P.
(the "Partnership"), a limited partnership formed under the Delaware Revised
Uniform Limited Partnership Act and pursuant to the terms of that certain
Second Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement dated June 30, 1994
(as amended by amendments thereto dated November 17, 1995, March 20, 1996, June
28, 1996, September 13, 1996 and September 30, 1996, the "Partnership
Agreement"), does hereby amend the Partnership Agreement as follows:

     Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Sixth Amendment shall have
the same meanings that are ascribed to them in the Partnership Agreement.

     1. Additional Limited Partners.  The Persons identified on Schedule 1
hereto are hereby admitted to the Partnership as Additional Limited Partners
owning the number of Units and having made the Capital Contributions set forth
on such Schedule 1. Such persons hereby adopt the Partnership Agreement. The
General Partner hereby consents to the assignment of all Units of the
Additional Limited Partners identified as transferors on Schedule 2 hereto to
their equity owners identified as transferees and in the amounts set forth on
such Schedule 2, and to the admission to the Partnership as Substituted Limited
Partners of such transferees, and such transferees are hereby admitted to the
Partnership as Substituted Limited Partners.

     2. Schedule of Partners.  Exhibit 1B to the Partnership Agreement is
hereby deleted in its entirety and replaced by Exhibit 1B hereto which
identifies the Partners following consummation of the transactions referred to
in Section 1 hereof.

     3. Ratification.  Except as expressly modified by this Sixth Amendment,
all of the provisions of the Partnership Agreement are affirmed and ratified
and remain in full force and effect.

Dated:  November 14, 1996

                                    FIRST INDUSTRIAL REALTY TRUST, INC.,
                                    as sole General Partner of the
                                    Partnership


                                    By:     /s/ Michael W. Brennan
                                        ---------------------------------
                                        Name:  Michael W. Brennan
                                               --------------------------
                                        Title: COO
                                               --------------------------


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                                 EXHIBIT 1B

                              SCHEDULE OF PARTNERS


GENERAL PARTNER                                    NUMBER OF UNITS
- ---------------                                    ---------------
              
First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc.                     29,887,881
              
              
LIMITED PARTNERS              
              
              
Daniel R. Andrew, TR of the Daniel R.              
Andrew Trust UA Dec 29 92                                  137,489
              
Robert W. Bennett                                           36,476
              
BK Columbus Venture                                         24,789
              
John E. de B Blockey, TR of the John E.
De B Blockey Trust                                           8,187
              
Michael W. Brennan                                           7,587
              
Henry D. Bullock & Terri D. Bullock &              
Shawn Stevenson TR of the Bullock Childrens
Education Trust UA Dec 20 94              
FBO Benjamin Dure Bullock                                      770
              
Henry D. Bullock & Terri D. Bullock &              
Shawn Stevenson TR of the Bullock Childrens
Education Trust UA Dec 20 94              
FBO Christine Laurel Bullock                                   770
              
Edward Burger                                                9,261
              

Henry D. Bullock & Terri D. Bullock TR
of the Henry D. & Terri D. Bullock              
Trust UA Aug 28 92                                          12,611
              
Michael G Damone, TR of the Michael G.
Damone Trust UA Nov 4 69                                   144,296
              
Robert L. Denton                                             6,286
              
              
              


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LIMITED PARTNERS                                      NUMBER OF UNITS
- ----------------                                      ---------------

Henry E. Dietz Trust UA Jan 16 81                           36,476
             
W. Allen Doane TR of the W. Allen             
             
Doane Trust UA May 31, 91                                     4,416
             
Timothy Donohue                                               2,000
             
Farlow Road Associates Limited Partnership                    2,751
             
Thelma C. Gretzinger Trust                                      450
             
Clay Hamlin & Lynn Hamlin JT TEN WROS                        15,159
             
Highland Associates Limited Partnership                      69,039
             
Robert W. Holman Jr.                                        150,134
             
Steven B. Hoyt                                              250,000
             
Frederick K. Ito                                              3,880
             
Michael W. Jenkins                                            8,831
             
Peter Kepic                                                   9,261
             
Paul T. Lambert                                              39,737
             
Lambert Investment Corporation                               13,606
             
LGR Investment Fund Ltd                                      22,556
             
Duane Lund                                                   13,617
             
Eileen Millar                                                 2,880
             
Linda Miller                                                  2,000
             
Peter Murphy                                                 56,184
             
Anthony Muscatello                                           81,654
             
North Star Associates Limited Partnership                    19,333
             

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LIMITED PARTNERS                                      NUMBER OF UNITS
- ----------------                                      ---------------

Arden O'Connor                                               63,845
             
Peter O'Connor                                              118,281
             
Shidler Equities LP                                         254,541
             
Eduardo Paneque                                               2,000

Partridge Road Associates Limited Partnership                 2,751

James C. Reynolds                                            38,697

Shadeland Associates Limited Partnership                     42,976

Shadeland Corporation                                         4,442

Jay H. Shidler                                               65,118

Jay H. Shidler & Wallette A. Shidler
TEN ENT                                                       1,223

Michael B. Slade                                              2,829

Kevin Smith                                                  13,571

Robert Stein                                                 56,778

S. Larry Stein                                               56,778

Jonathan Stott                                              182,126

Michael T. Tomasz                                            23,868

Mark S. Whiting                                              25,206

Holman/Shidler Investment Corporation                        22,079

Joseph Dresner                                              149,531

The Milton Dresner Revocable Trust
 dated October 22, 1976                                     149,531


                                     -3-

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The Jack Friedman Revocable Living Trust
 dated March 23, 1978                                        26,005






                                     -4-


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                                                                     SCHEDULE 1






     Additional
  Limited Partners           Number of Units            Capital Contribution
- ---------------------  ---------------------------  ----------------------------
                                                 
HIGHLAND INDUSTRIAL
DEVELOPMENT COMPANY                        325,067     $8,464,782.80


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                                                                      SCHEDULE 2




Transferor                      Transferee                      Number of Units
- ----------                      ----------                      ---------------
                                                          
HIGHLAND INDUSTRIAL
DEVELOPMENT COMPANY             JOSEPH DRESNER                  149,531

HIGHLAND INDUSTRIAL             THE MILTON DRESNER REVOCABLE
DEVELOPMENT COMPANY             TRUST DATED OCTOBER 22, 1976    149,531
                                THE JACK FRIEDMAN REVOCABLE

HIGHLAND INDUSTRIAL             LIVING TRUST DATED
DEVELOPMENT COMPANY             MARCH 23, 1978                  26,005