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ROBERT S. WILLIAMS/The News Tribune Finished Ford Escorts rolling along the assembly line at the company’s Edison plant Driving force in Edison After a big cutback, Ford still brings in many bucks without an increased work force,” By MIKE MORETTI ftib. Lifawnr Browning says. “ This is the price of News Tribune Staff Writer , survival.” ( Y T a u\ Mercury Lynxs (since discontinued) annually pays $1.3 million in real estate were produced at the plant. Another and sales taxes talks, people listen — Ford plant, in Wayne, Mich., also particularly when he says, “ We’re makes the Escort. serious about survival.” The 1982 layoffs, Gaughan says, were Phil Staley is manager of the Ford •cum mvMCUT.-i - i n n paH- pf a recession, but currently, “Ford ait- niobt j5bi5uiar car in the hourly; 155 salaried. is doing real well, while General Motors, world last year with almost 1 million its chief competitor, is lacking. Sales oi sold — is produced. • COMPANY WAGES cars are doing well, and Ford has very On its 40th anniversary in Edison, (1987): $50.2 million. high levels of profitability as many GM which the company will celebrate on models are suffering. Tuesday, Staley says the company’s • PRODUCTION (1987): “And Ford’s employment has picked future is secure in the township. Just 120,747 Ford Escorts and up too,” he says, although that isn’t six years ago, the plant was dealt a near Mercury Lynx; 56 vehicles significant at the Edison plant. devastating blow when 1,500 employees “Ford’s expansion is a result of the were laid off — about half of the work per hour. rebounding of manufacturing in the force. • EXPENDITURES: On United States,” Gaughan says. “ The Now, 1,100 people are now employed rise of the dollar has made Japanese in production, and 155 are in salaried local goods and services, cars more expensive so consumers are supervisory and administrative $8 jrrfflion. looking to Ford and General Motors a positions. In 1987, salaries totaled more x • TAXES: Paid on real lot more closely.” than $50 million. Internally, things are strong at Ford The company spent nearly $1Q estate and sales, $1.35 mil­ in Edison, Staley says. million within nearby communities, lion. “ We have a strong employee says plant controller Charles Browning, involvement program,” Staley says. for things such as production supplies, “ We delegate authority for our people to transportation services xtid local feeling severe repercussions from a exercise quality control whenever they contractors. changing marketplace. feel the need to.” “The Ford plant is pretty significant “Back then, we were into a massive Staley explained there is a “ Stop” to the area,” says Patrick Gaughan of change of down-sizing our automobiles. button at each work station where an the Fords section df Woodbridge, an We had too many of the wrong types of employee can shut down the production economics professor at Fairleigh products that weren’t meeting fuel line if he or she feels there is a problem. Dickinson Upi^ersity. “With wages and restrictions and needed aerodynamic The company is producing a 1988V2 expenditure^ (totaling $60 million), it and design changes to help bring us to Ford Escort that will be unveiled has quite an impact. If you consider the the forefront,” Staley says. Tuesday. ‘multiplier effect,’ with each of those Of those laid off, some were able to The 19881/2 Escort will include a new dollars being re-spent two or three return to their jobs due to attrition. back-end design, new bumpers and side times, Ford is very important to the moldings, crisper aerodynamics and community.” Despite the reduced work force, plant now is near full working capacity, some interior changes. However, Staley The plant is so important that turning out 56 Escorts per hour. In says, the Escort will probably be Gaughan says, “ If it’s shut down, it 1982, about 52 cars were p r o d u c e d per discontinued after the 1990 model year might cause a minute recession in the hour. and may be replaced by the Ford area.” “With productivity emphasis in the Ranger, a utility vehicle. At the time of the 1982 layoffs, the intervening years, e^en though we’re “ The industry works in 10-year country’s second-largest automaker was producing more vehicles, we’re doing it See EDISON FORD Page C-9 i ROBERT S. WILLIAMS/The News Tribune ichard Dason installing an overhead map and dome light f the cars produced at Ford’s Edison plant. Edison ord ^ o O- “U : » er still a % m % Continued from Page C-8 mastime contributions of abtgut $3,000 and with a party 'for design programs. After 10 years, retarded children. they feel a model has run its Browning estimated the Edi­ course,” Browning says. “We’re son-based manufacturer donates currently placing a replacement in $200,000 to New Jersey for corpo­ its field. But because of the suc­ rate memberships. He is a mem­ cess and popularity of the Escort, ber of the state’s Chamber of they may decide to continue it.” Commerce Education Committee, Staley began as plant manager while Staley serves on the state in April 1981, then went to the Chamber of Commerce board. Kansas City plant for two years, This week, the company joined before returning to Edison last with Middlesex County College spring. and the county’s vocational and “ When I came back, the technical high schools in a cooper­ momentum I had put in was con­ ative education program called tinuing,” he says. “ It was like it ASSET, short for Automotive was when I had left it.” Student Service Educational Also, over the years, the plant Training. The program, to train has forged an excellent relation­ automotive technicians, was ship with the community, accord­ launched at a new facility adja­ ing to Browning. cent to the Edison assembly “ We are quite visible in the plant. community,” he says. “We sup­ port many hospital fund drives “All of the factors look good for and actively support college schol­ us in the area. Things have been arship funds. We’re also involved very profitable for this plant and in Easter Seals,” he says, referring should continue to be,” says Dis­ to the nationwide program that trict Manager Frank Ascione. benefits handicapped people. “The market share continues to The employees, too, contribute improve in the New York-New to the handicapped, with Christ- Jersey area.” I 10 P R O G R E S S THE HOME NEWS S k t e a h * , u s \ ft e s s SUNDAY, JANUARY 31,1988 MetroPark embodies best, worst of suburban life

