The new warehouse will create 268 new jobs in the state, and 434 existing jobs will be transferred to Monroe County from the Johnson & Johnson plant that is closing, according to the state department of community and economic development.

The state in 2005 contributed $9.7 million in grants and low- interest loans to help create the 600-acre business park, which is planned to ultimately have 3.5 million square feet of warehouse, manufacturing and commercial space. The park is off Route 611 just north of Pocono Mountain Municipal Airport.

Gov. Ed Rendell said the company's decision to locate in Pennsylvania demonstrates the state assistance was a good investment. "We've put our resources to work to attract new investments that are growing our companies and economy while creating opportunities for people," he said in a statement.

The sprawling Johnson & Johnson warehouse will be the business park's first major tenant. The site's proximity to Interstates 80 and 81 was a key draw for Johnson & Johnson, said Shawn Langen, vice president of development with Bethlehem-based Arcadia Properties. "They searched 50-plus sites in several states and narrowed it to this site," Langen said. "It's in an ideal location with proximity to their eastern markets." Both the new Johnson & Johnson facility and the one it is replacing are run by third-party contractors, according to the company.

Johnson & Johnson joins a growing list of companies putting their warehouse and distribution centers in Eastern Pennsylvania, which offers access to 115 million people in America and Canada within a one-day drive. Advance Auto Parts has a large warehouse in Weisenberg Township. The cleaning products company Dial Corp. is expanding its distribution center into a new 726,000-square-foot warehouse on Industrial Boulevard in Breinigsville from a smaller one nearby. The delivery company DHL in February moved into a new plant in Upper Macungie Township. In July, Wal-Mart opened a 900,000-square-foot distribution center in Schuylkill County near Minersville that employs about 700 people.

Critics of the warehouse and distribution industry say it creates few jobs for the amount of land it occupies.

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The 2008 honoree, Richard E. Thulin, founded Arcadia Properties, LLC in 1986 after a real estate career with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Arcadia is a privately owned real estate development and management company specializing in residential land development, warehouse, office, flex, retail, industrial and hotel development throughout eastern Pennsylvania.

“I would like to thank the Commercial & Industrial Real Estate Award Committee for this honor. It is always very special when such an honor comes from your peers. I also commend the entire Lehigh Valley real estate community for coming together each year to raise money to help the March of Dimes,” says Thulin.

Over the last 20 years, Thulin’s development activities have, directly or indirectly, contributed positively to the dynamic growth of the Lehigh Valley. Arcadia has developed, owned and/or operated more than 400 acres, supporting more than 4 million square feet of facilities and creating more than 2,250 jobs associated with those facilities.

Thulin is active in the community and, among other things, is a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation and the Lehigh Valley Partnership. He is also a member of the Council of Logistics Management, and the Board of Trustees of Moravian Academy. Thulin has been an active supporter of the March of Dimes through Arcadia’s involvement on the Commercial and Industrial Real Estate Awards Breakfast Committee, and in-kind services through the Best Western where the Awards Breakfast is held each year. The Thulin family is part-owner of the hotel and conference center on Rt. 512.
The Project of the Year award recipient, Coca Cola Park, is home of the IronPigs, the triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The park was the brainchild of Craig Stein, owner of the Reading Phillies, and Joe Finley, owner of the Trenton Thunder, who joined forces in July 2001 to bring a team to the Lehigh Valley for the first time since 1960. Governor Edward G. Rendell awarded a $12 million state grant to the ballpark project. Lehigh County Executive, Don Cunningham, and IronPigs General Manager, Kurt Landes, accepted the award on behalf of Coca Cola Park. Landes thanked the Lehigh Valley community for their enthusiasm and warm reception of the IronPigs. He noted that 50 of the 72 games were sold out showing the tremendous support and impact the new stadium has had in the Lehigh Valley.

The Park is located on more than 7.5 acres, at the former Agere/LSI site located between Union Blvd. and American Parkway in East Allentown. Stein and Finley worked closely with Lehigh County under County Executive Don Cunningham’s leadership to arrange financing. The park was built and is owned by Lehigh County who leases it to the IronPigs.

The ballpark includes the largest scoreboard in all of Minor League Baseball. In addition, Coca-Cola Park incorporates many of the best features from other recently built ballparks including a 360 degree “wrap-around” concourse, kids zone, picnic area, party porches, 20 luxury suites, grass lawn seating area, open entrance plaza and many others. Unique to this ballpark are four “dugout suites” that seat guests in luxury closer to home plate than the pitcher himself. With standing room areas and the lawn seating area, the ballpark can hold a total capacity of 10,000 fans. The ballpark hosts many other events in addition to the IronPigs’ 72 home baseball games as the ballpark is used routinely for special events, business meetings, and receptions.

Over the past fifteen years, the Commercial & Industrial Real Estate Awards have raised more than $500,000 to ensure that every baby born has the healthiest start in life. KNBT, a division of National Penn Bank, is the Event Sponsor for the 2008 Awards Breakfast. In the last three years alone, this event has raised $168,840 showing the tremendous generosity of the real estate community and their commitment to the Lehigh Valley.

“This annual event is coordinated by Lehigh Valley commercial and industrial real estate professionals to acknowledge an outstanding Individual and Project whose commercial and industrial real estate activities have significantly enhanced the local community,” says James Duggan, Vice President - Real Estate, KNBT, a division of National Penn Bank, and Chair of the committee. “KNBT is pleased to support this event because it honors commercial and industrial real estate professionals and quality real estate projects, but more importantly it raises funds that support the very important mission of the March of Dimes and speaks to KNBT’s commitment to serve the needs of the Lehigh Valley community.” The Commercial & Industrial Real Estate Awards committee was formed in 1993 by key commercial and industrial real estate professionals in the Lehigh Valley, many of whom still serve. The real estate community was interested in doing an annual event that would benefit the community as well as bring commercial and industrial realtors together. Held annually at the Best Western on Rt. 512, the event has grown from approximately 175 attendees to a sell-out crowd of 400 comprised of realtors, bankers, architects, construction management and others in the real estate community.

"We are committed to operating the best Best Western in the entire chain," Thulin said. Thulin, principal at Arcadia Properties LLC, was named Individual of the Year on Friday at the March of Dimes annual commercial and real estate awards ceremony. He talked about plans for the Best Western, also the site of the gathering. No formal proposals are ready, but Thulin said he envisions upgrading and consolidating the existing 192 hotel rooms -- now situated in a two-story, U-shaped structure -- into a six-story building. That would free space to allow for doubling the size of banquet and conference facilities, increased parking, and additional restaurants. Thulin described the existing space as "totally underutilized."

Estimated cost of the project is $30 million, said Thulin, part owner of the 12 1/2-acre property. Work would be done in stages so the Best Western could continue operating. He is developing plans with hotel operator GF Management, of Philadelphia. Thulin said he would like to submit a proposal to Hanover Township in the first quarter of next year. If approvals are granted by the end of 2009, Thulin said progress will be determined by market conditions. "I'm very bullish on the long-term prospects," Thulin said of the Lehigh Valley. "My confidence is based on the history of real estate trends and strong fundamentals in the region."

Also Friday, the March of Dimes honored Coca-Cola Park as project of the year. The Allentown stadium opened this year as home to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Philadelphia Phillies minor league affiliate. A committee of economic development and real estate professionals selects the award winners. The event Friday attracted about 400 and raised more than $71,150 to benefit the March of Dimes, according to a news release....