KEY POINTS
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The Southern Berks Industrial Park broke ground last week in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The 5.5 million-square-foot development, situated on a former Bethlehem Steel site, will comprise nine buildings.
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Phase One construction is expected to be completed by the end of Q4 2026, creating approximately 450 jobs. The entire project is expected to create 2,750 jobs and generate $2 billion in economic activity.
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Benefits include a 10-year LERTA tax abatement, proximity to major highways, and infrastructure improvements that revitalize brownfield land and boost the construction economy.
Ground has broken on the Southern Berks Industrial Park, a 5.5 million-square-foot Class A industrial development in New Morgan Borough, southern Berks County, Pennsylvania, the Reading Eagle reported.
The nonresidential construction project, led by developer Panattoni Development Company from Newport Beach, California, spans about 1,200 acres adjacent to Route 10 and repurposes the former Bethlehem Steel Grace Mine site.
Phase 1 Design Details
The conceptual master plan of Phase 1 includes the construction of four buildings totaling over 2.65 million square feet. These structures offer flexible column spacing, speed bays, and no height restrictions under general industrial building zoning, according to the developers.
The location is logistically favorable, according to developers, as “36% of the US population and 57% of the Canadian population are located within a one-day’s truck drive from the site.”
A Phase 1 rendering of Southern Berks Industrial Park in southern Berks County, Pennsylvania. Image: KBC Advisors, Southern Berks Industrial Park
Construction management is by Brinkmann Constructors, based in St. Louis, Missouri, with completion of the first phase targeted for Q4 2026.
Engineering and land development services are provided by Bohler Engineering’s Harrisburg team, which has designed over 20 million square feet of regional industrial space, with a focus on site civil engineering, permitting, and logistics facilities.
Economic and Local Impacts
Phase One anticipates creating 450 jobs, while the complete development could generate up to 2,750 positions in the logistics and distribution sector, boosting the regional economy with an estimated $2 billion in related activity.
Benefits include a 10-year LERTA tax abatement, proximity to I-76 and I-176 via the Morgantown Interchange (located 12 miles south of Reading and 30 miles from the Philadelphia suburbs), and access to public utilities.
LERTA offers tax breaks for commercial and industrial properties in designated areas to encourage the redevelopment of aging or deteriorating properties. It was created by the state of Pennsylvania in 1977.
Local impacts include job growth, infrastructure enhancements, and the reactivation of brownfield land.
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