The Home News/Marc Ascher By GW EN SHRIFT Lunch at area restaurants, or vis­ Home News staff writer its to nearby green spots such as Roosevelt Park, can eat up more Two stops on the express train w .i- ■ . ub. UbnSp time than employers allow for the from Manhattan lies a workaholic’s noonday break, they said. 340 PfamfieU dreamland. It is the MetroPark off­ H M u a w MetroPark has a hard-working, ice complex, stronghold of com­ & * * & A 0B8S7 ^ • n f l R f upscale corporate atmosphere merce, all stone and mirrored glass about it, according to workers. But and corporate might, towering si­ that atmosphere has diluted the lently above the busy landscape of human element, according to Sam­ Central New Jersey. uel M. Hamill, a regonal planner, MetroPark, with 10 buildings in who called MetroPark “a bleak and Woodbridge and six in Edison, is a inhospitable environment.” sizable chunk of the kind of devel­ “It was probably one of the best- opment that communities like. situated sites on the eastern sea­ The buildings, erected during the board. It could have been designed past three decades, contribute hun­ {if l mm with a comprehensive plan with dreds of millions of dollars each amenities, but those opportunities year in commercial ratables to were not envisioned by the public Woodbridge and Edison. The office bodies” who approved the develop­ park is located near major road­ ment’s projects over the past three ways — Route 1, Route 27 and the decades, said Hamill, executive di­ Garden State Parkway. It is adja­ rector of the Middlesex-Somerset- cent to but distinct from the Metro­ Mercer Regional Council. Park railroad station. “It’s probably one of Nqw Jer­ There are no polluting factories sey’s outstanding regional develop­ among the quiet buildings, no ment failures. It could have been a smokestacks, no crowds of blue-col­ mixed-use center, but it’s 99 per­ lar laborers. cent offices, isn’t it?” There are plenty of back offices, George Ververides, Middlesex marketing executives, industrial a B s r a w r ' i County’s director of planning, said designers, researchers, bankers MetroPark’s problems are part of and other providers of the services Central New Jersey’s larger plan­ high-tech New Jersey increasingly ning dilemmas. “You can’t just look requires. at the site itself, you have to look at Parking deck planned the region. The county envisioned Within the next few years, Metro­ MetroPark as one of the regional Park may also boast a symbol of subcenters between Philadelphia corporate concentration — a park­ and New York. . . . It is a type of ing deck planned at the train sta­ development that has occurred tion. The deck may include retail within an urban area in a growing stores, providing workers a closer county, there’s a lot of people work­ Mirrored glass of the Englehard building in the MetroPark office the multi-building Woodbridge/Edison complex, aggravating the place to shop than local malls or ing there, and on top of it all is the complex reflects one of its corporate neighbors. Thousands work in congested transportation network at rush hour and lunch time. stores on Route 27. subsequent congestion with the MetroPark may exist only as a traffic. “One is all pressure and a 60- place to walk without car fumes,” stores on Route 27 recently. “I don’t Despite the lack of community place of work, but if you want to “You cannot compare the devel­ hour work week, versus this pleas­ Zatz, who is a product marketing need to do all different things on my connections among the buildings of work, it is a good place to be, work­ opment at MetroPark with the de­ ant 20-minute drive in the morning. manager, said of MetroPark. lunch hour. The errands I need to MetroPark, the signs suggest work­ ers said. velopment that occurred at Forres- Here, I have the option of dining in “There’s nowhere to walk here, run are within a distance that’s ers feel they belong to the larger But when you want to work out tal and Carnegie centers,” a nice cafeteria, or going out to the where you gonna go? Everywhere convenient,” she said. Ververides said. “It does not have local restaurants,” she said, you want to go to lunch you have to culture of the professionally dedi­ after hours, or run