Bloomberg LP, a privately held major financial software, data, and media company received unanimous preliminary plan approval for a 200,000 square-foot expansion in Dayton.
By Ed Birch, Special Writer
Bloomberg LP, a privately held major financial software, data, and media company received unanimous preliminary plan approval for a 200,000 square-foot expansion in Dayton.
The South Brunswick Planning Board approved the preliminary plan Wednesday night. Starting a 10-year construction project of six buildings totaling 312,000 square feet on a 64.81-acre lot at 431 Ridge Road in the Dayton section of South Brunswick.
”This project, when completed, will have a major impact on life in this township. Bloomberg LP will be generating additional tax revenues for South Brunswick, cause a positive change in rateables, and create employment opportunities,” Mayor Frank Gambatese said as he cast his vote in favor of the plan. “The improvements in the traffic patterns and controls, once approved by the county, will also improve life in this township.”
Under state guidelines, Bloomberg needed to petition to the township board for special approval for the 10-year master plan, which guarantees no zoning changes on that property.
The organization was required to show that the project would entail a major capital investment, would undertake a huge planning effort, and create a significant major planning effort for the company to guarantee the zoning.
Michael Campano, lead Project Manager from Bloomberg LP testified before the board and described aspects of the property and plans that will be constructed in six phases with frontage on both Ridge Road and Culver Road.
Mr. Campano estimated that the proposed office mega center and data center could bring upwards of 1,000 additional job opportunities into the township.
The site, however, will need approvals from municipal, county, and state officials during the course of the construction project in the estimated 10-year period.
Mark W. Kataryniak, Senior Vice President and Traffic Engineer, from French and Parrello, the traffic consultant responsible for a traffic study on the site, testified that the proposed project will need Middlesex County to make changes in the traffic and streetlight patterns on county-owned Route 522, also known as Ridge Road.
”The Bloomberg LP organization is fully prepared to provide pro-rated funding for these improvements,” he said.
Major traffic control changes, including possibly adding additional traffic lights and timing changes are expected at the junctions of Ridge Road and Route 522, and the five corners intersection of Route 522, Culver Road, and Route 522 in Dayton.
The initial phases of the construction are not predicted to cause the need for these additions, based on the traffic studies of the consulting firm, according to testimony in front of the board.
Board member, and local family practice physician Dr. Paul Prodromo asked if the new site owners would continue the present remediation efforts that have been taking place for the past 50 years by the former owners, IBM Corporation.
At issue is contamination the company left on the site consisting of a blue ink used in making computer punch cards at the time.
”We have done our due diligence and are fully prepared to maintain the environmental standards required,” said Denis F. Keenan, designer of the Environmental Impact Statement for the property.
Planning Board member Barry Nathanson asked the township and Bloomberg LP to make strong efforts to ask employees to use less traveled routes to and from the New Jersey Turnpike and local roads.
Company representatives said they are willing to make such a request upon project completion.
When finished, the expansion is expected to generate additional 350 vehicle trips during the morning and afternoon commuting times, according to the testimony.
The company will return to the board for final site plan approval as the project continues.

