_{( From Left to Right) Lauren Moore, President of ACEA; Assemblyman Don Guardian; Assemblywoman Claire Swift; Dennis Levinson, Atlantic County Executive; State Senator Vince Polistina; Kathleen Coviello, Chief Economic Transformation Officer, NJEDA; Eric Neiderman, Director of William J. Hughes Technical Center for Advanced Aerospace; Tim Edmunds, Executive Director of ACIA; Howard Kyle, President/CEO of NARTP.}

Aerospace research building beam-signing ceremony marks milestone in regional aviation

The National Aerospace Research & Technology Park (NARTP), a key project in South Jersey’s drive to be recognized as an aviation research hub, celebrated a milestone Friday with the beam signing of Building #2.

The ceremony, held at NARTP, marked the placement of the final beam on the 40,000-square-foot facility, which will expand the park’s capacity to support aviation research, innovation, and workforce development. The building is scheduled to open in January 2026. Guests, partners, and officials gathered to sign the ceremonial beam before it was hoisted into place, symbolizing the continued momentum of Atlantic County’s innovation economy. 

“This moment represents more than steel and structure—it represents progress, partnership, and the vision of creating a world-class ecosystem for aerospace innovation right here in South Jersey,” said Howard Kyle, president/CEO of NARTP. “Building #2 will provide critical space for startups, research institutions, and global leaders in aerospace to collaborate, innovate, and grow.”

The undertaking had the support of partners Atlantic County, the Atlantic County Improvement Authority, the Atlantic County Economic Alliance, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, and the U.S. Economic Development Administration. 

Building #2 was made possible in part by an $8.6 million investment through New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s Strategic Innovation Center Program. Once completed, it will offer space for companies and organizations aligned with aerospace research and development, boosting South Jersey’s role as an aviation research hub.

Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson praised the collective effort behind the project: “We are changing the academic curriculums in the region. We will have an educated workforce. We have to teach to the need.”

The National Aerospace Research & Technology Park is an aviation and aerospace innovation hub in Egg Harbor Township. As a nonprofit, NARTP is dedicated to fostering research, collaboration, and commercialization in the aerospace sector. Its mission is to accelerate innovation, attract high-tech companies, and create high-paying jobs in Atlantic County. The park is located near the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center and the Atlantic City International Airport.

The park opened its first building in June 2019 and completed occupation in January 2020. The second building broke ground on Oct. 11, 2023.