errands at Formerly woods cated. lunch, the surrounding traffic the opportunities and benefits that “whereas in New York it was too drive to — that’s a problem.” Many MetroPark workers said congestion can waste many preci­ Carnegie and Forrestal had.” expensive to eat out and too expen­ Even the worker without a car is Robert Kazimir, a research spe­ they get to work well before 9 a.m. ous minutes. Forrestal and Carnegie are located sive to shop, and too dangerous.” vulnerable to the traffic, especially cialist at Engelhard Corp., remem­ and leave later than 5 p.m., often Workers said they must plan in Plainsboro and West Windsor, The lack of affordable amenities in the winter when early darkness bers that when he began working in because of the traffic, and often be­ their afternoon departures to the both of which offered large open such as restaurants and health and uncleared snow combine to en­ MetroPark 27 years ago, “We had cause the job demands it. “The lat­ minute — or else stay late — be­ tracts of land. clubs within MetroPark, combined danger pedestrians. free access to the roads, the roads er you leave, the longer it takes cause traffic congestion can make Within the region, the future con­ with traffic congestion, insulates Christoph Boeninger, a Siemens were the same width as they are you,” said Cusano. “I’m usually so the few blocks between Wood Ave­ venience of MetroPark as a work­ some workers from important life­ industrial designer who commutes now. They did widen the Middlesex- swamped that I don’t leave anyway. nue and Green Street a half-hour place partly depends on improve­ style considerations. by train from his home in Manhat­ Essex Turnpike a little bit, but basi­ What’s the difference?” trip at 5 p.m. “Leave at 5, home ments to Route 27, several railroad tan, said, “When you want to cross cally all the roads are one lane in Road trip Boeninger, a German who is on 5:30. Leave at 5:15, home 5:30,” ex­ underpasses that are now traffic the street in the evening when it’s each direction. There were all an overseas assignment here, said plained Doreen Hlavenka, an office bottlenecks, and state plans to im­ Cliff Zatz, aproduct marketing man­ dark, it’s really scaiy. Cars don’t woods behind where the MetroPark MetroPark is “More or less anony­ administrator at the Siemens Corp. prove Route 1 between New Bruns­ ager for Siemens, said a road trip to see you.” station is.” mous. There’s not much going on who lives four miles away in the Co- wick and the Union County line, his gym in Highland Park on the If a worker in MetroPark does Now, like other workers in the here, it’s all work.” But the atmos- j lonia section of Woodbridge. Ververides said. way to his home in East Brunswick drive away from the office for lunch office park, he carefully plans any phere has little impact on his life, Workers also described the ano­ Yet for some workers, MetroPark can consume an inconvenient or errands, trips must be carefully lunchtime trips that may take him he said. “I’m here for working. The nymity of MetroPark, the absence represents the height of conven­ amount of time. He said it usually scheduled to the minute. By doing across Route 1 to the Woodbridge ience. Lucille Boyle of Milltown, an takes 45 minutes to get to the Apol­ so, Donna Cusano of Roselle, who Center. Kazimir said he allots time system is working, everything is of parkland and the dangers of working. It’s very quiet. If you walking along roads dominated by executive secretary at Siemens lon Gym on Raritan Avenue after works in the corporate communica­ to wait through the usual four to stayed in Manhattan, it would be fast-moving traffic pouring off the Corp., favorably compared working work, a trip that takes only about 15 tions department at Midlantic five changes of traffic signals that it at MetroPark with working in New more distracting than here,” he Garden State Parkway. minutes in light midday traffic. Corp., said she managed to pick up takes to get from the mall back York. “I think it needs a little park... a a few necessary purchases in three across the highway. said SUNDAY, JANUARY 31,1988 THE HOME NEWS eral u nessC nl >, developers at Raritan Center iu won* Celebrates its 50th year!

