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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Jonathan Jaffe | 908-789-0700 | [email protected]

PERTH AMBOY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY JOINS STATE AND CITY OFFICIALS TO BREAK GROUND ON 1 MILLION SQUARE FOOT LOGISTICS PARK

REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT TO GENERATE 1,500 PERMANENT JOBS

PERTH AMBOY – APRIL 13, 2023– The Perth Amboy Redevelopment Agency (PARA), in concert with state and local officials, and project developer, Bridge Industrial (Bridge), broke ground today on BridgePort II, a high-capacity storage and distribution center, located on a remediated 73-acre waterfront site.

This project, at 1160 State St., marks the latest partnership with Bridge Industrial of Parsippany. Two industrial warehouses are to be constructed; one comprising 243,600 square feet, the other will be 800,000 square feet. Construction is slated for completion by the second quarter of next year.

Located on the banks of the Arthur Kill, BridgePort II is being heralded for its strategic location near I-95 and the Outerbridge Crossing, as well as for the significant effort to remediate such a large swath of industrial property.

“For years, we have been working with the state and the developer to turn this brownfield into a tax-generating amenity that can benefit our city,” said Perth Amboy Mayor Helmin Caba. “Today, I salute the Perth Amboy Redevelopment Agency for its doggedness in ensuring this project happens. BridgePort II will serve as a shining example of major brownfield redevelopment that other cities will emulate.”

It is expected that BridgePort II will generate $2.9 million in gross taxes to the City.

In working with Bridge, PARA Executive Director Tashilee Vazquez said, "It was important for the redevelopment project to be environmentally sensitive." To that end, Bridge is building rain gardens, separating the combined sewers to prevent untreated sewage from being released into the Arthur Kill, as well as committing $1 million to the city’s open space trust fund and $500,000 for off-site improvements. Moreover, the warehouses will be constructed with roofs that can accommodate solar panels.

"As the project is expected to generate at least 500 immediate construction jobs, it is important the Perth Amboy community be aware of opportunities," Vazquez said. "That is why PARA has ensured that any and all tenants in the complex provide at least one job fair at least three months before opening for business."

The project sits on the former Act 2 site, requiring heavy site cleanup and ground improvements. To make the land buildable, Bridge needed to create the full site infrastructure, with multiple retaining walls and ample parking for vehicles and trailers. Also required is the installation of a 12-inch water line stretching nearly a mile through nearby public roads. Bridge will also install a long sidewalk on the east side of High Street, connecting to the Harbortown residential neighborhood. 

“This project is a perfect example of Perth Amboy’s resurgence,” said Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-19th Dist.) “Local leaders seized the opportunity to take advantage of the strategic location to clean up the contamination of the past, attract jobs, and restore this property to the tax base for local services.

“Public safety and economic opportunity will now replace environmental hazard and blight,” Coughlin added. “Many thanks to Mayor Caba, the City Council and the Perth Amboy Redevelopment Agency for their hard work—it has paid off.”

Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez (D-19th Dist.) said the groundbreaking “is a clear example of the transformation Perth Amboy is undertaking through the leadership and vision of Mayor Helmin Caba and partnership with the City Council and Perth Amboy Redevelopment Agency.”

“A former brownfield site has been revitalized to serve as a job creator, tax revenue generator and state-of-the-art green facility that will benefit the City’s future and local economy,” Lopez said. “I applaud the project developer, Bridge Industrial, for recognizing Perth Amboy’s potential and for working with the city to craft a project that yields substantial benefits for our community."

Sen. Joe Vitale (D-19th Dist.) added: “The smart and environmentally-conscious redevelopment of this strategically-located brownfield will not only generate hundreds of new jobs for the area but will serve as a major tax-revenue generator for the town.”

Jeff Milanaik, a partner at Bridge Industrial, noted the company already constructed “BridgePort 1,” a 1.3-million-square-foot distribution park, with three buildings, in Perth Amboy.

“Our ongoing partnership with the City resulted in a seamless approvals process, and we look forward to working alongside Mayor Caba and the City to bolster the local economy, showcase the region’s talented workforce, and create new job opportunities,” Milanaik said.

According to EPA records, the development site was owned by the American Smelting and Refining Co. since 1901, which reduced non-ferrous metal ores to their metallic form. 

In September 2009, the site was purchased out of bankruptcy court, kickstarting the extensive remediation process. 

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