FreezPak Logistics and Elizabeth and Newark officials announced today a project that will see the construction of a 140,000 square foot, state-of-the-art freezer warehouse facility. The project is located at the corner of Newark Avenue and Virginia Street on the border of Elizabeth and Newark. Elberon and Fidelco are co-developers in the project.

“This development is another that validates the growing presence and success of cold storage facilities,” said Dave Gibbons, President of Elberon Development Group. “We believe this project will help re-vitalize an area that has been stagnant for many years, and perhaps serve as a catalyst for further redevelopment.”

This state-of-the-art facility will be FreezPak’s fifth New Jersey location and will provide a broad range of services, including storage and retrieval, repacking, transportation, and overseas container plug-in, as well as on-site USDA, FDA, and Food Safety and Inspection Service inspections.

“This (project) is an expansion of the warehouse industry in our city outside the comfort zone of the port in an area that would have otherwise been hard to develop.” said Elizabeth Mayor Chris Bollwage. “We worked with the developers on this project for two years and it may never have come to fruition if not for their steadfast work and commitment to our city.”

“Newark’s strategic position as a transportation hub combined with our available land for commercial development has made us a center for state-of- the-art warehousing and the jobs it creates,” said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. “Once again, Fidelco has recognized the opportunity for economic growth that Newark offers and has acted to help us collectively move Newark forward.”

 “Fidelco and FreezPak have made a wise choice for themselves while also strengthening an area where Newark is seeking to accelerate development,” said Newark’s Deputy Mayor and Director of Economic and Housing Development Allison Ladd.

The new structure will deliver 10.5 million cubic feet of space, 18 docks and 30,000 pallet positions. Prior to the start of this project, the property had been abandoned since dye and pigment manufacturer Magruder Color moved out of Newark in 2006. The new building is expected to be completed in the fall of 2021.

“This exciting new facility will serve as an anchor development project for the area,” said Marc E. Berson, Chairman of Fidelco Realty Group. “FreezPak is a great New Jersey-based company committed to growth and job creation throughout the region. We are proud to have the opportunity to work with them and usher in a new era for this important area of Elizabeth and Newark.”

“FreezPak Logistics looks forward to continuing our work with the great people in Elizabeth and Newark,” CO-CEO David Saoud of FreezPak said. “We will create 50 new jobs to service our clients throughout the area and provide customized distribution with 30,000 new pallet positions, expanding our import capabilities in the Northeast.” 

CO-CEO Michael Saoud of FreezPak said, “The Elizabeth facility will be our 5th location in New Jersey and we are already designing a sixth site for 2022 to further meet the growing needs of the food industry in the state.”

About FreezPak

Saoud Enterprises, owners and operators of FreezPak Logistics, has been a part of the food industry since 1961. Headquartered in Carteret, NJ, they are one of the leading full-service cold and dry storage providers in the United States. FreezPak Logistics operates four state of the art facilities, with the Elizabeth location being the fifth location. With 18 million cubic feet and 85,000 pallet positions, FreezPak Logistics’ locations are only minutes away from major interstate thoroughfares and the largest port on the Eastern Seaboard.

About Elberon Development Group

Founded by David O. Evans in 1920, Elberon Development Group is a third-generation family run business specializing in the development, construction, management and ownership of commercial real estate. The firm maintains a local geographic focus in Northern New Jersey -- the same area where the business began. Today the firm manages a portfolio of more than two and a half million square feet of space, much of which is located in Elizabeth, NJ.

About Fidelco Realty Group

The Fidelco Realty Group is an owner-developer of residential, commercial and industrial properties in the tri-state markets. An active investor in new construction, Fidelco has also focused on rehabilitating and repositioning existing properties in urban areas throughout the country. Fidelco renovated the 400,000 square foot 1 Washington Park office building in Newark and worked hand-in-hand with Rutgers University to build a world-class business school, housed within the building. Fidelco has also redeveloped the RockPlaza Lofts in Newark, the 494 Broad Street office complex and parking garage, and oversaw the conversion of the former Presbyterian church at James Street in Newark to serve as the new headquarters of Audible.com.