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Keeping the quality FEDERAL 4- :'4v of life #1 at the East’s BUSIIIESS finest corporate park CEDTERS

Since 1938, Federal has been serving New Jersey companies on the move. Diversifying wages to the area’s economy each year, with an eventual total over a half billion dollars from moving and storage into commercial warehousing with computerized distribution a year. Today, millions of dollars of ratables help municipal and county governments capabilities, Federal has become one of the nation’s most successful developers of stabilize property tax rates while supporting police, schools and other vital services. office/high-tech facilities. Last year, dozens more major companies made their home in Federal’s facilities at Innovative planning, quality construction and professional management transformed Raritan Center. In 1988, Federal will begin a 22-acre corporate park-within-a-park along 2,350 acres of unproductive land in Edison and Woodbridge into the finest corporate Fernwood Avenue in Edison. As always, we will uphold our stringent development campus in the East. Since Federal started Raritan Center 23 years ago, it has evolved standards, exceeding government requirements in building and environmental amenities. into a prestigious showplace of hundreds of multi-national industries employing more Central New Jersey’s superb quality of life is our #1 concern. Federal is proud of the than 12,000 people. contributions we have made to the well-being of the region, and we pledge to continue In addition to hundreds of construction jobs, Raritan Center is on its way to providing the award-winning tradition of our first half century. 30,000 permanent jobs when it is fully developed. The park now adds $200 million in

