Representatives from Fidelco Realty Group, the Elberon Development Group, FreezPak Logistics and Elizabeth and Newark officials announced today a project that will see the construction of a 140,000 s/f, state-of-the-art freezer warehouse facility.
The project is located at the corner of Newark Avenue and Virginia Street on the border of Elizabeth and Newark. Elberon and Fidelco are co-developers in the project.
“This development is another that validates the growing presence and success of cold storage facilities,” said Dave Gibbons, President of Elberon Development Group. “We believe this project will help re-vitalize an area that has been stagnant for many years, and perhaps serve as a catalyst for further redevelopment.”
This state-of-the-art facility will be FreezPak’s fifth New Jersey location and will provide a broad range of services, including storage and retrieval, repacking, transportation, and overseas container plug-in, as well as on-site USDA, FDA, and Food Safety and Inspection Service inspections.
“This (project) is an expansion of the warehouse industry in our city outside the comfort zone of the port in an area that would have otherwise been hard to develop.” said Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage. “We worked with the developers on this project for two years and it may never have come to fruition if not for their steadfast work and commitment to our city.”
“Newark’s strategic position as a transportation hub combined with our available land for commercial development has made us a center for state-of- the-art warehousing and the jobs it creates,” said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. “Once again, Fidelco has recognized the opportunity for economic growth that Newark offers and has acted to help us collectively move Newark forward.”
The new structure will deliver 10.5 million cubic feet of space, 18 docks and 30,000 pallet positions.
Prior to the start of this project, the property had been abandoned since dye and pigment manufacturer Magruder Color moved out of Newark in 2006. The new building is expected to be completed in the fall of 2021.
“This exciting new facility will serve as an anchor development project for the area,” said Marc E. Berson, Chairman of Fidelco Realty Group. “FreezPak is a great New Jersey-based company committed to growth and job creation throughout the region. We are proud to have the opportunity to work with them and usher in a new era for this important area of Elizabeth and Newark.”
“FreezPak Logistics looks forward to continuing our work with the great people in Elizabeth and Newark,” CO-CEO David Saoud of FreezPak said. “We will create 50 new jobs to service our clients throughout the area and provide customized distribution with 30,000 new pallet positions, expanding our import capabilities in the Northeast.”
CO-CEO Michael Saoud of FreezPak said, “The Elizabeth facility will be our 5th location in New Jersey and we are already designing a sixth site for 2022 to further meet the growing needs of the food industry in the state.”
