Shovels in the ground by September.
For some months, that had been the talk about an international pharmaceutical company’s plans to build a multimillion-dollar distribution center on the grounds of a former Red Lion Road golf course.
On Tuesday, Sept. 27, the digging started when Teva North America broke ground at what was once the Island Green Golf Course and, further in its past, a Budd Co. plant that manufactured railroad cars. Mayor Michael Nutter, City Councilman Brian O’Neill (R-10th dist.), U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-13th dist.), state Sen. Michael Stack (D-5th dist.) and others joined Teva’s North American CEO, William Marth, for the ceremony.
The new distribution facility will be great for Teva and great for the city, Marth said.
Certainly great for the city, the mayor said, calling the Teva project the biggest economic development of his administration.
ldquo;I could not be more excited,” Nutter said. “I love Teva.”
Plans to erect the giant warehouse at the Somerton site were announced last fall, but the Israeli-based generic-drug manufacturer didn’t buy the property until mid-August. The company paid $40 million for the land.
In October 2010, city and state officials said the company would spend $300 million to build and equip its 1.1 million-square-foot North American distribution center. The project is expected to bring up to 600 construction jobs to the city as well as 400 permanent positions when the Teva facility opens in mid-2013. ••
