$6.38M industrial park making its way to Milford, aiming to boost employment

MILFORD, Del.- If you’re at the corner of Milford-Harrington Highway and Canterbury Road, you’ll see nothing more than a corn field.

Soon it will be home to the new Milford Corporate Center.

The city held an open house Tuesday night to get community members feedback on the upcoming project. City officials tell us the reception so far has been positive.

Economic Development & Community Engagement Administrator Administrator Sara Bluhm says it started as just an idea in the city’s 2017-2023 strategic plan. “In that strategic plan the city council laid out some goals, one of which was employment and recruitment of businesses,” Bluhm said.

“The front along Route 14 and 15 will be zoned business parks. Those could be doctors offices, professional offices, as well as warehousing. Behind that you could have more of the light industrial warehousing.”

Last December, the city bought the 182 acres of land for $6.38 million. The space will house up to 27 tenants.

Mayor Archie Campbell says the big goal is to create more jobs. “We’re talking probably about 800-900 workers and then office personnel will be about 400-500,” Campbell said.

Due to the project’s size,  officials anticipate the economic benefit to be massive. “When you talk to the public, they think of economic development as a small retail chain like Texas Roadhouse, restaurants, and the retailers that you see in other towns,” Bluhm said.

“This corporate center will be able to provide the jobs that increases our average income in the city and then those retailers will say now we want to set up shop here.”

It’s the first time the city has taken on a project of this magnitude, but we’re told its coming at an ideal time as the area continues to see growth. “I moved here in 2006 and we were at about 6,200 people. We’re now at 13,000. This will increase our population,” Campbell said.

To help offset some of those infrastructure costs, the city received a $100,000 Level 1 grant for site readiness from the Delaware Division of Small Business.

Bluhm says they’ve now applied for a Level 2 grant which will be for $1 million.  

The project is expected to break ground by the end of 2023.