Firm Hired To Attract Fortune 500 Companies To Horsham

HORSHAM TOWNSHIP, PA —The township's office parks are hurting.

The occupancy rate in the township’s office parks was at 90 percent before the pandemic. It now stands at 60 percent, Township Manager Bill Walker said at last week's Horsham Township Council meeting.

The pandemic forced employees to work from home, meaning that many township office parks were abandoned, thus reducing the township’s earned income tax from 60 percent of the general fund to 50 percent.

It also prompted the highest tax hike for township residents since 1989.

So the township is taking measures to try and fill those office parks again.

The council unanimously approved a consulting contract with The Boyd Company of Princeton, N.J., for national site selector services.

The firm will assist in attracting large national businesses to the township.

MIRIA funds are paying the $57,500 cost, Walker said.

Walker said the township has tried to attract companies by placing advertisements in national trade magazines to no avail.

"We have to hit a home run in the next few years and draw one or two big companies with 800 to 1,000 employees in the next five years," Walker said.

That's why Walker said the township is going with a national firm instead of a local or regional real estate broker.

"They have the inside scoop with Major Fortune 500 companies," he said.

Walker said three firms were interviewed, with one in South Carolina and another in Princeton. He said The Boyd Company has offices in Princeton, and Boca Raton, Fla.

"They were the best of the three," he said. "They were very impressive. We are very excited to get them on board as soon as we can. They are well-connected and they are what we need right now."