By Dave Fried
With the Amazon order fulfillment center in the process of shipping its first orders from Robbinsville, I have spent some time reflecting on how we were able to bring one of the most sought after ratables in the state to Robbinsville.
First, I want to recognize my staff. Without their efforts and professionalism, landing Amazon and many other key tenants in the Matrix Business Park would not have been possible.
Key players such as Business Administrator Joy Tozzi, Economic and Community Development Director Tim McGough, who also is the township engineer, and his team of Ann Bell and Elide Post, along with former construction official Bob Corby, were instrumental, as were many others.
Before this administration finalized the Amazon deal in January 2013, Matrix Development Group and the many forefathers of Washington Township and Robbinsville paved the way with an extraordinary vision.
About 20 years ago, most of the 950 acres that now comprise the Matrix Business Park were undeveloped and stagnant. The Planning Board members at that time consisted of former Mayor and committeeperson Nancy Tindall, former Mayor Dr. Robert Scheideler, Maurice James, James Rudy, Janet Van Nest, Ted Platz, current township council vice president Vince Calcagno, former Mayor Joe Odenheimer, George Lorbeck, Fred Angeline and another former Mayor, Douglas Tindall. Sidney Mudge was the Planning/Zoning Administrator who helped coordinate with Matrix principal partner Alec Taylor and the company’s board of professionals. John West was the Township Engineer and Leo Zamparelli was the attorney.
Joseph Taylor, along with David Fowler of Matrix, also was very involved throughout those early years in bringing the individual site and subdivision plans to the Planning Board. They believed this stagnant piece of land could become something great.
They were right.
Robbinsville’s relationship with Matrix is the quintessential example of a public/private partnership that has worked very well for both sides. It has helped our town thrive, has helped fund our schools with an incredible amount of ratables and has truly been a great corporate citizen in our community.
In the two decades since the General Development Plan for the Northeast Business Park was approved on August 17, 1994, 20 buildings have been approved in the 950 acre industrial park totaling 9.8 million square feet with an estimated economic impact of more than $700 million dollars before Amazon even opened its doors.
In addition, 13,000 feet of roads, a 1.5 million gallon water tower, 500 gallon per day sewer facilities and improvements to Gordon Road, West Manor Way, County Road 526 and Old York Road have been completed. There has been 120 acres of land dedicated to open space by Matrix including the 30 acres donated to the town for the soccer fields also known as Community Park.
Matrix and the township have attracted many Fortune 500 companies: Mercedes Benz, Grainger, Amazon, Green Mountain Coffee, McKesson, Sleepy’s and McMaster Carr are all part of a park that employs 6,000 to 8,000 people. Financially, the partnership with Matrix results in over $1 million annually in municipal tax revenue, $1.75 million for our schools, rollback taxes over the years totaling approximately $5 million and millions more in building and construction fees.
The numbers really are staggering.
Robbinsville is proud to have stood side by side with Matrix and its team leaders—Richard Johnson, Alec Taylor and Ken Griffin—in accepting the PlanSmart NJ Economic Development Achievement Award in November. We thank them, along with the many forefathers of Washington Township, for helping us raise the bar for other communities and businesses to reach for today.
Dave Fried is mayor of Robbinsville.
Mayor Dave Fried,
