Parked in Florence

NFI Park at Florence – Phase 1

On May 14, 2014

There’s no better roadmap to successful development than a comprehensive collaboration between a builder, tenant and government entity. And that was precisely the partnership that evolved between National Freight Industries (NFI), Subaru and Florence Township.

Promising to create a singularly attractive commercial development, NFI has been constructing a business park on 129 acres along the Route 130 Corridor that has been a catalyst for other economic development in the community. In 2013, it finished building a $35-million, 526,050-square-foot warehouse, distribution, office and training center for Subaru. NFI has land use approval to expand the complex an additional 504,000 square feet, for coverage of 76 acres by Subaru at full build out.

The township worked closely with NFI to expedite the land use approvals for Subaru and obtain its Certificate of Occupancy (CO) on a tight deadline. And NFI built a jug handle to the site earlier than required, recognizing the road improvement’s importance to the overall site and Route 130. It was through the close cooperation and communication between all parties that the deadlines were met.

The Subaru project involved over 250 construction workers and now has 40 full-time employees on-site. With the addition of Subaru to the NFI development, the township felt confident the project would quickly help attract other quality companies. This vision has been realized with the location of a new corporate office headquarters for Burlington Coat Factory and distribution/fulfillment center for Express Scripts on the NFI property, and a new distribution/fulfillment center for Destination Maternity on the other side of Route 130. These four companies alone will combine to produce employment of approximately 1,700 jobs in Florence.

Whenever the township is in the running for a new commercial or industrial business venture, the mayor and township staff point to the NFI commercial park as an example of how local government and a private developer can successfully partner with a corporation to create an exceptional project.

ARCHITECT
Ware Malcomb
Edison

BUILDER
NFI Industries
Cherry Hill

NOMINATOR
Hon. Craig H. Wilkie, Mayor
Florence Township

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