A Good Neighbor Beautification Award was bestowed on Federal in 1987 for its new Campus Plaza X building, which houses Bell & Howell, Hospal, Combustion Engineering, Miles Labs and Campus Plaza IX won a Good Neighbor Beautification honorable mention last year. Its tenants other firms. include Kraft Foods, Yoshida Printing, Creative Data Systems and AT&T. u vs«>n'. ^S'v ne>S Edison Twp. Pub. UtsrWJf BE NOT TO TAKEN 340 Pteinfield Ave. FR )M LIBRARY Edison, N. J. 08817 Edison experiences third year of record growth ti i i\cA^h'1 By ERIC J. GREENBERG The mayor said his philosophy has 1990s. State law requires municipal­ News Tribune staff writer helped to keep the municipal tax ities to update their development EDISON — The economic light rate down while allowing the town­ codes every six years. continues to shine brightly in the ship to maintain a high level of ser­ Township planner John Chadwick township after another year of vices. is conducting the master plan record growth. The development boom has led update, which is expected to be com­ In fact, if it were in a hockey township officials to commission a pleted next year. game, Edison would have earned a comprehensive report on the boom’s The report will examine Edison’s hat trick, obtaining record figures in effects over the next decade. future housing, transportation, rec­ ratables three years in a row. The master plan will be designed reation, sewer management and Mayor Anthony Yelencsics, in his to guide Edison throught the early energy needs, among others. 22nd year as chief municipal officer, is delighted by the continued growth. He said the additional income taken in by the township from sale of township land and development of properties “belongs to every tax­ payer.” “ It helps replenish our surplus in the 1987 budget and provide more services for the people,” he said. In 1986, Edison added $175 million in new development to its tax rolls, topping the record-setting numbers from the previous two years. In 1985, the township brought in $145 million in new ratables, making it the second richest jurisdiction — propertywise — in the state. Atlantic Library renovation T N T staff photos City ranks first. area and a second floor circulaion desk are And in 1984, Edison obtained $120 The Edison Public Library on Plainfield Ave­ million, then a record for Middlesex nue has a brand new look. A new children's among improvements made. County. Township Assessor Paul Raffiani line items in the township’s tax ship added two new apartment com­ will be developed and be worth said it is too early in the year to say books, increasing the total to 20,941, plexes in 1986, bringing the total to more. whether Edison has maintained its up from 19,967 a year ago. 86. They added $24,869,300 to the tax He noted that in just one apart­ second place state ranking. Plenty of commercial and indus­ rolls. ment complex, Edison Glen, 312 But he indicated that the boom trial development also added to the “ In equalized value, the township units are expected to “ come on line” should continue into 1987, as builders township’s coffers. assets could be $4 billion plus,” said this year. begin to develop their properties. Forty-eight new commerical prop­ Raffiani. Yelencsics said his policy has been Last year’s boom was led by resi­ erties were added, raising the total Although the township has sold the to sell township lands while real dential development, which from 607 in 1986 to 655 and adding majority of its vacant land, tax estate markets are bullish. accounted for $89,047,600 of the $37,793,600 to the township. Indus­ assessments should increase again “ Why keep them in inventory $175 million in new assessments. trial properties assessed increased this year, when the properties are when they don’t do anyone any New housing, including single­ from 290 in 1986 to 305 in 1987, developed, the assessor said. good?” the mayor asked. “ Investing family homes, townshouses and con- accounting for $35,204,400. “ We haven’t seen the end,” Raf- the money and earning interest is the most productive use of the land.” 10 R N .J. THE NEW YORK TIMES, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1985 A S v A/ -

