Ribbon cutting officially opens building at Pennridge Airport

A new day has dawned with expectations for hundreds of new jobs in Perkasie Borough with the opening of the Pennridge Airport Business Park.

State and local officials and guests attended an Oct. 3 ribbon cutting for Building One of six planned buildings at the site, hosted by Robert Brink, president of Pennridge Development Enterprises Inc.

Brink’s firm is developing an 89-acre property adjacent to the Pennridge Airport. The site includes land in both East Rockhill Township and Perkasie. Two of the Pennridge Airport Business Park buildings are planned in Perkasie, with the remaining four to be built in East Rockhill.

“This facility, with proximity to Interstates 95, 78 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, promises to stimulate economic development and bring thousands of new jobs to Perkasie and Upper Bucks County,” said state Rep. Craig Staats, representing the 145th Legislative District.

Building One includes 101, 920-square-foot, which can be subdivided.

Build-to-suit planning for the second building in Perkasie is under way.

No timeframe for the East Rockhill construction was available.

Officials said Building One was ideal for production, warehousing, or flex business needs.

Brink said while negotiations were ongoing with potential tenants, no leases had been signed.

The Perkasie buildings are located within a newly created zoning district, Industrial 3 or Airport Industrial District.

A list of allowed uses under the Industrial 3 zoning district code include brewery, micro-brewery, micro-winery and micro-distillery, brew pub, airport services, planned industrial development and flex tech development, according to the Perkasie Borough Code.

Stephen M. Barth, Perkasie’s economic development consultant, said Building One could accommodate about 300 new jobs.

In a previous 2018 interview, Barth estimated once complete the business park could generate roughly $360,000 in tax revenue, attract high value jobs and qualified candidates to fill them.

Andrea Coaxum, Perkasie Borough manager, said downtown revitalization efforts continue to flourish with the opening of American House apartments, the Perkasie Business Center and the “Delbar transformation” which includes rehabilitating the former Delbar Products Inc. property, an automotive manufacturer into residential housing.

“This is a historic step for Perkasie,” Coaxum said.