A Conversation With: Kerry Wrobel, president and CEO of Lehigh Valley Industrial Park Inc.

Kerry A. Wrobel is the president and chief executive officer of Lehigh Valley Industrial Park Inc.  He has served in this capacity for 19 years.  Wrobel is responsible for LVIP’s seven industrial parks and his work includes the development of Lehigh Valley Industrial Park VII at the Bethlehem Commerce Center, the former site of Bethlehem Steel.

LVIP VII is a 1,000-acre industrial park that has created 4,000 jobs and $500 million in private investment in the city of Bethlehem.

Lehigh Valley Industrial Park, Inc., is a private, non-profit economic development corporation with seven industrial parks in Lehigh and Northampton Counties.  LVIP’s seven parks have diversified the regional economy with nearly 500 businesses, created 24,000 jobs, and attracted more than $1 billion in new investment.  LVIP has operated continuously since 1959.

LVB: How are the Lehigh Valley Industrial Parks as far as capacity? Do you have room to grow?

Wrobel: LVIP has sold every parcel in its first six industrial parks.  LVIP has approximately 85 acres remaining in its 1,000-acre LVIP VII in Bethlehem.  Occupancy rates of buildings throughout LVIP’s system remain at near full capacity.  Future growth will require the acquisition of additional land at other locations in the Lehigh Valley.

LVB: I hear a lot of buzz about demand for distribution centers, cold storage and sites that can support ecommerce. Where is the demand coming from for space in LVIP?

Wrobel: Our last large tract of land in LVIP VII was acquired by Trammell Crow in 2019.  This 50-acre parcel situated at the Bethlehem/Hellertown interchange of I-78 is now seeing the development of two industrial buildings totaling 500,000 square feet.  Both buildings are being marketed as logistics and ecommerce centers. TwinMed is operating in Trammell’s first building, a 190,000-square-foot industrial facility. TwinMed is playing a key role in the regional distribution of PPE.

While we continue to receive calls for warehouse and ecommerce development, LVIP lacks the large land parcels in LVIP VII needed to accommodate these end users.  Consequently, our most recent demand has been focused on manufacturing and office users locating on smaller parcels, which has been LVIP’s focus for 60 years.

LVB: How important is the Lehigh Valley’s transportation and logistics to the success of your parks?

Wrobel: LVIP’s success was built on its proximity to the Lehigh Valley’s key highways – Route 22 and I-78.  LVIP’s first six parks were built immediately adjacent to Route 22 and LVIP VII’s southern border is at the intersection of I-78 and S.R. 412.  This major infrastructure has provided LVIP’s businesses ease of access to key roads for their transportation needs.  And our tenants’ employees can travel to work without significantly impacting local neighborhoods as well.

LVB: What do you see next for LVIP?

Wrobel: LVIP is starting development of its commercial properties in LVIP VII, along the 412 corridor in south Bethlehem.  We’ll continue to look for opportunities in the future for new land development in the Lehigh Valley.