Planners agree to major additions at Heller site
Over 2.6M square feet of warehouse space to be built over next five years
BY CHRIS GAETANO
Staff Writer

SOUTH BRUNSWICK - The Planning Board has approved more than 2.6 million square feet of new warehouse space at the Heller complex, Ridge Road.

The application called for a complex of four different warehouses stretched out over one lot, where the company, Heller Industrial Parks, currently operates another warehouse. The complex's construction, according to Heller President Jeff Milanaik, is to go in phases, with the already existing warehouse representing phase one. The June 20 approval will allow phases two, three, four and five to proceed unimpeded.

The complex, which sits east of 130 and north of Ridge Road, is instrumental in the construction of Route 511 1-A, a road project that South Brunswick officials hope will deflect truck traffic away from residential areas. Heller, as per one of the conditions of the phase one approval in 1999, is to dedicate land and contribute funds toward the construction of this road.

A similar deal between Heller and the Planning Board was worked out in December of last year with the approval of a 285,000-square-foot warehouse. That facility's proximity to Pigeon Swamp State Park sparked concern from residents who were concerned about flooding because of overdevelopment.

Due to the large scope of the project, Milanaik requested that the firm be given five years to complete construction instead of the customary two. The board felt this was a reasonable request.

"It is not our intent to construct this project and let it lay fallow but vacant," said Milanaik.

The board approved the application unanimously, citing favorable relations with the firm in the past, as well as the company's contributions to the construction of 522 1-A.

"We have a developer who has developed many warehouses in our township and should be commended. ... He's also donated over $1 million in land to the township," said Mayor Frank Gambatese, who also sits on the board.

Milanaik felt good about the approval, also noting a cordial relationship with the township over the years they have been doing business in South Brunswick.

"We're excited about it. We've been in South Brunswick since the early '70s. We are a low-profile, privately held company and South Brunswick has been a good town to do business in, and we've always worked well in the town and the town has always worked well with us," said Milanaik.