&C/5/a/£S5 IN NEW JERSEY Building Boom Transforms Edison

Key to Its Growth Is Area’s Network Of Transportation

By ANTHONY DePALMA

HREE weeks ago, the engineers, drafts­ men, clerks and executives of the Hey- ward- Robinson Company could look out |of their windows on the 94th and 95th floors of (the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan jon a clear day and see across the lower har­ bor into Middlesex County. | Now the 220 employees of the large interna­ tional engineering finn are settling into their The New York Times/Sara Krulwicfa new -offices in the county — a leased, three- (story, 66,000-square-foot brick building that as (me of three office structures in a complex E dison Square on R oute 27, a ‘called Edison Square on Route 27 in Edison. with a busy stop at Metropark. This transpo- |The offices look out on a center courtyard and ration web puts New York, Philadelphia and 3-building complex under con­ •water fountain. Atlantic City no more than an hour away, a struction; Plaza I, new office I Heyward-Robinson, which is now known as fact that developers have not missed. H-R International in its new home, is the lat­ “ An office building to some degree can be building at Raritan Center. est of many large companies to relocate to just an office building —sit’s space more than ^Edison, making the ram bling township of anything else,” said Ronald R. Lichtenber- i70,000 residents in central New Jersey one of ger, managing partner of the Weingarten ;the fastest-growing commercial and residen­ Group, developer of Edison Square. “ But any served as an Army arsenal in two World tial real-estate markets in the state. time I can say in one of my brochures that my Over the last decade, thousands of new tenants can be on the Parkway, the Turnpike Since 1965, when it was sold by the Federal ^houses and condominiums have been built in or Route 1 in five minutes, you’re talking Government, Raritan Center has been devel­ Edison on what used to be open fields. The about a heavy-duty location.” oped by the Visceglia family into one of the construction of new offices has been even Officials at H-R International said that largest warehouse and light industrial parks knore dramatic, with millions of square feet while they weighed the cost differences be­ in the northeast. Recently, the center has ising in the area around the Metropark train tween Manhattan and the suburbs when they neering Group, was the availability of a 179- turned to developing commercial office tion, the old Raritan Arsenal and along considered relocating, accessibility was just room Quality Royale Hotel that will be the space. fourth building in the Edison Square com­ Route 27. as important. A partnership between Summit Associates, explosive growth has brought traffic “ A majority of our clients are in New Jer­ plex. Customers, as well as company offi­ owner of half of Raritan Center, and the New jam s and higher prices, Dut it also has engen­ sey, Pennsylvania and Maryland,” said Ed­ cials from the Swiss offices, can J e accom­ Jersey division Of the Vantage Companies, is dered a sense of prosperity that township o ff­ ward J. Lanigan, the company’s controller modated just a few hundred feet across the now developing three office buildings with icials welcome. and vice president. “ Also, 50 percent of our landscaped central plaza from the compa­ more than 700,000 square feet of office space t “ We’re very much for development,” said staff lives right in New Jersey, with an addi­ ny's offices. along with a 279-room, 11-story Holiday Inn. John A. Delasandro, the township adminis­ tional 30 percent in Staten Island, Brooklyn. Mr. Lichtenberger, the developer, said his Geoffrey L. Schubert, executive vice presi­ trator. “ For the past six or seven years we’ve and Queens.” company is also building a 59,000-square-foot dent of the Vantage Companies, said the Dal­ been selling off township land to get it into Mr. Lanigan said the company had looked office structure about two miles north of Edi­ las-based development company considered development, and to this point we’ve beat at other sites in northern, central and west­ son Square. In addition, it is developing six Edison “ a focal point for the entire region,” successful.” ern New Jersey, but had chosen Edison be­ residential projects in Edison with a total of and the best building location in Middlesex s Mr. Delansandro said the township had cause “ the confluence of transportation and 1,300 town houses, condominium flats and County. conducted a land sale just six weeks ago at roads in the area makes it more accessible to single-family detached houses ranging in Construction has just started on Cross­ which eight parcels totaling about 15 acres most of our employees.” price from $65,000 to $175,000. roads at Raritan, a new, highly visible had been sold for $961,000. Ten years ago, he The project itself, he added, offered many project on a 25-acre Raritan Center site im­ jsaid, such a sale would have brought no more amenities that the company felt were neces­ MM A m HEREVER you have offices you mediately adjacent to the New Jersey Turn­ than $100,000. sary. For example, the three-story red-brick need housing,” Mr. lichtenberger pike in Edison. Mr. Schubert said the project | What makes Edison such a desirable place building, designed by the architectural firm V W said. “That way the commercial consisted of 7- and 14-story office towers con­ for developers is its location. In Edison or of Rothe & Johnson Associates, has the neat, project can support the residential com­ nected by a glass atrium and three-story jnearby are the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden stable look preferred by the company. And munity and maintain a reasonable tax base, parking garage. State Parkway, Interstate 287, U.S. Route 1, being able to occupy an entire building, and while you always have enough people to work “ This will be one of the tallest buildings in a serviceable network of county roads and thus maintain control of it, was a decided ad­ in the office buildings.” Middlesex County,” he said. From the ninth the Amtrak northeast corridor main line, vantage. The single largest commercial project in floor and above, tenants on a clear day will Another important amenity for the compa­ Edison is Raritan Center, the 2,500-acre have a full view of the World Trade Center ny, which is a member of the Alusuisse Engi­ mixed-use complex on the Raritan River that towers and the New York skyline. ■ TWP. FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY & VSOfN i v y The Favorable Tax Structure EAvSotU. Planning and Zoning * v ■ The Master Plan ;| | | M .Desk. EDISON TOWNSHIP enjoys the herit­ Labor and management have reached age of a great inventor whose alert maturity here. State, county and par­ mind and artful hands completely chang­ ticularly the local government work ed the lives of men as well as the course hand in hand in the interest of good of industry. It was here, at Menlo Park, labor relations. Never before has there that Thomas Alva Edison started his been a more healthy industrial climate “invention factory.” It was here that he as is to be found in EDISON. sparked the keen minds of science and industry to increase employment oppor­ tunities and to cause the development Planning, Zoning and the and expansion of industry felt ’round the world. Master Plan

