By Amber Cox, Staff Writer
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP The Bordentown Township mayor and the Bordentown City mayor presented their municipal outlooks for the coming year at the third annual Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, Greater Bordentown Chapter luncheon on June 9 at the Scottish Rite Hall.
Township Mayor Michael Dauber highlighted a number of business opportunities for commerce through the township’s upcoming development.
”There are commercial opportunities as part of the Waterfront Development and Team 85 (Team Campus), a new conference center as part of the Holiday Inn Express and plenty of warehouse space and a build-to-suit 1MM SQ warehouse,” he said. “Along with commercial opportunities, we also have a tax abatement program on the books to help with this development.”
The Team Campus site broke ground in late January on Route 130 at the Old Agway site. The K. Johnson Enterprises project is estimated at $40 million.
The Team Campus developers expect the site to be completed sometime in 2012. K. Johnson Enterprises was granted final site approval in 2008 by the township’s Redevelopment Committee.
Team Campus will consist of a St. Francis outpatient center, a three-story office building, two two-story office buildings, a single-story pad site and a two-story fitness center with an indoor turf practice field.
According to Mayor Dauber the Waterfront Development is a $400 million project that will include residential and commercial components. The project was granted final approval in 2009, according to Township Committeeman Jason Medina.
”It’s a huge development,” Mayor Dauber said. “It’s the township’s only waterfront area. It’s going to start later this year around September or October.”
The project includes over 600 residential units and housing for seniors, retail shops and commercial sites. Plans are also in the works to get a stop on the Riverline in that area.
The township received a $250,000 grant from the federal government for the project, according to Mr. Medina. The development will be located at the southern end of the township off Route 130.
City Mayor James Lynch discussed the cooperation that Ocean Spray and the city will have over the next two years.
Ocean Spray announced that it was closing its Bordentown plant in May. It plans to close the plant in September 2013.
Ocean Spray has had a manufacturing plant in the city on East Park Street for more than 60 years, but decided it needs “a more efficient and modern Northeast manufacturing solution,” company spokesman John Isaf said. The Bordentown facility is the oldest and “highest cost facility in the manufacturing network.”
Ocean Spray will be relocating to an undisclosed area in the Lehigh Valley.
Mayor Lynch said the city will continue to work closely with Ocean Spray to ensure a smooth transition for all its workers and residents in the city.
Mayor Lynch also discussed the possibility of expanding on the Bordentown City Farmers Market.
”We’re going to be taking a look at the farmers market and possibly do events along with that,” he said adding that there could be a car show in July or August to create more a street atmosphere for the farmers market.
