No decision yet from RCN on locating new headquarters in massive office park
Lea Kahn
Township planners Monday granted preliminary site plan approval for the proposed office park for the RCN Corp.
But RCN Corp. officials have not decided whether they will locate in the office park, planned for the site of the former Union Camp Co. building on Princeton Pike at Lewisville Road, according to a company spokeswoman.
The 134-acre Princeton Pike site is one of three being considered by the telecommunications company. The other sites are the Atchley Tract on Route 31 at Interstate Highway 95 in Ewing Township, and a parcel in the Carnegie Center office park in West Windsor Township. Formal plans have not been filed for the other two sites.
A fourth proposed site in Bucks County, Pa., has been dropped from consideration, said company spokeswoman Liz Thomas. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority has offered a total of $22 million in tax incentives to keep RCN in the state, she said.
No decision has been made on which of the three sites will be chosen for the company’s new headquarters, said James Herring, RCN vice president for corporate real estate. A decision is expected within 30 days.
New Jersey has been one of the company’s preferences, based on the economic incentives and the approval time needed to get a shovel in the ground, Mr. Herring said. Lawrence has already granted an approval for the office space, and Ewing is working towards it, he said.
The township Planning Board granted preliminary approval to the Matrix Development Corp. for the proposed 1.5 million-square-foot office park earlier this month. RCN is slated to be the tenant, if the office park is built.
“Lawrence has been wonderful, accommodating and professional, which puts it in a unique position among other towns,” said attorney Christopher Tarr, who represents the Matrix Development Corp.
Before seeking final approval from the Planning Board, the applicant will work out details such as the building design and materials, Mr. Tarr said. He did not know when Matrix would apply for final site plan approval. Matrix has 10 years to apply for final site plan approval.
The proposed office park will be built in two phases, according to the preliminary site plan. The first phase will consist of 560,000 square feet of office space, divided among four buildings. Four parking garages would be built. The main entrance is off Princeton Pike.
The second phase consists of 960,000 square feet, divided among six buildings, plus additional parking garages. A second entrance into the office park is proposed for Franklin Corner Road when the second phase is built.
RCN employs about 600 people at its current headquarters in the Carnegie Center office park, Mr. Herring said. About 2,500 employees would occupy the 560,000 square feet of office space in the first phase of the proposed office park. Phase I is scheduled to be completed by 2002.