Rockland County is poised to thrive

Real Estate Weekly, Dec 10, 1997 by Leonard T. Miller

In the most significant real estate transaction in the county this year, Mercedes Benz of North America announced its plans to construct a new, $50 million United States corporate headquarters on a 90-plus acre site on Veterans Memorial Drive in Pearl River. The property can also accommodate another 800,000 square feet of office development. Cushman & Wakefield, Inc., in connection with its East Rutherford, NJ office, completed the site search for the German auto-maker.

Rockland County offers ample opportunities for other major corporate users to develop facilities as well. For example, a 40-acre site across the street from the Mercedes property is on the market, and a large tract at Rockland Psychiatric Center, owned by the New York State Office of Mental Health, may soon come available in Pearl River, NY.

Another excellent example of progress in the office market is the 1.2 million square-foot Blue Hill Plaza in Pearl River. For the first time since its construction, the property is financially viable and 92 percent occupied. During the past year, nearly all of the county's largest office transactions took place at Blue Hill Plaza, including leases by Continental Cable, Fujitsu Network Communications and Nyack Hospital.

On the industrial side, Cuisenaire Company of America recently leased 300,000 square feet of warehouse space at the former Volkswagen facility on Route 303 in Orangeburg.

Cushman & Wakefield is also handling the marketing of three buildings for Materials Research Corporation, a division of SONY Corporation, in Orangeburg and Congers. They include both high-tech manufacturing and office properties. All have seen a strong level of interest from users looking for space in the region.

Part of Rockland County's appeal is its convenient location to tap labor pools in New Jersey and Westchester County. The region also has excellent affordable housing, a high quality lifestyle and excellent school systems. Rockland County has always had quality-of-life and cost-of-living advantages that continue to make this an attractive market.