When Gov. Phil Murphy and the state pledged more than $250 million to fully renovate and revise the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden nearly four years ago, it was intended to provide a much-needed 21st-century hub to anchor the city.

Camden is taking that aim to another level.

When the latest plans for the Rand Center development are unveiled later Tuesday morning by the Camden County Improvement Authority, Camden County Commissioners, Camden City and NJ Transit, they will include the Beacon Building, a 25-story, 500,000 square-foot office tower to be built adjacent to the transportation hub, ROI-NJ has learned.

Gilbane will serve as the master developer of the building, which will be the tallest in South Jersey – and almost assuredly be eligible for state incentives.

Camden officials said the Beacon Building is intended to serve public and private entities that not only will fuel the city’s growing Eds and Meds corridor (think Cooper University Health Care among others) but also provide space for government agencies (a petition will be made to the state of New Jersey’s Administrative Office of the Courts to relocate the civil courts of the vicinage into the building amongst other possibilities moving forward.)

The building will come with parking and a public square – as well as some retail (think restaurants and coffee shops) and other amenities (think fitness center) that will make it a Class-A building that will help attract workers back to the office.

More than anything, Camden officials feel the Beacon Building will be fitting of its name, as it will serve as a symbolic signal of the city’s rebirth.

Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said the impact of the project on the city and the country cannot be overstated.

“Camden has made outstanding progress over the last 10 years in all facets of life throughout the city, and the construction of the Beacon Building would be a generational investment for the future of the city and its residents,” he said. “This new vision of our public space within a busy corridor of the city would represent an unprecedented expansion of economic development in the area and would be an asset for the city for the next 100 years.”

According to the current renderings the building will have five 27,000 square-foot floors and twenty 18,000 square-foot floors for more than 500,000 square feet of office space.

Capelli said bringing that much Class-A space onto the market is a great thing for the city — and the region.

“From coast to coast, there is an issue with finding good, quality office spaces that checks all the boxes for businesses,” he said. “The Beacon Building will serve as a top-of-the-line facility offering everything that business owners and employees could want in a workspace including access to a major transportation hub and a beautiful greenspace adjacent to the building.

“This feature of the project will help further stimulate the local economy and workforce while putting Camden back on the map as a thriving community with a robust business district.”

Commissioner Jeffrey Nash agreed wholeheartedly.

“The Beacon Building will be signal to the region that Camden is not only a city of promise on the rise, but it is also the place to be do business and the center of the Eds and Meds universe for the state of New Jersey,” he said. “This building will be the perfect complement for other anchor institutions in the area and will be a catalyst for continued economic development in the city and county.”

That’s what Mayor Vic Carstarphen is hoping for.

“This is an exciting and transcending development project which has the potential to change the landscape in Camden like no other,” he said. “I am grateful to Gov. Murphy for his commitment to rebuild the Walter Rand Transportation Center and create a 21st-century transit hub.

“This public-private investment, in combination with Cooper University Health Cares $3 billion expansion, will not only transform the gateway into New Jersey but will spark even more new development in the city’s downtown.”

Business leaders already are singing the praises of the project.

Cooper University Health Care Co-CEO, Dr. Anthony Mazzarelli, talked about the proximity of the new office tower to his campus.

“The Beacon Building’s proximity to the Rand Transportation Center and Cooper makes it attractive as we look for additional office space to house Cooper’s growing team of support services,” he said. “The additional parking that will be part of this important project is also attractive to Cooper.”

As is the update to the new Walter Rand Transportation Center.

The current design by NJ Transit is to expand a transportation center that was originally constructed in 1989 – as well as house most of the operation inside the building as opposed to the current status of bus boarding happening now.

NJ Transit Senior Vice President of Capital Programs Rich Schaefer said the new hub will better accommodate the 24 bus lines that serve the facility; provide improved connectivity with the PATCO Speedline subway and the River LINE light rail; support intercity independent bus services; and provide additional parking, administrative offices, and retail opportunities to the adjacent areas.

“The NJ Transit Walter Rand Transportation Center Improvement Project is an exciting redevelopment project that will transform the current facility into a modern, vibrant, and customer-focused transit hub for the entire South Jersey region,” Schaefer said.

Congressman Donald Norcross (D, 1st District) said the project represents the recent run of success the city has had.

“It’s remarkable to see the transformation of Camden’s infrastructure over the past few years, and the 25-story Beacon Building is an important part of that transformation,” he said. “As part of the new Walter Rand Transportation Center, the Beacon Building will help generate new job opportunities for the people of Camden. It’s exciting to see how this next phase of modernizing economic growth and development helps rebuild the beautiful county and city of Camden.”

Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald (D-Voorhees) agreed.

“The stunning new renderings of the Beacon Building fill me with excitement for Camden’s future,” he said. “This architectural marvel will be a prominent fixture of the city’s skyline, showcasing Camden as a vibrant destination to live, work, play, and thrive.

“The state’s historic $250 million investment in this project, a result of continued efforts to secure resources for our region, is a powerful testament to our undeniable economic potential as a hub for innovation and commerce.”