Business Buzz
By Rich Baehrle
We are all aware that Atlantic County has a desperate need to diversify its economy from its reliance on the casino industry.
Unfortunately, due to many factors such as substantial new competition, online gaming and sports betting, local brick and mortar gaming has been hit hard. We are surrounded by competition. Our one-time casino monopoly is gone, with New York casinos waiting in the wings. All of these factors have had a heavy negative impact on the local labor market.
Approximately 12 years ago, in recognition of the forecast change in the casino industry, Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson, along with Howard Kyle, his chief of staff at that time, decided that they were not going to sit idle and let the county economy continue to slide backwards. They realized we had a hidden gem with the William J. Hughes Technical Center which was not meeting its full potential.
That’s when the Atlantic County Economic Development Committee, which I chaired at the time, took the topic into consideration and ran with it. After many meetings with numerous stakeholders, the National Aerospace Research and Technology Park (formerly Stockton Aviation Research and Technology Park) was born.
The project took off with the construction of an impressive first building out of a total of seven planned buildings. Groundbreaking on the first building took place in 2017, and it became operational by 2018. It is now fully occupied.
The 400,000-square-foot Aviation Park is on a 58-acre site directly adjacent to the world-renowned William J. Hughes Federal Aviation Administration Technical Center. With its proximity to the Atlantic City Airport, tenants are able to conveniently test their innovative products and procedures.
NARTP tenants are doing important, cutting-edge work pioneering advancements in aerospace technology including drones for delivery and emergency response, electric flying taxis, and autonomous robots for airfield maintenance and security. They are also improving air traffic control systems and working on cybersecurity to protect aerospace infrastructure.
NARTP’s major tenants include General Dynamics, Woolpert, the National Institute of Aerospace, the FAA, NASA, ACIT and Stockton University, which are assisting with research and preparing students for careers in aviation and technology.
Building 1 offers high-speed connectivity to FAA data systems and laboratories, a rooftop deck which is used for social events. Other aspects of the first building encourage continuing education where they host onsite symposiums, conferences, open-houses and demonstrations.
The success of completely occupying the first building led to the groundbreaking of the second building in October of 2024. The Atlantic County Improvement Authority awarded a $14.3 million contract to T.N. Ward for the 40,000-space-foot Building 2 with completion expected in 16 months.
Currently there are no tenants committed for it, but there is a lot of interest. The feeling is like Building 1, build it and they will come.
As the park continues with its momentum, creating a synergy in this vital industry, it will undoubtedly establish much-needed, higher-paying jobs. The economic impact will be felt throughout the region.
If you want to learn more about this exciting industry and the NARTP, you can visit the website at www.NARTP.com or call the Executive Director Howard Kyle at 609-365-2183.
We need to learn more about it and embrace it. Maybe you can thank Howard for having the vision and tenacity to see this dream come to fruition and grow.
Remember to support local businesses, especially small businesses.
Rich Baehrle, of Berkshire Hathaway Fox and Roach, can be reached at 609-266-6680 or 609-641-0011. Email richardbaehrle@gmail.com or see
www.getrichinrealestateSJ.com
