(April, 2008) Wilkes-Barre, PA — One of the fastest growing business parks in Pennsylvania will soon be home to three new buildings. 

Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services has announced the start of construction of three speculative flex buildings in CenterPoint Commerce and Trade Park East.  The buildings have been designed to accommodate manufacturing, warehousing and office tenants.

The buildings have been sized at 198,400, 92,400 and 44,800 square feet.  Site work has been substantially completed on the three parcels and steel will be delivered starting in May. The facilities will be ready for tenants beginning this September.

The buildings can be subdivided to accommodate smaller tenants and will be served by all modern utility systems.  Each will have 30’ ceilings, numerous loading doors, energy efficient T-5 lighting and ample on-site parking.

Property taxes on all buildings in CenterPoint are abated 100% for 10 years via the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance program. Luzerne County, the Pittston Area School Board and Jenkins and Pittston Townships agreed to the LERTA program to help attract new employers to the park.

Governor Ed Rendell and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development provided financial assistance to help Mericle build roads and utility systems throughout the park.

Mericle began construction on three other speculative buildings in the park in 2007.  The first, a 254,200 square foot industrial building was finished last December and has 118,209 square feet still available for lease. The second, an 84,121 square foot flex building located near the park entrance and the third, a 217,000 square foot industrial building, are substantially completed and will be ready for tenants this spring.

By this fall, the three year-old park will be home to 13 buildings totaling more than 3.9 million square feet. Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services, headquartered in Plains Township, is believed to be the largest privately-owned developer of industrial real estate along the I-81 corridor.  Founded in 1986, the company owns and manages close to 11 million square feet of industrial and office space in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties and has more than 120 tenants in its portfolio.  Some of Mericle’s tenants in CenterPoint include J.P. Boden, The Men’s Wearhouse, FedEx Ground and Entennman’s.

For more information on these and other opportunities, please call Mericle’s Development Division at 800-MERICLE (637-4253).

Created in 1986, Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services is Northeastern Pennsylvania’s largest full-service commercial real estate company. Focused on quick turnarounds and responsive service, Mericle’s divisions include Development, Brokerage, and Construction.