Now the Edison Memorial Tower con­ Township officials have been well tinues to cast its beams of light over aware of the need for proper zoning this particular area and proclaims that controls and for long-rapge planning to man and industry prospered here and guarantee the orderly growth of the com­ still does. munity. A complete Master Plan was prepared for Edison with the help of the Fels Institute of Local and State There s a Healthy Industrial Government, University of Pennsylvania, who were retained as consultants to the Climate in EDISON Township Planning Board. Edison, one of the most forward mov­ The Master Plan provides for land ing sections of Middlesex County, is on use, recreation areas, improved transpor­ The Edison Tower at the move — a bustling center of growth tation and traffic plans, for scheduled night. Site of Edison’s and improving developments. Fine home capital improvement projects based on original laboratory at construction, new communities have kept sound financial programming, and for Menlo Park. in step with incoming industry. New, the coordination of all municipal projects modern highways criss-cross the area. with the goals of the overall Plan.

One of the early comers to Edison... Socony Paint Products, a division of Socony-Mobil. Located on 23 acres on Route 27. Additional plant facilities have recently been added. Industry in Edison

The Purpose of the Master Plan

The purpose of a master plan has been to de­ velop an appropriate pattern of land use, to avert community blight by requiring the physical de­ velopment of the community according to legally prescribed standards. This new master plan which was adopted is much more comprehensive and projects the growth of the township for the next twenty years.

As a direct result of the completed Master plan the Municipal Council adopted a new and up- to-date zoning ordinance in July, 1963. Under this ordinance nearly 40% of the Township is zoned for industrial use, and about 35% for re­ sidential use. The remainder is zoned for com­ mercial uses (approximately 3.2%) parks, play­ grounds, public uses, etc. The provisions of the zoning ordinance will insure that the Township will continue its program of balanced economy and will attract additional ratables to be added to an already long list of satisfied industrial users.

Industries, Large and Small 1 hrive in Edison

Edison can be justly proud and thankful that its unprecedented growth has included the estab­ lishment of many large, nationally known in­ dustries within its boundaries. The ideal location and moderate rate of taxation are prime factors in attracting industry with the result that ap­ proximately one-third of Edison’s ratables are presently industrial. The total tax paid by industry to the municipality exceeds 35% of the total monies raised by taxation.

This industrial expansion has been greatly aid­ ed by the availability of highly desirable sites, adequate supply of water, easy access to power £©ISON rwp. FREE '.PUBLIC M A P Industry in Edison supply, modern highways for transportation by truck, plus excellent railroad facilities including sidings to three important railroads. Important, too, is the plentiful supply of labor of all types, both skilled and unskilled. Edison’s proximity to the metropolitan area with its markets and easy access to raw materials has caused a great variety of industry to realize that Edison is an ideal location. The Township Governing Body has continually encouraged in­ dustrial growth through planning and zoning. It has provided efficient fire and police protection. Also because of its receptive attitude to industry’s needs, plus long range planning of the capital improvement program many manufacturers are selecting Edison as a site for their major operation.

