The Berlin Township Board of Trustees recently approved plans for the western overlay of the Berlin Business Park.
Approval of the plan allows local officials to begin development efforts for the western overlay, which extends from Sweeney Road in the west to Lackey Old State Road in the east, and is primarily targeted for professional office, commercial and light industrial development.
When completed, the Berlin Business Park will comprise nearly 2,000 acres along the US36/SR37 corridor in Berlin Township, extending from the eastern edge of Delaware city nearly to I-71. The Berlin Business Park is expected to lay the foundation for the creation of thousands of new jobs as it will be home to professional office, medical, commercial/retail and light industrial companies.
“This is step one in the overarching plan, but it’s definitely a big step,” said Bob Lamb, economic development director for Delaware County. “It has taken us 18 months of planning, engagement and work to get to this point. That includes a lot of meetings with resident groups to collect their input. Passage of the western overlay establishes a critical foundation for the future of the business park.”
Lamb said the creation of the Berlin Business Park was “a total team effort” and the result of a lot of hard work by Delaware County commissioners Jeff Benton, Barb Lewis and Gary Merrell, members of the Delaware County Finance Authority, and his staff, particularly Economic Development Administrator Rob Platte.
Lamb said his office and the Delaware County Finance Authority will begin the process of attracting the first round of private commercial investment to the western overlay.
“It’s going to create great opportunities for companies with the foresight to get on board,” Lamb said. “Delaware County is committed to following smart growth practices, zoning and development policies that diversify the tax base, protect the quality of life, aid our schools and provide employment opportunities in the community.”
The Berlin Township Board of Trustees was scheduled to address the eastern overlay of the business park at its Dec. 14 meeting.
The Delaware County Finance Authority (DCFA) is a political subdivision created by the Delaware County Commissioners to assist in economic development and job creation in Delaware County. The DCFA offers numerous incentive programs and has the ability to issue tax-exempt and taxable bonds for business, developer, non-profit and governmental projects. The DCFA works in partnership with traditional lending institutions and its public partners to provide the most advantageous financing for your projects that benefit the community.
