German Grocer Lidl Purchases Falls Twp. Land For $144.6 Million

The German grocer Lidl has purchased acreage in Falls Township for a hefty price tag to build a large distribution facility to serve stores in the region.

The Philadelphia Business Journal on Friday broke the news that Lidl purchased 69 acres at the new Keystone Trade Center in the township for $144.6 million. The land was owned by NorthPoint Development, the Missouri-based company behind the $1.5 billion warehouse complex at the former U.S. Steel property.

Spokespeople for Northpoint Development and Lidl weren’t reached on Friday, but a commercial real estate source confirmed the report and noted the price tag was among the largest in property sales ever in Bucks County.

Lidl is the first confirmed company for the site, which has easy access to airports, highways, rail, and an international port.

In July 2020, LevittownNow.com broke the news the 1,800-acre U.S. Steel site was being sold to NorthPoint Development. The site was sold for $160 million, and U.S. Steel continues to operate a small finishing facility on the land.

NorthPoint Development officials have said the project has the potential to add 5,000 to 10,000 jobs and 15 million square feet of new warehouse space with a total investment of $1.5 billion over the coming years. The company said they want to develop the “largest e-commerce, logistics, and multi-model industrial project on the East Coast” with room for as many as 20 new buildings.

All three taxing bodies for the property – the Bucks County Commissioners, Falls Township, and the Pennsbury School District – agreed in 2020 to allow the site to become a Keystone Opportunity Investment Zone from January 1, 2020 and ending on December 31, 2035. The designation will give the developer tax breaks to encourage growth.

The Lidl sale comes after the company has previously told officials and the public they expect to own and operate the site for years. They intend to lease the warehouses to companies. It is unknown if NorthPoint Development plans to sell additional parts of the property.

Several large warehouse buildings are already under construction at the site. Each warehouse will be leased, but no tenants have been announced. However, the NorthPoint Development has said a “major transportation company” is booked for a 1,159,849 square-foot distribution center that is under construction.

Lidl has more than 12,000 locations in 32 nations. They are in the midst of an expansion in American and plan to build a store along New Falls Road in Bristol Township’s Levittown section.

Previous reporting on the project:

• First Tenant Signs For Massive Keystone Trade Center
• ‘Transformative’ Keystone Trade Center Project Holds Ceremonial Groundbreaking
• NorthPoint Development Expanding Warehouse Plan At Keystone Trade Center
• Second Phase Of Keystone Trade Center Moves Forward
• Three 1 Million-Square-Foot Buildings Proposed For Keystone Trade Center
• Keystone Trade Center Site Gets Subdivision Approval
• Municipal Authority Closes On Keystone Trade Center Property
• Construction To Get Underway By July On Massive Keystone Trade Center
• 1 Million-Square-Foot Warehouse For Keystone Trade Center Approved
• First Warehouse Proposed For Keystone Trade Center Project To Come Before Public
• Keystone Trade Center Project Allows Water Authority To Build New Treatment Plant
• Large U.S. Steel Site In Falls Twp. Sold For $160 Million
• County Commissioners Approve Tax Break For Massive Keystone Trade Center Plan
• Tax Breaks Could Help Development At Proposed Keystone Trade Center
• Keystone Trade Center Project Moves Forward
• Ground On Billion-Dollar Keystone Trade Center Could Be Broken By Spring
• Falls Twp. Holding Special Meeting On Proposed U.S. Steel Site Redevelopment
• Plans For U.S. Steel Site Show New Billion-Dollar Development, Potential For Thousands Of Jobs
• EXCLUSIVE: Large U.S. Steel Site To Be Sold To Developer
• U.S. Steel Seeking To Sell Fairless Works Site

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