New Tax Ratables 1964-65 marked a unique development in the history of Edison Township. The Federal Govern­ ment closed two large military installations, Raritan Arsenal and Camp Kilmer and made avail­ able 2330 acres as new tax ratables. The lands involved provide prime industrial sites. Water, rail and motor transportation are readily avail­ able. Federal Storage Warehouses of Newark, N. J., new owners of the Raritan Arsenal tract, stated that with the community help and proper plan­ ning, they can attract substantial industries to Edison. Also, Edison Township owned 100 acres of industrial zoned land adjacent to the Raritan Arsenal, which has been purchased by the Fed- ders Corporation. This well known air conditioner manufacturer is expanding its operations and is building on this fine new site a $3.7 million facility for the manufacture of not only air conditioners but other home appliances. With the advent of these new ratables conform­ ing to our present rate of growth, it can be estimat­ ed that Edison will have a very favorable ratio of residential and industrial balance. Industry in Edison

COMPARISON OF TAX RATE AND TAX DOLLAR RATE ON $20,000.00 TRUE VALUE HOME

Tax Rate per $100 2 5 % Ratio of Total Tax - Assessed Valuation True Value Garbage Tax RATE ON $16,000.00 TRUE VALUE HOME Excluded 1959 8.64 4,000.00 345.60 1959 8.64 5,000.00 432.00 1960 9.62 4,000.00 384.80 1960 9.62 5,000.00 481.00 1961 9.89 4,000.00 395.60 1961 9.89 5,000.00 494.50 1962 11.07 4,000.00 442.80 1962 11.07 5,000.00 553.50 1963 11.93 4,000.00 447.20 1963 11.93 5,000.00 596.50 1964 9.37 4,000.00 374.80 1964 9.37 5,000.00 468.50 1965 4.65 8,000.00 372.00 1965 4.65 10,000.00 465.00

Many nationally known industries have made Nationally Known their home in Edison, and quite a few of them added to their original plants since their original Industries in Edison construction. A partial listing of existing plants in clu des:

Plant Land Plant Land Name Area Area Product Name Area Area Product Sa. Ft. Acres Sq. Ft. Acres NIXON-BALD WIN FYR-FYTER INC. *25,000 3 Fire fighting CHEMICALS 192,600 103 Plastics, Vinyls equipment RICHMOND FEDDERS, RADIATORS 275,000 11 Plumbing Fixtures CORPORATION 101 Air Conditioners EDISON INDUSTRIAL Home Appliances CENTER 343,250 26 Various Industries GARFIELD FORD MOTOR PHARMACEUTICALS 20,000 10 Seidlitz Powders COMPANY 848,740 77 Falcon-Comet LEE FILTERS 250,000 15 Filter Cores Assembly Plant BOURJOIS, INC. 32,000 10 Perfumes L. A. DREYFUS 275,000 33 Gutta-percha CASCADE POOLS 32,000 10 Swimming Pools SOCONY-PAINT compound ALCOA 260,000 76 Aluminum Die PRODUCTS AND 82,000 33 Paints NATIONAL CAN Castings MOBIL CHEMICAL 20,000 R & D Buildings COMPANY 270,000 15 Metal Cans PUBLIC SERVICE DURA ELECTRIC 24,000 7% Fluorescent Tubes ELECTRICAL PLANT 42.000 34 Electrical Station HOLOPHANE WESTINGHOUSE CORPORATION 54,000 10 Plastic light diffusers ELECTRIC CORP. 569,866 51 Televisions, Radios SHERMAN RADIO CORP. LABORATORIES 20,000 IV2 Pharmaceuticals OF AMERICA Distribution Center APPLIED W. T. GRANT 270,000 25 Distribution Center, ELECTRONICS *10,000 IV2 Electronic Eastern Area Equipment REVLON 400.000 93 Cosmetics BOND BREAD S & H GREEN STAMPS 400,000 23 Distribution Center (Gen. Baking) 27,000 3 Distribution Center (Sperry & Hutchinson) SPECS INDUSTRIES 8,000 2 Analytical AMERICAN CHOLES- Equipment TEROL PRODUCTS 29,000 10 Cosmetic Bases BELL TELEPHONE 46,000 2 Telephone Center SWEET-ORR 43,200 6% Work Clothes INTERNATIONAL AMERICAN CAN PAPER 40,000 20 Cabinets COMPANY 67,200 10 E.D.P. Center. * Located on a 15 acres industrial park being developed.