NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa., Aug. 29, 2024 —As a Newtown Square business with 30 years of history in sustainability and being a good community neighbor, the leading homeopathic medicine company Boiron USA proposed a new logistics center off Alice Grim Boulevard at the Newtown Township Planning Commission on Aug. 22. That evening, a local news segment aired with errors, which the media corrected by the end of the weekend. The television segment and accompanying digital news article have sparked questions among Newtown Square-area residents. Boiron wants the community to know that their concerns have been acknowledged. Here are some facts to help clarify details about the proposed building:

• Size: The facility has a proposed footprint of 75,368 square feet, a size considered well-below average for a logistic center. It will be roughly half the size of a club retail store, and more comparable to a Whole Foods Market, such as the 51,000-square-foot location in Newtown Square.

The media segment initially misstated the facility’s size as 77,000 square “acres” and inaccurately described it as a “mega warehouse” — a term typically used for facilities ranging from several hundred thousand to more than a million square feet and designed for major regional distribution and storage. However, the proposed logistics center is well below these specifications.

• Traffic: Regarding traffic, the new logistics center will consolidate Boiron’s two local existing warehouses. This would unburden current residential neighborhoods as existing traffic on secondary roads will be rerouted to one main road (West Chester Pike).

• Stormwater: No wetlands or streams on or adjunct to the building site are expected to be affected. As part of the official development process, the township will be reviewing and approving the design of the rainwater management system.

• Zoning: Per existing code, the logistics center is a permitted use as part of a “lifestyle village” when authorized as a “conditional use.” A conditional use is a form of permitted use meeting certain requirements. Other uses, such as retail stores, restaurants, movie theaters, and more, are permitted on the remaining 50 acres of the nearly 56-acre tract.

A 50-foot-wide riparian environmental buffer was suggested rather than the proposed  40-foot buffer. Boiron is currently redesigning the facility to meet this request.

• Long-term Use: Comments on social media have expressed concerns about the possibility of the logistics center, designed to look like an office building, being abandoned in the future. Boiron USA, which established its presence in Newtown Square 30 years ago, is a stable business. As the U.S. subsidiary of a 92-year-old French company, it has been operating in Delaware County since 1983.

• Location: One of several factors Boiron considered for the proposed logistic center’s location was the commuting convenience of its current employees, many of whom have an impressively long employment history with the company. Of the 101 employees currently at the Newtown Square office, approximately 14 workspaces may be relocated to the proposed new facility. Other staff members will need to routinely visit the new facility. Approximately 15 more jobs will be created for the logistics center.

• Delaware County Veterans Memorial: Set-back approximately 800 feet from West Chester Pike, the logistics center is expected to have no impact on the view, traffic, or parking associated with the memorial that sits directly off that main road. Most of the logistics center will not be seen from West Chester Pike. Of note, the owner of the logistics center’s land lease is the same family that donated four-acres of prime developable land for the memorial. The Delaware County Veterans Memorial Association was fully aware of future developments when it accepted the donation of a 99-year land lease. The family has a strong interest in preserving the reverence of the memorial, with plans underway to establish a meeting hall dedicated to veterans in the near future.

Boiron’s Community and Global Activities

Recognized as one of Newtown Township’s top “Green Business Leaders” for its efforts in sustainability, industry leadership, and raising awareness, Boiron employs 101 people locally who support other community businesses such as independent shops and restaurants. Approximately 15 more jobs will be created for the logistics center. The company has planted 50 trees on Route 252 to reduce stormwater runoff; installed a community walking path around its campus; and has a robust recycling program. Boiron is deeply committed to environmental stewardship on a global scale with its French headquarters employing many initiatives to preserve water resources, reduce energy consumption, recycle, and harvest responsibly.

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About Boiron: Since 1932, Boiron has been sharing its passion for homeopathy with a holistic and ecological approach to medicine. Its vision of health care puts people at its center and seeks to improve the quality of their everyday lives. With a long history of unmatched quality and innovation, Boiron remains dedicated to producing the purest of medicines that respect human health and the environment.