An 890,000-square-foot warehouse is taking shape at the New Jersey base of the Commodore Barry Bridge, the first building underway in a much larger industrial development called The Apex.
The large clearing on the south side of the bridge has become very visible to commuters returning to New Jersey, and many readers have reached out to 42Freeway asking what’s being built.
42Freeway covered the project in 2022, when it was then presented as a roughly five-million-square-foot warehouse development with five buildings. Updated marketing materials now show four buildings totaling nearly 3.7 million square feet if the entire development is completed.
Based on those materials, it appears the first warehouse is being developed without a tenant announced.
While it is the first building under construction, it is identified in the marketing materials as Building 2.
This is an expansive property along the Delaware River with limited nearby public roadway access, which makes getting drone photos challenging. Fortunately, the warehouse under construction is close enough to Springer Road that I was able to get the drone up for a look.
From above, the building’s footprint is clearly defined, although it did not appear that the concrete slab had been poured during my visit. Three tall rigs were positioned on the site likely for pile driving, along with stockpiles of sewer and water piping.
For now, construction and marketing appears focused on this one warehouse. Of the three other buildings marketed for the property, two would each exceed one million square feet. The smallest would be approximately 660,000 square feet.
This initial Building 2 is described at 893,911sf offering:
- 148 Dock Doors
- 410 Car Parking
- 50 Banked Car Parking
- 197 Trailer Stalls
- 76 Banked Trailer Stalls
NJDEP – Sewer Service Expansion
With both the Delaware River and Raccoon Creek bordering portions of the property, wetlands are also part of the development review but it appears the core massive development area was approved.
I did find New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection documents regarding the sewer-service expansion.
Those documents describe a full warehouse complex of approximately 3.7 million square feet, with 1,031 warehouse employees, 70,000 square feet of office space, and projected wastewater flow of 99,225 gallons per day. Those figures were used in evaluating the sewer-service expansion.
The DEP materials also describe four buildings, consistent with the current marketing plan. The documents I reviewed did not explain the reduction from the earlier five-building proposal.
Roadway Access
In many ways, the location makes sense for warehouse development: a large undeveloped tract, no immediately adjacent homes, access to Pennsylvania across the Commodore Barry Bridge, and connections via Route 130 to I-295 and the New Jersey Turnpike. (The Apex PDF)
But the local access route deserves a closer look.
I drove the approach today from Route 130 South, following the route which turns off at Barker Avenue. It’s somewhat of a circuitous route of 1.5 miles which turns left to Hansen before traveling Springer Lane as it follows off to the side of the Route 322 bridge approach, then travels past the bridge offices, beneath the bridge, before reaching the Ferry Road entrance to the development.
Some portions felt like they could use improvements to accommodate construction traffic and, eventually, tractor-trailers. I am still confirming whether those improvements are included in the project plans.
I stay out of the opinion side of things, but one particular concern is the turn from southbound Route 130 onto Barker Avenue, which appears to serve as a main approach to the development for tractor-trailers. There is no deceleration lane, meaning vehicles must slow for the turn directly from the travel lane onto a sharp almost 90-degree turn.
This week, I plan to contact Gloucester County to ask whether entrance improvements are planned, particularly a lane giving trucks room to slow before turning toward the warehouse complex.
Links and Locations
The Apex
Ferry Road at Springer Road
Logan Township, NJ
