MILFORD – After years of planning, Milford and state officials formally broke ground on the new Milford Corporate Center, setting their eyes on bringing more than 1,300 jobs to Kent County.
Governor Matt Meyer, Lt. Gov. Kyle Evans Gay and community leaders gathered to sling hay and dirt while breaking ground on the new project that has been years in the making.
When complete, the 182-acre site will hold 27 lots and an exciting amount of potential just off of Canterbury Road and Milford-Harrington Highway, according to Milford Mayor Todd Culotta.
“When we start with something here that creates jobs, that contributes to Milford’s economy and what that does is creates a better quality of life, better medical services… it sets off a whole variety of things that’s good for our community,” Culotta said during a groundbreaking event Tuesday morning. “This is a big day in Milford and I’m really excited to be a part of it.”
Outgoing City Manager Mark Whitfield added to the excitement, stating that the project has evolved over the years into the possibility of the job creation hub it now can become. The previous zoning designation for the former Fry farm between Canterbury Road and Milford Harrington Highway was Garden Apartment and Townhouse District (R-3). That would have permitted more than 1,000 housing units.
“The Frys were not enamored with having a thousand housing units on this piece of land. What they were excited about is the fact that Milford is going to put something in that would create jobs in the future,” Whitfield told the crowd.
The city purchased the former wheat farm from the Fry family back in 2021 for $6.38 million; all told, the project is estimated to cost just under $18 million, but officials didn’t have to go at it alone. Milford received $1.1 million through Site Readiness Funds and another $5.05 million through the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Fund to make it all happen.
With help in hand and many hours of hard work behind the scenes by key individuals on the project such as Milford Planning Director Rob Pierce, the groundbreaking puts the city one step closer to realizing its economic development goals while keeping aesthetics and other concerns top of mind. The property, along with its dozens of lots for new businesses, will also feature a walking path, tree lines and other features, according to Whitfield.
He said the park is just one goal that Milford has spent many years envisioning.
“Back in 2017, the city embarked on putting together a strategic plan. It was the Vision 2023 Plan. Keep in mind, we’re in 2025 now. But part of that plan, one of the things identified in that plan was to identify opportunities for growth and development of new business in Milford by promoting advantages and opportunities in Milford and leveraging state assistance,” he said. “The number one strategy under that goal, again this was in 2015, was to create a new industrial park.”
Meyer applauded the efforts of the local leaders on the project, adding that the project was well crafted right down to the date chosen for their special event.
“March 4 is the perfect day for a groundbreaking because after that history that Mark describes, years to get to this date, so many of you working so hard to get to this groundbreaking, today we march forth,” he said.
“Today we March forth to a future for Milford that is very different than its past,” the governor added. “When I was growing up, Milford was a small town on the map. He said 1,300 jobs and I was quickly trying to scroll through my phone trying to see when I was a kid if there were 1,300 people that lived in Milford. Milford today and tomorrow is very different from the Milford of yesterday.”
He said the potential of the Milford Corporate Center includes nearly 2 million square feet of possibilities for the nearby area.
