GEORGETOWN, Del.- The Sussex County Industrial Park is expanding, following the purchase of nearly 75 acres of adjacent land.
County leaders on Tuesday announced the purchase of the 74-acre King Farm, off Park Avenue east of Georgetown, to add to the footprint of the industrial park. The purchase allows the county to expand its leasable space offerings for future tenants. The current park hosts 20 businesses that employ some 900 people.
County Administrator Todd F. Lawson said the purchase, at a cost of $2.2 million, will add more than 30 acres of new leasable commercial/industrial space within the county. It is the most significant addition to the county’s 175-acre industrial park since it was initially laid out within the Delaware Coastal Airport complex in the early 1970s, according to county officials.
Lawson, joined by County Engineer Hans Medlarz, briefed the County Council on the purchase and infrastructure improvements that will be needed in the coming months to make the addition site-ready for future tenants.
"This is more than just adding acreage – this is an expansion of economic development opportunities for businesses and the economy here in Sussex County,” said Lawson, noting the park already provides convenient access to air, rail and ground transportation. ‘We’re excited to be able to grow the park and provide a base of operations for new businesses that want to employ our residents, to make a quality product and call Sussex County home.”
The land was originally scheduled to be developed by another owner, but when that project stalled the county stepped in to purchase the parcel and infrastructure already built.
The deal adds nearly 75 acres to industrial park was finalized in mid-February, and already the county has landed its first future tenant, Atlantis
Industries of Milton. Atlantis has already broken ground on their new site and plans to set up manufacturing operations within the newly expanded portion of the park, as early as this summer, Lawson said.
Medlarz said as many as a dozen lots of varying sizes could be carved out within the new addition. It will take approximately 10 months to a year for the county to make necessary improvements, including the installation of streets, drainage, natural gas, fiber communications, water and wastewater infrastructure, for the addition to be fully marketable. However, work will be performed in phases, allowing the first tenants, including Atlantis, to move in sooner and as needed, Medlarz said.
Atlantis Industries President Thad Schippereit said he is excited to relocate his precision injection molding and custom tool-making business to a larger, start-of-the-art space within the park and be part of a larger manufacturing community. Atlantis plans to construct a 40,000-square-foot building within the park, and has already paid the County $500,000 to the lease the property for the next 99 years. With its relocation and expansion, Atlantis will have all its operations under one roof, and plans to add 20 to 25 jobs in the coming years, according to county officials.
