BREAKING: Ground has officially been broken on the transformative Gateway Commerce Center, a monumental 5 million-square-foot industrial hub in New Morgan, Pennsylvania. The project is set to reshape the logistics and manufacturing landscape in the region, with construction of two major warehouses—one spanning 925,000 square feet and the other 292,000 square feet—kicking off immediately.
This ambitious endeavor, led by Panattoni Development Co. from Newport Beach, California, is being constructed by Brinkmann Constructors of St. Louis, Missouri, with an expected completion date in the fourth quarter of 2026. “Breaking ground on Gateway Commerce Center is an exciting moment for Panattoni and for the region,” stated Ian McDonald, partner at Panattoni. “This site offers unmatched potential for logistics and manufacturing users, and we’re proud to see work begin on what will become one of Pennsylvania’s most dynamic industrial campuses.”
To attract tenants, the new buildings will be jointly marketed by real estate advisory firm KBC Advisors from Seattle and investment management firm Colliers from Toronto. “This project demonstrates Panattoni’s ability to execute on high-quality industrial developments even amid challenging market conditions,” highlighted Michael Golarz, executive vice president of Colliers. He emphasized the unique opportunity provided by the site’s favorable zoning and lack of height restrictions, making it an attractive prospect for businesses seeking strategic logistics facilities.
The Gateway Commerce Center boasts critical advantages, including direct access to Interstate 76 and Interstate 176, a 10-year LERTA tax incentive, and abundant public utilities. “Gateway Commerce Center is a rare development that scales from specialized tenant requirements to over 1 million square feet users, all without sacrificing access to labor, interstates, or parcel networks,” remarked Michael Zerbe, partner at KBC Advisors. “The heavy infrastructure in place from day one is what transforms opportunity into speed.”
Officials have indicated that the site is divided into 12 lots, allowing flexibility in the number of buildings based on end-user requirements. The initial phase of the project is projected to generate 450 jobs, with the entire industrial park expected to create up to 2,750 jobs in the long run.
Panattoni is recognized as one of the largest privately held, full-service development companies globally, having developed over 625 million square feet of space since its inception in 1986. The small borough of New Morgan, with a population of just 54 residents according to the 2020 U.S. Census, is taking a significant step towards economic revitalization through this project.
As construction progresses, the Gateway Commerce Center is poised to become a key player in Pennsylvania’s industrial sector, attracting businesses and providing essential job opportunities for the local community. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story as it unfolds.
