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Aberdeen
expansion beginning
to have an impact on county
Having
so far gotten three times the response originally anticipated,
county government won't slacken efforts to attract civilians
being transferred from Monmouth, N.J., to Aberdeen Proving
Ground.
Karl
Kalbacher, director of economic redevelopment, said only about a
fourth of potential transferees have relocated as the Army
ordnance facility undergoes phased expansion. He recently told
County Council that 2,271 men and women had accepted transfers
and that an additional 1,800 or so will be accommodated by the
next building to come on line. Of those who have moved, 163, or
6.7% have taken up residence in New Castle County. That, he
said, is well in excess of the 2% initial estimate. Nearly 95%
of those who said they now have Delaware addresses are in either
the Newark, Bear or Glasgow postal zip code areas. Kalbacher
said present residents will likely benefit from the necessity to
fill jobs left vacant by those who reject transfer.
The key
to keeping the county attractive to Aberdeen workers is
enhancing the commute. Kalbacher said Maryland Transit Authority
has given priority to establishing a maintenance and layover
yard in Harford or adjacent Cecil County. That, he said, makes
extension of the northern terminus of the rail system from
Perryville to Newark more likely. Financing is in place for
studies that could pave the way for such expansion as well as
freight service, making Delaware locations that much more
attractive to new and relocated businesses that serve Aberdeen.
While it is difficult to estimate the likely dollar impact on
the local economy, he said results so far indicate that proving
grounds expansion translates into more "people spending money in
New Castle County." |