FALLS TOWNSHIP, PA —A new 1,159,849 square-foot distribution center is slated to open next fall at the Keystone Trade Center, bringing hundreds of jobs to the township, officials announced Friday.

Construction is already underway by NorthPoint Development at the former U.S. Steel site in Fairless Hills.

NorthPoint plans to construct 20 or more state-of-the-art industrial warehouse buildings totaling 10 million square feet, with the potential for 15 million square feet.

The overall development is expected to continue for another five or six years, NorthPoint Development Director of Development Jeremy Michael said.

Officials also announced that a "major transportation company" is the first to sign a lease in the brand-new Class A industrial facility. Officials would not name the tenant Friday.

The distribution center is the latest example of the economic growth in Falls Township and is expected to employ a mix of full and part-time team members.

Falls Township, Bucks County, and State Sen. Steve Santarsiero’s office worked with NorthPoint Development to bring the Keystone Trade Center industrial park to fruition.

At completion, the $1.5 billion investment into the 1,800 acres at Keystone could bring as many as 14,000 jobs to Bucks County, officials believe.

Falls Township and Bucks County began working with NorthPoint Development in the fall 2020 on various aspects of the multi-phase industrial park.

“I am pleased to see continued progress on this parcel of land which sat almost completely vacant for far too long,” Falls Township Supervisors Chairman Jeff Dence said. “Falls Township - with NorthPoint’s vision - is bringing new life to this once-thriving economic hub.”

Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie, a former township supervisor, echoed that sentiment.

“The development being done by NorthPoint at the Keystone Trade Center has the potential to be an economic boom for Bucks County the way the US Steel Fairless Works was in the last century,” Harvie said. “The county is proud to be working closely with NorthPoint to turn their vision into reality because we know the benefit it will bring to our residents.”

NorthPoint was ranked as the nation's top industrial developer for the past five years by Real Capital Analytics, according to a 2021 ranking.

“This project will be transformative not just for Lower Bucks, but for our entire region,” said Santarsiero. “The project, which includes cleaning up the existing brownfields, is expected to bring nearly 14,000 jobs to Fairless Hills. I was pleased to amend the state code to make this project viable for Bucks County and look forward to continued progress at the site.” "Our investment into the former US Steel site works to redevelop the former site for long-term sustainability by putting the site back into production, regenerating taxes into the community, and further strengthening the economy through job creation,” said Brent Miles, Northpoint's chief marketing officer.

NorthPoint Development worked with its capital partner, Northwestern Mutual and Colliers International to bring this parcel management company to Falls Township.

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