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Lumber treatment facility planned for Harrington Industrial Park

October 25, 2024 |By Jennifer Antonik

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HARRINGTON — A lumber treatment facility and a new warehouse has been proposed for Harrington, jumpstarting the town’s long-awaited industrial park project between the U.S. Route 13 and Delaware Route 14. Site plans filed with Harrington officials propose demolishing the existing 4,800 square foot garage and 19,200 square foot warehouse at 6723 Milford-Harrington Highway to make way for a proposed 28,000 square-foot manufacturing facility for lumber treatment as well as a 9,936 square-foot storage warehouse. The proposal signals movement on the highly-anticipated Harrington Industrial Park, which the Delaware Business Times first reported on in 2021. The industrial park has long been a dream for Harrington officials to breathe new life into the city that includes several lines of rail from the Delmarva Central Railroad. The vision of the Harrington Industrial Park includes 131 acres, with ownership currently split between the city, James Latham of J.P. Latham Inc., and O.A. Newton Company President and CEO Rob Rider Jr. The planned lumber treatment plant will be on Lantham’s property. When contacted by the Delaware Business Times, Lantham said he was excited to start work on the project alongside the city of Harrington and other entities as the collaborative group starts work on the industrial park. He declined to comment further, instead pointing that Harrington officials could answer more questions. Harrington Assistant City Manager Amanda Marlow told DBT that Latham owns several properties around the proposed industrial park, including the lumber distribution company. Rider owns Matrix Powder Coating and other warehouses. Roads will be added to some of Rider’s property so the city can have access to city- owned parcels at the industrial park, as well as other infrastructure improvements. “This will be a really big deal for Harrington. This will be our first industrial park. Mr. Rider and Mr. Latham have really been wanting this for a long time and we hope to continue it on to other parcels if possible,” Marlow told DBT. Of the park's 131 acres, the city owns 36 currently undeveloped acres. To make it work before the city starts selling properties to interested businesses, the acreage will be subdivided into 11 parcels, allowing for a variety of businesses to operate within city limits. A traffic impact study will also be conducted by DelDOT to ensure proper steps are taken to manage the new influx of traffic, although Marlow said the city is already aware it will have to widen Clukey Road where it connects to Route 13. Although there are no official prospects for the properties as of yet, she said the leaders at the Kent Economic Partnership (KEP) have some interested parties. Meanwhile, the city has successfully applied for a $3.4 million grant through congressionally directed spending and another million from the tax-payer backed Delaware Site Readiness Fund from the Council on Development Finance. Leaders also obligated some water and sewer impact fees to the project to ensure funding. “The total project with infrastructure is about $5.2 million. Once we get the funds from the grants, we can start installing the infrastructure,” Marlow said. Infrastructure improvements will also include access to the nearby railroad which Harrington once touted as a major reason it was known as the “hub of Delaware.” According to studies completed by the Dover/Kent Metropolitan Planning Organization, once fully developed, the industrial park could employ between 500 and 750 people. The Harrington Industrial Park also builds on the success seen from the Kent Economic Partnership in attracting and retaining warehousing, manufacturing and distribution companies. Two studies from Rockport Analytics have confirmed warehousing and distribution as key market sectors that could be pursued to the benefit of both Harrington and Kent County. In a letter of support for Harrington’s application for congressional funds, KEP Executive Director Linda Parkowski wrote that the planned industrial park is an asset to central Delaware and the state as a whole.” “The park and rail facility has the potential to create jobs that will revitalize economic opportunities for the region and provide transportation services for industries that are crucial to Central Delaware’s economic health such as agriculture, manufacturing, and logistics,” the letter reads.