By Amy Batista, Special Writer
FLORENCE — Burlington Coat Factory gave an informal presentation at the Planning Board meeting Sept. 26 on its application to build its new corporate headquarters on Route 130.
”We are here for an informal review and for your consideration of the outline of the plan that Burlington Coat Factory intends to bring to Florence Township,” said attorney John Gillespie for Burlington Coat Factory.
According to Mr. Gillespie, The company just opened its 500th store in the Union Square section of Manhattan.
”(Its) corporate growth is impressive, and the idea is to build minimum a 180,000-square-foot building, which could, ultimately, go, depending upon corporate needs, to 500,000 square feet,” Mr. Gillespie said. “The initial plan is to do two stories. It could go to five stories, but that is going to depend on the market and corporate needs.”
”We are really happy to be here,” said Bob LaPenta, vice president and treasurer of Burlington Coat Factory, who has been with the company for 28 years. “We are going to do over $4 billion in sales. It’s been a very good company. It has a very good business model.”
Mr. LaPenta said that the company has “a long runway for more growth to come.”
He stated, “Since 1988, all of our corporate offices have been in the 1830 building along Route 130 in Burlington Township, and we have just outgrown that facility. So, we are really looking for a home to make our corporate offices.”
He told the board it may be a two- to three-story glass building, but noted that architects were still working on the designs.
As for employees at the company’s future Florence center, “We expect to start out with 700 employees in this location, but with the expansion and the growth we anticipate over the next five to 10 years . . . (as) we continue to grow, and we (will) continue to add more office spaces as we need it,” Mr. LaPenta said.
Mr. LaPenta said only office space was being proposed to be built at the Florence site, and plans would not include warehouses or distribution facilities.
”It looks like a great plan to me,” said Mildred Hamilton-Wood, Planning Board chairwoman. “Welcome.”
The company owns land in both Florence and Burlington townships.
”Obviously, we are right on the township line, Florence Township, Burlington Township,” said Robert Stout, an engineer for Burlington Coat Factory. “The warehouse facility will stay in Burlington Township. It does have some office component, but the majority of office use will be (located) in the Florence Township portion.”
Said Mr. Stout, “So, what we are proposing to do is develop our site . . . We are actually running to concurrent applications to the (Department of Transportation), which is kind of unusual, but it’s one way we can get the approval to start construction without being tied up with the long access permit that is necessary from DOT.”
Access into the corporate office building in Florence is slated to be through Dultys Lane, according to Mr. Stout.
”These two properties will function as one even though they are two separate uses,” he said. “You will be able to cross-access.”
Also, “The (Florence) property has been carved into three properties,” Mr. Stout said. “Right now it is a 50-acre tract. What we are proposing to do is retain the front two parcels . . . as future development parcels, as the Route 130 is prime for the retail or other type of uses, so, these parcels will be designed in the future. The rear parcel, which is about 35 acres, is the parcel we are going to occupy.”
After the presentation, board members asked questions.
As for the height of the initial building, “We are not coming in at this time with anything over three stories,” Mr. Stout said.
”This is obviously in the redevelopment area,” noted Mayor Craig Wilkie.
”As you might have remembered in June, I think I called June 13, ‘a great day in Florence,’ and had an announcement that Burlington Coat Factory had been rewarded the funding (of the) New Jersey Economic Development Authority,” Mayor Wilkie said. “Part of the condition from that was that (the company has its) approvals by the end of this year, and that’s what the timelines represent.”
Per the timeline discussed, approval of the preliminary and final site plan is slated for the November Planning Board meeting, according to Township Administrator Richard Brook.
June 12, Burlington Coat Factory, was awarded more than $40 million in tax credits from the EDA over the next 10 years to stay in Burlington County. The company previously had expressed interest in relocating to Bensalem, Pennsylvania.
EDA also approved $1.2 million in sales tax exemptions for the company. According to officials, these credits have made it feasible to construct a multistory building on the Route 130 corridor in Florence, as previously reported in the Register-News.

